This season was somewhat of a difficult season for me. Last January, I had my left hip totally replaced. My doctor made it clear to me that I should stay off the ice for awhile. Sitting from a far was painful, extremely painful (but the hip is fine).
My reflections on the year:
- I turned the program over to one of my assistants and he did a good job.
- Playing Booster Club President is not a position cut out for me.
- After so many years of coaching, sitting in the stands as a spectator is not the life for me. When I did yell out stuff the players recognized the voice and looked up in the stands. Even the goalie!
- The team played well, when I did show up. I went to 3 games (they only saw me one time) and they won all 3 games. I was as proud as if I was involved. Some of those players, I have coached for 3 years.
- The overall record of the team was 10-12. Success is measured in different ways. Could the team have won more games – sure. Did they have an overall successful season – I think so. There is always room for improvement. What I saw most of all, was that some of the younger players developed – and to me that is what it is all about.
The most difficult thing for me now is what am I going to do next season. There is no way, I can sit on the sidelines and be passive. There is no way, that I can take the ice and skate with the team all out. I have to decide what am I going to do – and how can I be involved. Really involved.
Most people never truly get to understand how much you can miss something – till it is taken away. For me, I now know. The good thing is I have all summer to figure it out, talk it over with the family and spend sometime with the high school league officials.
Look for a Hockey post in the June/July timeframe…
