Feb 22, 2023 | James Coatham | 320 views
Development mode & the playoffs
Development mode and Playoffs
As we move towards the close of the season and we look
towards playoffs, I wanted to let parents know the pathway. There can be wants
and desires to focus fully on winning and pull away from the development line
we have taken for most of the year.
I am proud of how this team has played all year, we have strived every game to develop a player in different positions, teaching the proper way to play hockey. Top line scorers are made to play defense and more defensive players made to try offense. Our defense is taught to cover each other and hold the line, our forwards are working on focusing on their own side of the ice and getting back to help on defense. We have never cherry picked, we have never overloaded a line for a win in our regular season, no one has had a shift skipped to get the win in a regular season game. Our lower skilled players are expected to try their best and have done so with great effort, making huge strides in their own games.
While I strive to let them succeed in the role they want, realize that we are a house league team; My job is and will always be to continue to develop every player into good hockey players, not just winners. Winning as they say is a byproduct of proper play. Players have desires to play certain positions more than others and it can be a struggle to watch them play positions they are not wholly loving. You have all been amazing parents and team mates this year cheering everyone on, not an ill word for any team member. You've
cheered successes and lifted up when they feel down. With all that said, we as coaches will make every effort in the playoffs to allow the kids to finish in the positions, they are happy with and feel most comfortable with.
2 games left until the playoffs begin… LETS GO ORONO!