The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
While watching the Xtreme Hockey School at Whitney Forum, one question entered my mind. Should hockey schools only have professionals instructing? There may just be as many hockey camps with professionals instructing as non-pros. Another question to ask is, can non-pros have the same impact on players they instruct? Wayne Gretzky did say his father was one of his best coaches, if not the best, and Walter didn't play professional hockey. Gretzky had and still has such a passion for the game that he went above and beyond to learn as much as he could about hockey. One of my former journalism instructors wrote for the Canadian Press for several years before leaving to teach. She's incredible with teaching and explaining to students the ins and outs of grammar. It also doesn't hurt that she has a Ph.D. in comparative literature. So does this mean someone with less credentials than her is an inferior instructor? One thing to keep in mind is that instructor's pass along the knowledge they have gained, or most of it, to help a student. They pass little things that helped them from the instructors who passed it on to them. When it comes to hockey, instructors will do the same, teach what they know and what has been taught to them. Coaches will show and explain skills to players in a way they will understand and utilize to improve themselves. Of course, there are some skills that can't be taught, such as scoring. It becomes a fountain of knowledge that doesn't stop growing. If a player soaks up even one little technique their coach taught them, that is valuable. How much a player develops has to do with how bad they want to improve. The best players always put in extra effort and are the ones you read about saying they're the first ones on the ice and last to leave. The zamboni driver has to shut down the lights in the arena just to get them out, and this is hours later. They keep working at it Ð practice makes perfect. The only people this rule doesn't apply to are natural talents. Players who have NHL aspirations will do what it takes. The importance of having good instructors at hockey camps is there, but it's also the responsibility of the players to take advantage of what they're being taught. If a player isn't paying attention, or is being lazy, they're losing out on a learning opportunity. During a session, I witnessed a goalie pretty much give up on a drill towards the end, meanwhile the instructor wouldn't let up on encouraging this player to finish with a strong effort. It takes a lot to continually push yourself, but these players owe it to themselves and their development to give it their all. The players are learning small things, techniques that will make a world of difference to their development. It's important that the players avoid laziness, but most importantly, have fun in learning these skills because that will make the experience worthwhile. Also, if theydon't putin the effort, it won't matter how qualified the instructors are.
