Bantam BB The Sharks Bantam BB team is a new team this year. We are starting with a core group of major bantam skaters, two goalies, and Jamie Tessier as an Assistant Coach! Jamie’s bio is set out below. At the try-outs, we will add several players (forwards and defence, 2002s and 2003s) to build what we expect to be a very strong team. We are interested in adding players who are not only skilled hockey players, but who possess positive character traits that will benefit the team. This means being a loyal, respectful, and collegial team-player in good times and in bad, being the type of player who may be relied upon to attend and work hard at all practices and games, being a good listener, and being committed to continuous improvement. When the season is over, we want each player to look back at having had a positive experience on this team and a year in which she had fun with her teammates, who became fast and long-lasting friends. As coaches, we also want each player to be able to conclude, after the last game has been played, that this was a season in which she learned and developed substantially as a hockey player. Our program is described in greater detail below. If it is of interest to you, then we encourage you to contact Head Coach Michael Podger before the try-outs. We would like to be given the opportunity for one of us to attend one of your games in advance of the try-outs so that we will be able to watch you play. Michael’s contact information is provided below.
The Program Our team will focus upon the development of foundational hockey skills, including puck possession skills, skating, on-ice awareness, play-making, and hockey IQ. Developing these skills will increase the likelihood of success this season and our players will be able to build upon these skills in future seasons. Players will attend two practices every week. One practice will include professional instruction and the other will be led by the coaches and concentrate upon team tactics and hockey systems. Our professional instructors will include M-Power Hockey for our goalies and Edge Power Skating for our skaters. We will also arrange for professional instruction at special practices that focus on shooting skills. Our team will use regular video review sessions and “chalk talk” before practices as learning tools. Players will receive ongoing feedback from the coaches including short report cards half-way through the season. We will also provide position-specific instruction, not only to ensure that all players know where to play, but because there are
2 certain technical skills and strategies that must be learned depending upon a player’s position. Our team will provide instruction with respect to power plays and killing penalties and put together units to play in these ‘special team’ situations. The players and coaches will participate jointly in the selection of a captain and alternates. We will hold a training camp, probably in the last week of August, and play in four or five tournaments. The tournaments will include the Sharks tournament in January, at least one ‘away’ tournament, and one tournament in the preseason. We expect to play in over 50 games over the course of the season (usually 1-2 games per week), including 22 games in the regular season of the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League. Our players will commit to continuous improvement, which will begin in May. This is a commitment that competitive hockey players make not just to their coaches but to themselves and to their teammates. The team benefits when everyone constantly works on improving their game. This commitment will require players to participate in a fitness and skills program on their own time that may be completed wherever they are.
About the Staff Michael Podger (Head Coach) has coached hockey for more than 20 years (including 6 years with the Sharks) and is a certified NCCP Development 1 & 2 coach (High Performance pending). Michael played high-level hockey – a long time ago! – and enjoys teaching hockey. E-mail address:
[email protected] Mobile: 647-919-3683 Jamie Tessier (Assistant Coach) played professional hockey with the Toronto Furies in the CHWL after playing four years of university hockey. Jamie works, among other things, as a hockey instructor. Jamie is a certified NCCP Development 1 coach. This will mark Jamie’s first year working as a coach for the Sharks! E-mail address:
[email protected] Our team has an experienced manager who will keep us organized. After the try-outs, we will seek further volunteers to add to our staff (including female trainers) and to take on discrete tasks. We encourage all parents and guardians to get involved and will ask everyone to assist in some way. Please contact Michael to discuss this program or to ask for any other information.
