Your resolution to a happy New Year

It is 24 hours till the New Year. Imagine that. So what have you to show for your last 12 months?

If you are like most people, for the past 365 days - you slept and ate approximately 3500 hours of it away.

A better question is, what are you going to do this year?

When was the last time you sat down and wrote out what you wanted to achieve? Did you even write down goals for yourself?

If you are an adult "goals" are nothing new for you. You have heard somewhere along the way that you should have some. But what? If you are a teen or tween, you might be thinking 'what is a goal?' I like to think of a goal as a dream that has become part of my world. It is no longer something (an idea or vision) in my head.

I like to use New Year's as a time to re-evaluate my goals... did I achieve what I set out to, are the ones I have still valid, am I on target or have they changed. I use it as time for reflection as well.

Goals for me are like shooting a puck at a net. If there is no net then I just the shoot the puck aimlessly. But if there is a net to shoot at, then I can put the puck in a specific area with a specific purpose in mind. The purpose might be to see how hard I can shoot, or how accurate I can be or how often I can put it in a certain are. All of these purposes allow me to shoot for an end result. What is the end result? Feeling good about myself.

So, isn't time you began feeling good? What goals do you want this year?

Take out a sheet of paper or if you have already written goals from the beginning of the season, take that out and I want you to go to a place where you will not be bothered. You want to have some quiet undisturbed time to do this.

Begin to think about the things that are important to you. Think about past accomplishments and how you felt once they were achieved. Think of how you were making a difference and delivering on every move. You should be able to find a few things. This will get you feeling good about yourself.

Now that you have this sense of pride, write down on the blank sheet of paper a header - My Goals for '09 (this will be all the things you want to have happen in your life). Under that, in no particular order - answer this question - "What do you want to accomplish this year?"

List all kinds of things... people you want to meet, how you want to be as a person, what difference you want to make. You may have big goals, small ones, ones you have no idea how you will achieve them... there are no rules. Just jot down those that come to your head.

Once you have that, beside (or below) each one write down all the reasons you can think of why you want them. If you have already written goals, but have not achieved them yet, here would be a good spot to write out "Why" you still want them. What do you think it will get you to achieve this goal? Who will you become?

If you are beginning to get emotionally charged - you now you have hit a nerve and that is the TRUE reason you want this goal. It also will become the driver in you.

Choose one or two from your list that you know you must achieve.

Once you have them,
a) write out by when you would like to have this achieved.
b) write out all the things you think you need to do to achieve it.
c) write out how you will be able to handle obstacles that come up.
d) write our how you will celebrate it once achieved.

Here is a tip if you are struggling... work from the outcome (the end goal). In other words, think about what it would be like for you to have already achieved it. You will begin to see what the end is like and then be able to see what steps you took to get to that place. Do this all the way back to the present. Once you have written it out, you will have in fact written out a plan of how to get what you want. The last step is simple - take action on the steps you wrote out.

Now, why am I telling you this? What does this have to do with hockey you might asking yourself?

Well, if you are a coach, a parent, a player a referee or any other role in the game... let me ask you a question, why are you doing what you are doing? What are you expecting to get out of your participation in this game?

The answer is your outcome - the goal you are after. Imagine what it would be like to be fulfilled because you achieved your goal. Maybe all you are looking for is to make a difference for someone. Or maybe you have no choice and being forced to participate. Either way, what is it you would like to get out of this year? It must be something that you can control. This way you will know you can take appropriate action.

I like to think that each New Year brings an opportunity of hope... a start of a new beginning.

Live your dreams and wishes. You deserve it!

Have an outstanding joyous New Year and remember...

Keep it fun!



Kevin V. Huhn

Hey Coach! Who is in charge?

Whatever happen to “I'm the coach and what I say, goes.”

Ok so it may sound harsh, but I remember a time when my parents asked me if I wanted to play hockey, paid for registration and then brought me to the rink for practices and games... That was the extent of their involvement. There was no telling the coach what to do or how to do it. It was a very clear relationship between parent, child and coach. In my case, my dad could have easily shared his 20+ years of hockey experience with a few of the guys I called "coach".


Now, I am not saying that parents meddle in the coaches’ job, today. I believe without the support of parents, a lot of what has evolved in youth hockey is a result of parents' participation, dedication and commitment. And there would be no youth hockey (to the extent there) is without them.


What I am talking about is the right that parents think they have when it comes to deciding on the development and skill teaching to their child(ren) in hockey. Let me say that again... the right that parents think they have.


When a person signs up to coach hockey he knows, or soon becomes aware, that s/he takes on the responsibility of becoming the role model, teacher and supporter of a group of young people in their formative years. The person knows that it is up to him/her to provide an environment that is safe and fun-filled for the player to learn new skills and build confidence in themselves.


It is very tough for the coach to plan out a season, then execute the plan, providing quality training and mentorship, when their teaching methods are being scrutinized, their decisions are being questioned and their strategies are being undermined by the very same people who said please coach my child.


It is a coach's duty and responsibilty to manage expectations, communicate effectively and provide a good environment for everyone involved. But in order to do that, s/he needs the space to do it in. S/he need the undivided attention of the child.

If you are a parent of a child in the game and you are uneasy about a coach, then before you are about to make a comment to the coach about how s/he is coaching, consider the following:

1. Hockey is a team sport - all the players on the team need to learn how to play a role for the good of the group, by being the best s/he can be in thier role.


2. The coach is responsible for many things and one of them is helping her/his players be the best they can be in a given situation.


3. Is your child physically in danger or being harmed?


4. Is there another perspective of the situation that you have not considered?


5. Have you asked your child what they feel or think about what has happened?


6. If this were happening to another child on the team, would you still feel the same way?
   

I have found over the past 20 years as a parent, when I stand back and watch my child perform or play a sport versus me putting my nose in on how or what they should do (making my opinion known), my children have a better sense of connection, enjoyment and experience in what they are doing. Even though at times, the result is not what I think it should be, my child walks away happier and more fulfilled. Which is what most parents want for their children, to be happy with a fulfilling and enjoyable life.

The coach has taken on the role of guiding a group of individuals perform tasks individually to achieve a collective objective - allow him/her to do it and let yourself enjoy the result - Your child playing a game, learning and experiencing growth as a human.