Kids are amazing!!! It is amazing how quickly they pick up new skills and how fast they grow. I have been coaching the same bunch of kids in hockey for almost three years now. They have been playing incredibly well and I don't really think it is the coaching. I don't mind taking some credit but these kids, from this small town, are simply just getting it. Every time I give them a new skill to practice they quickly added it to their already long list of skills. Earlier this month we introduced "changing on the fly" to these 7 year olds, I'm not kidding, they do it better than most junior teams after just one game. Last practice, I introduced stick handling while skating backwards, a skill I still struggle with. Today at practice I added the skill to a relay race and I was stunned that every kid completed the task. I had to push a couple of them but they did it. I'm not a professional scout but I'm pretty sure most 7 year olds struggle just to skate backwards so these guys are good.
I'm not bragging here, I'm simply praising these kids. It isn't my coaching that makes them so good, they are natural athletes and are well parented. As a Novice team, parental support is as important as coaching. I lucked out and not only have great kids but great parents to coach for. They step up and volunteer for the various needed tasks, they don't complain if I discipline there child, and they make exceptional efforts to be there for their kids.
The kids chose the name "Wolfpack" for the team and I think it is so appropriate. Wolves are a family oriented species that push and sharpen each other and our boys are sharp. I'm proud of everyone of them.
Just as another note, before finalizing this post the boys played a game with, arguably, two of our better players missing. Despite that the kids who were there played hard and my son, who normally plays defence, scored his first goal as a centerman and had two assists to help the Wolfpack win 8-6. Way to go guys.
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