Page 11 - Brandon Sun - Community Leader Awards

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2019 ■ THE BRANDON SUN COMMUNITY LEADER AWARDS 2019 ■ B11

2019

Former Brandon Wheat Kings forward Jeff Hoad speaks to the young team he coaches during a practice at the Sportsplex last week. (Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun)
»COACH OF THE YEAR, SPONSORED BY BRANDON SOURCE FOR SPORTS

Questions key to coach’s success: Hoad

BY PERRY BERGSON make the NHL, it’s ingrained upon a of five seasons with the Wheat Kings, want to be able to pass on as much that’s AAA midget or the Wheat Kings
player at a very young age. I think it’s finished up his professional hockey of the knowledge that I believe I re- or whatever.”
Jeff Hoad defines success as a very important for coaches to recog- career in 2006 and moved home. tained through all my years playing.” As a result, he put his focus on
coach with a number of questions. nize that about being a positive in- He helped out some friends who Unfortunately for Brandon minor player development because every
The former professional hockey fluence on the kids on how to carry coached on the ice at different times, hockey, that knowledge won’t be as player could improve, regardless of
player and current Brandon Police themselves when they win, and how and in 2009, began working in Tim- available this winter. where they started the season.
Service officer has spent the last de- to carry themselves when they lose, bits hockey. The police officer went back on In his 12-year pro career, Hoad
cade coaching youngsters. how to approach the game, and how He has helped with soccer as well, patrol earlier this year, and the shift played in the North American mi-
“Whether you break it down from to apply themselves to the sport that but is quick to add that’s not his work means he won’t be able to serve nors before a move to a Europe spent
ice time to ice time or throughout they’re doing.” area of expertise. Hoad knew he had as a head coach this season. He has mainly in the British Ice Hockey Su-
the whole year, have I developed the He’s apparently succeeded. something to offer, especially when offered his services to Curtis Brolund perleague. He knows first-hand the
players?” he asked. “Have I made In nominating Hoad for the Com- his youngster began to play. and the under-18 AAA Wheat Kings if value of teamwork, noting the old
them better on the ice than they were munity Leader Awards, Kim Roziere “I had a number of great experi- needed and will also tell the staff of saying that a chain is only as strong
at the start of the year? Have I worked said he is the ideal coach. ences with coaches, but having said whatever team his son plays on that as its weakest link.
with them individually and as a “Jeff Hoad has been an exemplary that, I also had experiences with he can lend a hand when necessary. “What you learn in team sports is
group to make them better individu- hockey coach in a world that needs what I would say are some not-so- He said one of the most challeng- to be accountable and be depend-
ally and as a group? On top of that, more like this guy!,” she wrote. “He great coaches,” Hoad said. “When I ing parts of coaching, especially at able,” Hoad said. “My job is to be
through my experience in hockey, always maintains the utmost respect stepped away from the game … I al- the minor sport level, is finding a way there and be accountable to myself
have I impacted those players, again for the sport, players, referees, all ways saw myself as a student of the to engage and develop players with and to my teammates, and you learn
individually and as a group, in a posi- involved. Always behaving in an ad- game and understood the game. I wildly different skill levels. to play within that group. Yes, there
tive way?” mirable, positive manner maintain- wasn’t always the best player on the “It’s a difficult balance,” Hoad said. are still individual aspirations and
He said the results can be seen ing perfect balance between com- ice, but I knew what my job was and “Not that you want to classify play- individual goals that you are looking
when National Hockey League play- petitiveness, growing the athlete and I knew how to do it well, and that’s ers, but that’s just the nature of sport. to be the best that you can be, but it’s
ers are interviewed and invariably their emotional and athletic develop- kind of what carried me through my You have the top players and want also in that team dynamic, which I
defer to the team. ment. Jeff brings a great balance to hockey career. If you asked my coach- to challenge them and push them think makes team sport such a differ-
“Part of the world of hockey is the sport also in terms of the parents es, they would more than likely say to develop and reach their potential. ent avenue for learning because you
good character people, and you and family lives involved in them. that Jeff Hoad was coachable. I took It’s the same thing with, if you want have all those different parts at play.
learn that at a very early age,” Hoad Keeping dreams alive while also a lot of that stuff in from my playing to use the term, lower-end players or “When it comes to working with
said. “When you watch TV and you keeping age-appropriate perspec- days and it was the natural progres- someone who isn’t quite there yet. people who have been involved in
watch the NHL players getting inter- tive. Jeff is continuously giving of his sion for me as my son got involved in “You don’t want to leave them be- team sports, it’s very evident very
viewed, many are very humble and time, putting hundreds of hours into hockey and started bringing me back hind because at the end of the day, early on who has been involved in
they speak about the importance of planning, training on and off the ice towards the rink. it’s a game. It’s meant to be fun, re- team sports.”
team, and that starts when they’re mentally and physically.” “It just became one of those things gardless of every person’s aspirations » pbergson@brandonsun.com
young. It doesn’t start when they The Brandonite, who spent parts where if I’m going to be at the rink, I of making it to the next level, whether » Twitter: @PerryBergson
Koscielny learned big lesson at hockey school

