Five months and two weeks ago, as I sat in the locker room
before a beer league hockey game, two parents were considering moving their
kids to other organizations because of the lack of coaches within the
Whitestown organization. I struck up a conversation with them and said I’d
always thought about getting involved. The next day, I was in touch with the
coaching coordinator for the organization to get more info. Later that day, I
was signed up for USA hockey for the first time in more than 10 years, and
enrolled in the required courses to be ready for the 2017-18 season. The rest
of the ride was unbelievable. I’m not sure words will capture what it meant to
me, but I’m going to try.
Ever since I graduated in 2006, I’ve thought about getting
back involved in the game. My biggest regret has been not at least attempting
to try out as a walk on during my time at Brockport. Between now and then I’ve
played in various beer leagues, intramural teams, fundraisers, alumni games, and so
on. One of my favorite things to remind the kids is that we’re privileged to be
able to play the best game in the world, just enjoy every minute of it. A few
times I’ve thought about officiating, a way to get involved and get paid! But,
I never made the move to do it. Coaching crossed my mind of course, but without
my own kid involved, how fun would it be? Turns out, it can be incredible!
This weekend we had the season ending Snowbelt Jam. A
culmination of the results from the year, seeding us 8th out of 20
total teams. Against some tough competition (seeds 5-7), the boys left it all
on the ice. Unfortunately we came up 2 goals short of making the Championship
game. Considering we had a combined one win in six games against these same
teams during the regular season, it definitely shows how far they’ve come this
season. It was quite somber as we left the rink, some tears in the locker room,
some stories from the season were relived, but everyone knew the season was
over. The ride home with my wife, A’nna, was rough on me.
As we talked about the season, all I could say was that I
wasn’t ready for it to end. The road trips, the practices, the daunted thirty
second drill (which coach admitted to the players post game usually ran 50
seconds), the chit chat with the kids, just everything. Ironically, my google
guides popped up just this morning and said I had spent sixty hours in the car
this month, I was surprised it was that low. Over the season, we traveled a
total of nearly six hours for one game on a Sunday afternoon. We sped up to
Pulaski to beat the weather, only to find out the tournament might not happen
at all, and that we had 2 non-refundable nights booked at the hotel (it did
take place). We spent a weekend in Niagara Falls and got to unwind and spend
some quality time with the parents of these kids who I’m spending all this time
with. On the ice and in the locker room, I’ve learned from the kids as much as
it feels like they’ve learned from me. By the end of the year, I was fielding
questions every day about different scenarios that happen and what I would do.
My first commitment to them, was that I’d never ask them to do something that I
couldn’t. That is why every practice, I made sure to skate the sprints with
them, always pushing them to be their best. I didn’t get much pushback from
most of them this year, if you asked them to do it, it was done. I had to adapt
to teaching as well. Learning to lose was what surprised me the most about
myself. I live on competition and winning, I don’t typically lose anything
well. This isn’t the way youth sports work though. With all twelve losses this
year, I was able to brush them off and focus on the positives. Did a few leave
a really sour taste? Of course, but when it comes down to it, none of these
kids will remember our record in a few weeks. I’ve always played the game,
fairly well at times, but trying to communicate and teach is a whole different
animal. I’m happy with the way both sides adjusted and how we were able to work
together to make both groups better. These, not the scores or results, are the
memories I will take with me from this season.
I landed an awesome pair of coaches to start my journey with
as well. Chris was the official head coach of the team. He put in countless
hours preparing everything for the kids and the coaches for that matter.
Drawing up practice plans between 11pm and 2am seems to be his specialty. Eric
was in the same boat as myself, registering for courses at the last minute to
get involved to help out. He was always willing to do some research to find
ways to add on to existing drills, or the best way to explain new concepts to
the boys. These two, and their wives and children, became our road family. I
have a feeling we’ve made some long lasting friendships. Now, we would be in
good shape if we could find just one good knee out of the 6 that we have
combined (probably not a good sign that the artificial one is the strongest).
A’nna has been a trooper through the whole season. She told
me to sign up when I first told her about coaching, I’m not sure she realized
what exactly it was that she was getting into. She made all the road trips with
me, attended most of the home games as well when she didn’t have to work. To
her, I say thank you, and I love you! Please don’t delete all my registration
emails next year when they start up just to keep me from jumping back into it. She
and I were both happily accepted by the “hockey family,” I’m very grateful for
this as I’m not sure she would have made it the whole season sitting by
herself.
On a personal friendship level, coaching brought me back to
people I never would have expected it to. On 5 different road trips, I was able
to catch up with friends I hadn’t seen in a long time. Trips I probably wouldn’t
have made if I wasn’t coaching. It’s funny how things come around when you’re
not expecting them.
The family aspect of hockey is something I had forgotten
some of. I guess 15 years out of hockey (and just being a participant, not a
parent) will do that to you. One of the first comments I remember from this
season was a quick quip with one of the parents in the lobby before practice.
They asked why my kids were running around. I said, “I have no kids here, not
my problem!” The response was, “You have 30 kids here, they’re all your
problem!” We laughed at the time, but as we got further into the season I
realized just how right they were. While walking around the hotel in Niagara
Falls, I felt responsible for each and every Wolfpack player there (even the
siblings who were at different levels). I’m proud of these kids though, I made
comment to A’nna about how much more well behaved our kids were than others who
were causing far more commotion and problems.
I’m still having a hard time believing that we played 37
games already. It feels like just yesterday I was rushing out to Schenectady to
get my level one CEP course completed. I’m also not ready to accept that after
our closing events this week, the season is over. My only regret will be not
starting coaching sooner. As far as everything else this season, I would repeat
every single bit in a heartbeat! I want
to thank everyone that was involved from the bottom of my heart. I hope that
every season after this can live up to the standard that this one has set.
Until next year, summer skate, dry land, or backyard
shooting,
Thanks again,
Coach Otto
