When it comes to deciding where you should play next season, the most critical factor is coaching.   Sure, many girls hockey players want to play with their friends, they want to have fun, and the logistics of getting to and from practices and games are all critical factors in your ultimate decision.  But whether you are just starting rep hockey or are starting to make choices about college hockey programs, coaching should be the single biggest factor you consider when making your decision on where to play next season.

 

Every coach you speak to is going to try to sell you on the unique features of their program.  For the most part, every team will have a few practices a week, will play between 40-70 games, and enter a handful of tournaments.  Some programs will include off-ice training, specific skill and goalie training, and address the areas of nutrition and mental performance. These details will not differ too greatly between teams that are competing at the same level.

 

Everyone wants to play on the “best” team possible.  But what does “best” mean for you?  Does it mean the team with the best record this season?  Because there is no guarantee that they will be able to repeat that kind of success next year.  Does it mean the team with the best players?  Because we’ve all seen teams that look terrific on paper and have the most individually skilled players on paper, but they can’t put it all together as a team.  Does being on the best team mean choosing the team with the best coach?  

 

I believe it does, but not every coach is going to be the “best” choice for your child.

 

Before you choose a coach, make sure you do the following:

 

1) Ask other parents and players if they know about that coach.

 

This is especially helpful if you can speak to someone who has played for that coach before.  This will likely provide you with  the greatest insight into what this coach is like and how they treat their players and work with their team.

 

2) Meet with/speak with the prospective coach to find out what their philosophy is with respect to team & player development.

 

This should be done well in advance of tryouts.  Although I realize that not every player is going to have a great deal of choices for teams to play on next season, here in Toronto, there are typically 5-8 different choices for teams at each age and ability level.  Not every “AA” or “B” team is going to offer the same program.  You have to make sure you get your questions answered from the coach themselves.  

 

I would suggest sending the coach an email to set up a time to talk.  In your email, include 3-5 of your biggest questions so that they have the chance to prepare and you can keep the conversation to a reasonable length (us coaches are doing a lot of talking these days). Also ask them if they have an outline of their program plans for next season that they can send you – this might actually help answer many of your questions in advance of your conversation .

 

3) Watch the coach in an actual hockey practice.

 

I cannot overstate how critical this is.  The team’s program may look great on paper and the coach may have said all the right things in your conversation, but don’t make any decisions until you see them  in action on the ice.  Practices are where your child is going to learn new skills, concepts, and strategies and it is very eye-opening to watch how the coach instructs and interacts with their players on the ice.  You will learn a great deal about the coach and their staff in a relatively short period of time this way.

 

4) Watch the coach in an actual game.

 

You should make an effort to watch this coach on the bench during a game.  You will see how they manage their players and staff, what the atmosphere surrounding the team is like and how the team responds to instruction.

 

That shouldn’t seem like too much work – especially since your child will be spending 6-8 months of the year under the guidance of this individual. You need to do your homework on the coaches just in the same way that they are doing their homework on players.  

 

And always remember, this choice is about more than Xs and Os and who wins the most games.  You want to have a coach who has all the required technical knowledge and the ability to run an effective practice and game.  But most importantly, you want to work with a coach who is going to encourage, develop, “push” and inspire your child to become the best they can possibly be and create the best possible environment for the team and players to succeed.