Good OHL coaches, atmosphere
It’s not just about being a good coach in this age of junior hockey. It’s about being a coach who relates to his players by creating a positive environment.
As the premier development program in Canada, the Ontario Hockey League has more than its share of coaches who not only know how to instruct, teach and develop but to do so within an atmosphere that is about the best interests of the team and its individual players.
The good coach is not the one who needs to scream, yell and berate to make his point, however good that point may be.
The good coach can be effervescent, without yelling or being overly-authoritative.
The good coach can also be a man of few words who nonetheless can use his knowledge of the game to command the respect — and maximize the performance — of his players.
The respected coaches of — in this case — the OHL are the ones whose names are mentioned in varying circles with these words: “Good coach, good person, positive atmosphere.”
They are the ones who can get maximum effort from their players without having to resort to screaming, yelling or — worse — bullying.
Old and young, the OHL coaches whose names are most-often mentioned in overall terms of endearment (to me at least) are, from Eastern Conference to Western Conference, Stan Butler of the North Bay Battalion, Jeff Brown of the Ottawa 67’s, Bobby Jones of the Oshawa Generals, Jody Hull of the Peterborough Petes, John Gruden of the Hamilton Bulldogs, David Matsos of the Sudbury Wolves, Dale Hunter of the London Knights, Drew Bannister of the Soo Greyhounds, Kris Knoblauch of the Erie Otters, Rocky Thompson of the Windsor Spitfires, Jay McKee of the Kitchener Rangers and Ryan Oulahen of the Flint Firebirds.
Which is a rather-impressive list.
And just some food for thought, no more, no less.
One of the OHL’s acknowledged most successful coaches, the late Bert Templeton, adhered to the belief that a good junior coach required three attributes. It is necessary to be (a) a good teacher, (b) a judicious disciplinarian, and (c) a good motivator. I don’t think it can be put any better than that. I’m sure that these same qualities have been, and are, shared by other coaches who have enjoyed similar success in junior hockey ranks. (Admittedly, Bert was pretty vocal at times, but in a ‘constructive’ manner adherent to his three principles.)
Bert used to say bus companies loved him because of the tickets he bought to send problem players home…
Good remark, Barclay. And, believe me, there was more than a little truth to that story. Bert was a real disciplinarian, fair but very firm – you were here to play hockey, not ‘drink and screw around’. To paraphrase Jim Croce, “You don’t mess around with Bert.”