Jan 29, 2017 | Spencer Williams | 809 views
Player of the Game
It has been way too long since I have wrote one of these as we have had 4 player of the weeks handed out over 4 games and 8 tourneys since my last article.
We will start with Olivia G. I don't think I need to tell anyone about the speed this girl has. The reason she won the player of the week for the Cripps tournament was that she doesn't squander her speed by standing around, she fore checks, back checks helps out in the defensive zone (even when she is tired now) and still has the energy to be our leading scorer.
Avery won the player of the week during the Wilmot Tournament. She is a treat to coach as she appears to always pays attention and try her best. The major item we have asked Avery to work on this year was fore checking and to be a little more aggressive on the puck. It is very rewarding as a coach to see our girls grow as players and hopefully take that into their everyday life as well. You could see Avery getting more aggressive during this tournament. Sometimes it takes a single incident to learn a valuable lesson and put yourself in a position to progressively get better. Avery kept her feet moving and really put some pressure on this one girl. She said to me after, "that girl just threw away the puck". In the last game of the tournament Avery went into the corner with one of the biggest girls in the league and came out with the puck. Her teammates on the bench were saying did you see Avery in the corner. It is amazing how much the little things can bring up team spirits. P.S. Avery just scored her first goal in her short hockey career. Being aggressive and getting your first goal, I wonder if those two things could be relevant to each other?
Taylor is one of the most talented girls on the team in regards to puck handling, skating and shooting. She is one of the most aggressive girls I have ever coached which most of the time is a great thing. Defence do not have the luxury of being aggressive all of the time and can put themselves out of position if they aggressive at the wrong time/place. As much as she says it pains her to hold back sometimes Taylor has found that fine line of when to be aggressive and when to hold back. I enjoy coaching Taylor as I think I believe in her abilities a lot more than she does and I enjoy pointing out her good plays and how well she does in our practice drills.
My Hannah has started to find her aggressiveness back, which is why she one the player of the week yesterday. Other than my girls I know Hannah the best, so I am probably the hardest on her out of everyone on the whole team. I am hard on her as I know how good of a hockey player she is when she is focused. Example, looks when she passes (best passer on the team) compared to not looking when she passes (always seems to pass to the other team). I believe she will continue to be aggressive and keep her feet moving.
Not that winning is the end all and be all but it was great to get our first win in the second half after losing two close ones.
Goooooooo Rangeeeeeerrrrrssss!