Tale of three Soo coaches

What better way to usher November into December by spending a good chunk of the weekend at three different rinks?

Well, there may indeed be better ways. Just ask my wife, Mary, who accompanied me on the weekend watch of hockey matches. But good sport that she is, Mary went with me from rink to rink and level to level.

From Soo Pee Wee Arena to John Rhodes Community Center to GFL Memorial Gardens, I managed to be a dutiful writer and watcher and take in games from the novice major to the pee wee major AA to the major midget to the Ontario Hockey League levels.

Soo Greyhounds and the OHL aside, there were a few things that really stood out when watching the novice major, pee wee major AA and major midget matches.

Positional, structured hockey and elite coaching were more than evident when watching former star OHL and 15-year pro defenseman Cole Jarrett in charge of one of the novice major teams that compete within the Soo Pee Wee Hockey League.

The 36-year old Jarrett was a captain on just about every team he every played on — including the Plymouth Whalers (now Flint Firebirds) of the OHL. And even though he is on the quiet, unassuming side, Jarrett is a born leader who, as a coach, is able to pass on so much of what he learned and experienced during his lengthy OHL and professional career.

Jarrett’s pro career took him to the American Hockey League, the National Hockey League and overseas to Finland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Japan and England.

Now back in Sault Ste. Marie with his wife and their two children, Jarrett not only works for the Soo Pee Wee Hockey League but coaches one of the novice major teams and also helps head coach Jamie Henderson with the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Midget Hockey League.

A well-grounded, really-nice person, Jarrett is self-less to the point that you would never know that he was an OHL all-star defenseman and exceptional 15-year pro. (I mean, I have known him since he was 16-years old and the guy never talks about himself or his hockey career unless he is asked.)

Now a few words about Henderson, a truly dedicated coach who helped out at the local high school level with the St. Mary’s Knights for a number of years before a lengthy stint with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League prior to taking the helm of the AAA midget squad.

Not only is Henderson an ‘A’ student of the game who spends hours and hours watching and breaking down video, he is a disciplined coach in charge of an educated, well-trained team.

Henderson also goes to great lengths to promote his players and the Great North as a league. Some see him as a tad on the arrogant side but to me, it is more about self-confidence in what he does and aspires to do as a coach in charge of 15 to 17-year old players.

Then there is Frank Porco, head coach of the pee wee major AA Soo Reps, who play within the Nickel District Minor Hockey Association.

Porco — whose son, Nick Porco, is an OHL winger with the Barrie Colts — is a sharp, keen-eyed coach of many years who carries a reputation of getting his teams to overachieve.

Intense and demanding but a teaching coach through and through, Porco has changed and kept up with the times — facts that are so very evident when watching his well-schooled, well-taught Soo Reps play the game the right way.

To be sure, besides Jarrett, Henderson and Porco, we have a lot of good coaches in Sault Ste. Marie who have good intentions and are about the good of the game and the good of the players.

The list from the youngest level of minor hockey right up to the major midget level is one that, from this corner, seems to now feature more coaches who care about ALL of their players and are more than happy to be teachers and mentors to ALL who are under their charge.

Yes, there are still coaches out their whose agenda is all about their own child and the children of their close friends.

But as long as there are men such as Jarrett, Henderson and Porco — as just three examples — the good guys will continue to out-weigh the self-servers.

There is nothing wrong with someone coaching his own child or a friend’s kid or kids as long as the overall picture is maintained and as long as ALL players get to benefit from a coach’s wisdom, experience, and ability.

At any rate, I need to check my calendar now and look ahead to this weekend. There has to be some hockey to watch at one or two of the local rinks.

Love this job.

PHOTO: Cole Jarrett, during his professional playing days overseas.