skip navigation

How hockey helps a kids confidence

By Coach's Corner, 04/29/12, 10:28AM CDT

Share

This is about how a great hockey experience can make a big difference in a childs life.

Having adults who care about your child's development as a hockey player is important, some might even say very important, but as far as I'm concerned it is much more important to have adults who care about your child's development as a person.

This year the coaching staff of the North St.Paul Pee Wee C Red Team exemplified that for my child. They took the time to help us as parents reinforce the importance of school and to help put hockey into perspective when compared with the more important things in life.

While my son may never go on to play hockey at an advanced level, he will have opportunities afforded to him through his education. Equally as important, he learned things this year like teamwork, accepting disappointment, putting forward a strong effort and getting along with others.

My son began his career in another hockey association, one that did not place much emphasis on developing people or good hockey players for that matter. In those years he had the opportunity to play spring hockey in NSP. With coaches like Troy Glaus, Cory Edmunds and others he was exposed to adults who made an effort to put kids first.

Those experiences had a lasting effect on him and his parents. So much so that it became a factor when we decided to move into the NSP area.

This season, our first in NSP, has been overwhelmingly positive. Not simply from the experiences on the ice, but in the attitudes and concerns of the Coaches, Parents and Players. The support and concern didn't end with our team, both the NSP C-PeeWee Teams had Parents who supported each other, something that only happens when people genuinely care about others.

Maybe that's part of the reason both teams ended up in the District 2 Championship game.

My son's confidence has grown with each game and practice as he's learned and developed as both a player and a person.

Each of my son's Coaches, Mike, Jeff and David have all been tremendous teachers, mentors and examples for him. Having people like these in an organization makes it what it is.

Take it from someone who has some experience with other hockey associations, North Saint Paul is blessed to have people like Jeff, Mike, David, Troy, Cory and others in their organization.

This year our team did very well on the ice and maybe as the years pass they'll forget the Morris Tournament Championship or the spectacular shoot out win against Forest Lake in the Playoffs, but they will always take with them the lessons of character they learned from the great Coaches they had.

No Coaches gift or pat on the back could ever really express how grateful we are as Parents for the work you did this year with our children.

Mike, Jeff and David THANK YOU for making a difference.