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Confessions Of A Junior Hockey Coach – The Truth, Can You Handle It

Today we talk about the “Truth”.  I ask for some help today to make sure I get the point across directly, so some words are not my own here but they carry the weight of the emotion I try to express.

There come a time in every player career that he have to face the “Truth”.  For some it is 18 for some it is 38 when they face it.  The question for you is; Do you know what to do when you have to face the truth?

The “Truth” is that we can not play the game forever, and for many of you the “Truth” is that you are never going to make it to the level of play you want to make it to.  Yes, I know that sucks, but it is the “Truth”.

There is nothing worse than the player who do not face facts.  The great player in the NHL who plays one or two season too long and tarnish his legacy.  It is the same with the player who think they better than they really are.  They go from camp to camp to camp.  Every year they do the same thing.

Recently I see the player, a good player who can continue to develop.  He is very vocal about wanting to play in one specific CJHL league.  Even when player have offer to play in equal level league in the CJHL, the player think the “league” not good enough for him.  If fact the player should be grateful he have the CJHL opportunity to begin with.

The “Truth” is not every player is right for every league or every team.  Some player will not be good enough for some team, some player will not be good enough for some league.  That is the “Truth”.

Knowing where you fit in is the key to being successful.  Understanding that you play bigger role in one place over another is what provide you more opportunity.

Also understanding that you simply may not be good enough to make the team you want to play for is critical truth.  It is called looking in the mirror and being honest with no one else but you.

If you think the scout look at the USHL player any different than the Major Junior player you do not understand scouting.  If you think the scout see CJHL player any different than the NAHL player you don’t understand the scouting.  If you dominating player, the league initials you play under mean nothing.

The “Truth” is the league, or the team do not get you to the goal you set for youself.  You performance and development get you to the goals.

If you keep making the same mistake every year and nothing change for you, why do you repeat the mistake again this year?  Why go to the same team tryout camp when they don’t give you more than camp invite?  The “Truth” is if team really want you they will tell you and take action to make it happen.

Can you handle that “Truth” or do you need to register for the next “main camp” next weekend?

Coach

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