Coaching a Team's First Varsity Game EVER

[twister18 1]

This is our first year as a Varsity Ice Hockey program (we were a JV team last year) and we have our very 1st game this saturday night. I have already made arrangements to grab all the "special" pucks (we're the home team) like the 1st goal, and whatnot, but want to make sure I'm not missing anything as this will also be my very First game Behind the bench in a varsity game ( I was the assistant coach last year). Any tips or ideas on how to commemorate the night? And any last minute little things that you think I may forget?

[chk hrd 164]

as far as memorabilia, lots of pictures of the players, the score sheet and the game puck. Alot of the kids will be hyped up, I would keep all the stratigies simple...basic hockey 101.

[Jordan 13]

How about asking the referees before the game if they would mind rotating pucks...say enough for each team member to get one ?

That would be pretty great momento !

[InTeN5ITy 7]

I see your in Central Jersey, what school?

[twister18 1]

Edison....are you from around here?

[All Torhs Team 0]

How about asking the referees before the game if they would mind rotating pucks...say enough for each team member to get one ?

That would be pretty great momento !

Dont mean to be a prick but are these players in HS?

Not sure how many kids are truly going to give a damn about a puck. Freshmen or not.

[badsk8ter 0]

All Torhs, think historically. I agree, not necessarilly for all the players (although some may want a puck) but for the trophy display case in the high school. The first puck used in the high school's first game, the first puck scored, etc. Twenty years or more, down the line, some of the players may come back and have fond memories of being the first team in the school's hockey program. Who knows, maybe someday one of the players goes on to D1 or higher, it's nice to have save a little history in order to build a tradition at a program.

[Jordan 13]

Dont mean to be a prick but are these players in HS?

Not sure how many kids are truly going to give a damn about a puck. Freshmen or not.

Well, the idea is not that you are giving them a piece of rubber. If the team had some available budget it could be mounted on a base with a plaque etc.

What do you suggest?

[All Torhs Team 0]

All Im saying is:

Coming from a HS player - HS kids wont care about being given a puck.

Not many coaches are going to go put it on a plaque, so just tell them "Good job tonight Johnny, keep up the good work."

[InTeN5ITy 7]

Edison....are you from around here?

yea, your first goal will be scored by gaz kalicovic, and he would like a plaque to be hung up in the school.. haha idk

[Jordan 13]

All Im saying is:

Coming from a HS player - HS kids wont care about being given a puck.

That's a shame. When you get a little further down the road in experience, you will see that there are a few little moments like these that come to have pretty great meaning in life.

As they say, "youth is wasted on the young !" :(

[M-Cohen 0]

And money on the old...

But for sure, keep atleast some of them for display purposes.

[TBLfan 25]

Don't forget to keep your cool and be smart... They're looking up to YOU for advice and direction.

Come into the night with a gameplay and don't be scared to adjust that gameplan based on the goings-on in the game.

[Jordan 13]

Twister,

So how did it go ? Would love to get an update !

[twister18 1]

We ended losing our first 2 games by shutout, but were much more competetive in game 3, losing 4-2. I had the refs cycle through a bunch of pucks in game one (great idea by the way, Jordan) and eventhough i agree that the kids may not think much of it right now, hopefully someday they will be able to look up on the mantle and remember that they were truely the building blocks of our program. I also got the puck from the original faceoff for our Athletic Director to put up in our school's trophy case, along with a plaque commemorating the night. The kid that scored the first goal is going to get that one on a plaque as well, but it wasn't Gaz, ITEN5ITY....he got the 2nd one :)

so we got the first game, and first goal covered, now we just need the first win :)

[Jordan 13]

Congrats ! Sounds like a lot of fun. Good work Twister!

[Cheesehead 0]

We ended losing our first 2 games by shutout, but were much more competetive in game 3, losing 4-2. I had the refs cycle through a bunch of pucks in game one (great idea by the way, Jordan) and eventhough i agree that the kids may not think much of it right now, hopefully someday they will be able to look up on the mantle and remember that they were truely the building blocks of our program. I also got the puck from the original faceoff for our Athletic Director to put up in our school's trophy case, along with a plaque commemorating the night. The kid that scored the first goal is going to get that one on a plaque as well, but it wasn't Gaz, ITEN5ITY....he got the 2nd one :)

so we got the first game, and first goal covered, now we just need the first win :)

You seem to like the puck idea, so you should get the one for first shutout

[twister18 1]

You seem to like the puck idea, so you should get the one for first shutout

that's a good idea, too.....didn't want to jinx myself on that one, already worried that I said we'd do one for the first win, LOL

[InTeN5ITy 7]

We ended losing our first 2 games by shutout, but were much more competetive in game 3, losing 4-2. I had the refs cycle through a bunch of pucks in game one (great idea by the way, Jordan) and eventhough i agree that the kids may not think much of it right now, hopefully someday they will be able to look up on the mantle and remember that they were truely the building blocks of our program. I also got the puck from the original faceoff for our Athletic Director to put up in our school's trophy case, along with a plaque commemorating the night. The kid that scored the first goal is going to get that one on a plaque as well, but it wasn't Gaz, ITEN5ITY....he got the 2nd one :)

so we got the first game, and first goal covered, now we just need the first win :)

Haha yea i saw on Nj.com that Gaz scored the 2nd goal, i played with gaz last year in Old bridge, and went to a hockey camp in Vermont with he and ryan (the goalie)