their team clothing, when that a challenge to have the high other and want to wear the
kid sends a message and asks achievers with some who may- team clothes and take pride in
‘When are we starting again?’” be don’t achieve at the same the team. I think a little bit in
Koscielny said. “That for me level, but I think a lot of it is our situation is being rural and
is success and rewarding, that people. It’s a people profession, going into competitions in big-
you’re creating an environment it’s a people thing. You try and ger cities against bigger clubs
or impacting people. I have a treat everybody with respect and bigger teams. There’s may-
couple of former athletes who I and with manners and talk to be a little bit of the kids want-
still get messages from. To me, people and try to get to know ing to show that we can do it,
2019 that’s success that they keep people. If you do those things, too.”
in touch and want me to write I think you can have great re- His goals extend well beyond
BY PERRY BERGSON letters of recommendation or lationships with everybody, the track.
letters of reference and want regardless of what they accom- He said the individual part of
Bryce Koscielny learned me to know what they’re doing. plish. track magnifies people pushing
a lasting lesson at a hockey That to me is success because “I’m just as close with kids against their perceived limits,
school he helped out at many you know you’ve connected who maybe weren’t as accom- and he has seen many kids who
years ago. The result has him with someone. plished as with past athletes said they couldn’t complete a
still running in some fast com- “There are a lot of layers to it who were accomplished. I workout and willed their way
pany more than two decades and it’s not just one thing.” think at the end of the day, it’s through it.
later. He began coaching while he just people.” Their confidence and belief
“I had great coaches as a kid, was in university, serving as Another challenge with in themselves invariably grow
and had great relationships Prairie Storm Athletics coach Bryce Koscielny poses for a an assistant with a high school coaching track is knitting to- as a result.
with them,” Koscielny said. “I photo at the UCT Athletic Field last year. (File) hockey team in 2001. That gether a group of athletes who “I think at the end of the
loved being involved in sports, eventually turned into a head mainly compete in individu- day, it’s just about developing
and it was always maybe just that’s not all. is essential. He focuses on per- coaching job, and he has been al pursuits, aside from relay people and skills that they can
a way to stay involved. Trevor In nominating Koscielny for sonal bests in their progression active ever since. events. Creating a team bond is use long term,” Koscielny said.
Robins gave me a chance when the Community Leader Awards, to success. His commitment to Over the years, he has also slightly tougher. “It will be rare that we coach an
I was a little kid to help out with Mark Perrett and Myrna Den- his athletes in his approach and coached track, cross-country He said he doesn’t do any- athlete who makes millions of
his hockey school once upon a bow noted that since coming encouragement has resulted in running and baseball, while thing in emphasizing the team dollars and wins Olympic med-
time, and watching those guys to Neepawa in 2005, the track great rewards.” supervising other high school concept or culture — other als. Hopefully one day they’ll
working with kids and being coach has proven to be devoted This year, he’s coaching sports at NACI. Coaching pro- than keeping them together as be quality employees or maybe
able to help sparked an interest and extremely resourceful. cross-country and track with vides an opportunity for him much as he can, including dur- own their own businesses and
and a passion in me.” “Having limited resources, the high school and will serve to give back, and also to keep a ing warmups and cooldowns hopefully one day they coach,
The sporting community he improvises places to train, as an assistant coach with his foothold in the sporting com- — but has seen it grow organi- too. I think sport teaches time
in Neepawa clearly owes the like school hallways, under the son’s team in the Neepawa Mi- munity. cally among the athletes. management, it teaches orga-
former Brandon Wheat Kings bleachers in the Yellowhead nor Hockey Association as well. One of the challenges is find- “I think there is just a lot of nization, it teaches work ethic,
goalie Robins a giant thank you: Centre, and unlike bigger cen- Clearing a new bar, running a ing a way to provide a good ex- talk about supporting each it teaches dedication.
Koscielny has since become an tres has no assistants and lim- faster time, throwing farther or perience to a group of athletes other and working together “I think for a lot of them,
invaluable resource. ited equipment,” they wrote. jumping farther is nice, but he’s that may have vastly different for that common goal,” Kosci- it teaches them about them-
The teacher at Neepawa Area “Not being deterred, since be- looking for more. talent levels. elny said. “Everyone is there to selves and what they can do
Collegiate Institute is perhaps ginning the club he has helped “For me, when that kid comes “I think it’s just trying to be get better. I think it’s evolved and what they can’t do.”
best known for coaching the athletes to develop speed no back,whenthatkidrefersteam- available for everyone,” Kosci- through the athletes that I’ve » pbergson@brandonsun.com
Prairie Storm track club, but matter what sport where speed mates, when that kid wears elny said. “It certainly can be coached. They support each » Twitter: @PerryBergson