Your Opinions

[gumby_in_co]

Hey guys.  Just wanted to get your opinions on something that happened at my son's hockey practice last night. The practice was a session they call "ADM" wherein all players at a given age group practice together.  So there are House, B, A and AA (cream of the crop) players in the same practice. The format is multiple stations doing competitive drills.  The idea is to get the kids away from their team-oriented practices and work on individual skills.  The kids love it for the most part.

So last night, my son was in a drill that involved a race to the puck. Two players race around some cones and a coach dumps a puck in the middle.  The first kid to the puck gets to shoot it and the second has to try and play some defense.  The drill was being run by our org's director.  He's the guy in charge of all the coaches.  I should also point out that he took over the "A" team, who's coach quit in mid season. 

My son got beat by an "A" player on one particular rep.  My son is a pretty competitive kid and hates to lose, so he was pretty steamed. He's also the fastest skater in the league. The reason he lost is that the other kid took a generous head start, the cones were arranged so that it was a huge advantage for the other line and the coach passed the puck to the other player, rather than put it in the middle. It was clear that the director wanted his "A" players to beat the "AA" players, which is fine by me. It's a good way to make the "AA" players work harder, taking advantage of their natural competitiveness.

My problem is that the director stopped the drill to call out my son in front of everyone for getting beat, saying that "AA players don't have any heart". He loudly stated that my son should be ashamed of himself for losing to an "A" player. My son said, "Maybe you should make sure the other line doesn't cheat and not pass the puck to them."  At that point, the director went off, screaming "YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO COME TO MY PRACTICE AND MY DRILL, THEN RUN YOUR MOUTH AT ME???!!!! THAT'S HOW YOU THINK YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TALK TO YOUR DIRECTOR?!!  NO WONDER YOUR TEAM DIDN'T BEAT (hated rival that we tied recently).  IT'S BECAUSE YOU "AA"'S ARE ALL A BUNCH OF CRYBABIES!!!"

So . . . Did the director cross the line?

[Malibu]

How old is your son?

[gumby_in_co]

How old is your son?

12.  The age group is 11-12.

[mrdeadeye]

Nope....

TW

[mahonz]

Lar

Knowing you and Jr personally....and that he is no loose cannon by any stretch.....

The Director crossed the line. Drills need to be fair if they are a competition....and if they are not fair then the guy running the drill has no business calling a kid out. If he was intentionally pushing the AA line that's fine but don't be calling anyone out.

Jr and Jr Jr went to the A-West FB camp last August. Saw kinda the same thing happen to an older kid not from the area. A real dickhead move by the Coach. Really didn't sit well with me and I was just an impartial observer. 

[Michael]

IT'S BECAUSE YOU "AA"'S ARE ALL A BUNCH OF CRYBABIES!!!"

I'd be like, "Sounds like you're a whiny little bitch yourself."

Of course, I'm not known for my etiquette.

[gumby_in_co]

Lar

Knowing you and Jr personally....and that he is no loose cannon by any stretch.....

The Director crossed the line. Drills need to be fair if they are a competition....and if they are not fair then the guy running the drill has no business calling a kid out. If he was intentionally pushing the AA line that's fine but don't be calling anyone out.

Jr and Jr Jr went to the A-West FB camp last August. Saw kinda the same thing happen to an older kid not from the area. A real dickhead move by the Coach. Really didn't sit well with me and I was just an impartial observer.

I guess my first problem is that he called him out and questioned his heart.  My second is that he showed a complete lack of respect for the player, then jumped the player for not showing respect. 

The real "tell" for me is that the "AA"'s were falling (losing edges, etc) a lot more than the lower players. To me, this means they are going balls out and leaving caution to the wind. We always tell them that if they're not falling in practice, then they're not going hard enough.  Practice is where you go past the edge of control so you know where it is.

Meh. I'll let it go. I was going to wait my 24 hours and go talk to the director, but I'm not sure what that would accomplish other than prove his point about our guys being crybabies.

[gumby_in_co]

Nope....

TW

Thanks Dead. I appreciate your input.

[Daniel Lyons]

Sounds like the guy is immature and not too bright (assuming everything you said is true.)

He needs to work on some issues.   "You AA's" have no heart?  Why is he so intent on labeling and dividing the kids?  Today's AA is tomorrow's bench warmer and vis a versa.  I think the point of those drills was some inter-team comradery.

I don't believe in kids talking back, but I can see being pissed off when someone says you have no heart. 

I cheat in un-even drills and tease and good naturedly goad kids all the time to get the best out of them.  This guy was just being a pud it sounds like.  Coaching probably isn't for him. 




 

[Michael]

If I ever did that to a kid, and he didn't call me on it, THEN I'd be worried about him.

These people that think that everyone should respect them just because they are a teacher, coach, police officer, DMV employee, whatever, and then take advantage of their position, are often the reason WHY people don't automatically respect people in those positions.

Then they go with, "Well, I was just trying to..."  Yeah?  Well, you suck at it.

[gumby_in_co]

I'd be like, "Sounds like you're a whiny little bitch yourself."

Of course, I'm not known for my etiquette.

Yeah, that one burned me, too. Our guys haven't beat that rival . . . ever.  Seriously.  On Friday, we put on a damn clinic.  We skated circles around them.  My son had the most dominant game he's every played.  We out-shot them 30-10.  Funny thing about hockey is that a goalie can upset your apple cart in a hurry.  Then our best defenseman took a penalty with 2 minutes left with a 2-1 lead and they scored to tie it with a minute left. 

No heart?  My son was in tears after that game because the last playoff team and the first non-playoff team will likely be separated by a single point.

No heart? Every single AA kid is there because they dared to try out and swim with the sharks.  There are at least 4 kids on the A team who are good enough for AA, but didn't try out so they could "shine" at a lower level.

Ahhh.  Now I'm ranting again.

[Michael]

MY PRACTICE AND MY DRILL

I always figure it's our practice and our drill.  The players aren't there for the coach.  The coach is there for the players.

[mrdeadeye]

It was asked if he "crossed the line".....to me that is(again i said TO ME) did he do something that was unforgivable or inherently harmful i.e. grab a kid by the facemask...

That doesn't mean I don't think he's a dick. LOL!
TW

[JrTitan]

So . . . Did the director cross the line?

Yes.  Never appropriate for a coach to belittle a player in front of a group and the expect him to take it because he is in a position of authority.  It's abusive.

[CoachShad]

Yes.  Never appropriate for a coach to belittle a player in front of a group and the expect him to take it because he is in a position of authority.  It's abusive.

Folks we have a winner!!