Elite hockey still being played here

SEASON ISN’T OVER FOR ALL

I seem to have a lot more free time on my hands right now. Two of the teams I worked with this year (University of Lethbridge and the AAA Midget Hurricanes) have already seen their seasons come to an end. It is quite unfortunate for teams to be done their seasons before the calendar turns to March. Especially for the AAA Midgets who still have significant time to kill before Junior A spring camps begin in April.

Nonetheless, there is still some elite hockey going on in our city. Both Pee Wee AA teams seem poised for strong playoff runs, the Bantam AA team is fighting for 1st place, the Midget AA’s could be an underdog, the Bantam AAA’s are one win away from the South Final and the Minor Midget AAA’s have the fewest losses in their league with a few weeks left. Not to mention the Lethbridge Hurricanes continue to fight for 1st place in the Central Division. Lots of good hockey to be seen in our little hockey chinookbed of Southern Alberta.

One reality when the season is over is you often have too much time on your hands. Time you haven’t had all season, this applies to parents as well! After my first year of college I realized that when my playing career was over that I wanted to coach. I had a deep love for the game and at 21 years old I realized I wasn’t going to play forever- even though I wanted to.

This led me to coaching. I spent the next three years running goalie schools and private lessons for Pro Goal Development before taking jobs in Sudbury and Regina. Those jobs helped me build a resume strong enough to be given the opportunity to work for Hockey Alberta.

I had to learn a lot to become a good coach. I was lucky enough to play at a high enough level that I could draw on my personal experiences to coach. However, I learned very quickly being able to see something and being able to teach it are two completely different things. That is why coaches are constantly learning and learning the skillset to teach the game.

A few weeks ago, I was talking to Tim Hunter of the Moose Jaw Warriors (just finished a stint as the Assistant Coach of Team Canada at the World Juniors) about all the coaching clinics he had attended the past few years. The reality is that even the best coaches are putting in the time to learn more about how to teach.

I was able to get a head start on my coaching career by coaching while I was still playing. I got ahead by taking the initiative. Now taking the initiative is even easier than it was when I was playing thanks to Hockey Alberta’s Regional Leader Development Program. The Regional Leader Development Program is aimed to develop and train male and female hockey players in the areas of coaching, skill instruction and leadership.

The target for this program is the 1999 and 2000 born age groups. It is my belief this is the perfect age group for players to start understanding all aspects of the game. For those aspiring to play further, they earn leadership skills and a stronger understanding of the technical and tactical side of the game. For those who see their playing careers coming to an end this program allows them to easily transition into coaching the game they love.

Registrants will be trained and mentored on and off ice through classroom sessions that include: leadership, team building and office LTPD training. Along with classroom sessions, regional leaders will work through the NCCP Coach 2 program and leave the program with a trained status. Delegates will also receive NCCP Instructional Stream-trained status. The total value of the program is more than $400. During the 2 day RLDP all registrants will be provided with: • Lunch both days • NCCP Coach 2 Trained Status • NCCP Instructional Stream Trained Status • Access to the new Hockey Canada Network App • Coaching starter kit The program cost is just $50 (plus GST), and registration is on a first come, first served basis.

For the Midget players this is a great opportunity to get ahead. Even and especially if you aspire to play for many more years the Regional Leader Development Program gives you the opportunity to get your coaching career started. It’s all part of the preparation for life after hockey. For those who love the game this is a great program to prepare you to stay in the game.

For more information on the Regional Leader Development Program visit