To be sure with August almost half over, most player know where and when they supposed to report to they team for the season or main camp.
Many time I go to camp dress in inconspicuous clothes. I do not wear the team jacket, or TJHN jacket I have. I look like nothing more than the fan, or some scout sitting around. I do this for many reason. Most important though is to make sure I am not distracted with conversation from player and parent so that I can observe player and parent at all times while the guard is down and they acting natural.
Many team when the checking in of player is ongoing, are too busy to notice some detail, or hear all that is being said away from them. This is where I get a lot of information, and am able to pass the information on to the team during camp before the cut is made.
Success is in details. Every coach and player know this. What player and parent forget many time is that detail does not only come down to practice, game plan and time spent in the gym.
Detail is found in body language, physical presentation, attitude, communication skills, and self awareness of these details.
It is easy to spot the cocky or arrogant skater on the ice and in the lobby. They carry themself as they think they are the big shot. This is not a good thing to do. These player, no matter how good, turn coach off many time. Confident body language does not say that you think you are too good to be there. It do not say you think you are so much better than everyone else. It say, I am here to go to work and do my best work day in and day out.
It is also easy to spot the player who just live the dream. He show up in rag tag T-shit and old gym shorts. He show up with baseball cap turned backward, unshaven and looking like he in the gym with his buddy. He do not look like he take his work seriously or his opportunity to make a team seriously. This is very important detail. You never see Crosby show up looking like the summer beach bum to a camp when he was junior player.
How player speak to staff, other player, and his own parent also serious to notice. Poor communication skill off the ice mean poor communication skill on the ice. The good communicator is confident, and make up for skill deficiency in his ability to speak. This is a skill that is extremely important and separate leaders from followers.
Self awareness is exactly what it say. It is being aware of how you carry youself, how you speak, how you dress, and how you get along on and off the ice with you team mate at all time. Being self aware is critical.
Do you think that when player have attitude with parent, or another player go un-notice? Do you think when player fail to communicate not notice?
Everything is evaluated at the camp. Everything down to you haircut or lack of one is evaluated by the staff. It is every detail that make the difference of making the team or not making the team.
Coach
