Coach’s Corner
Coach’s Corner is a place players can find basic hockey info on training tips, instruction and systems analysis. I will post various links and tidbits of information I find valuable to this page. Many of the things I post in this section are skills that every hockey player must master to become a high-level hockey player. There are tons of resources out there that can help any player of any skill level to improve their games. I have been playing the game of hockey for over 20 years and I continue to find value in all the things I have posted below. -Coach Nick
The Whiteboard – Excellent discussion of what NHL players do in certain situations. A must-read for any player.
http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/category/the-whiteboard/
Systems Analyst – From the same site as the Whiteboard, this is a video breakdown of NHL players in certain situations. Another Must-Read for all players and coaches.
http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/category/systems-analyst/
Why play High School Hockey?
It is traditional thought that if you are a skilled hockey player, the Travel/Junior route is the way to go. Many players in the top-tier of their respective teams have aspirations of Division I NCAA Hockey or USHL Junior ‘A’ hockey. Realistically however, a very small percentage goes on to play Division III NCAA Hockey, let alone D-1. Many local Travel and Junior programs make promises of scouts and recruitment; unfortunately the statistics show that this is relevant to a small minority of select local players.
There is most certainly value in playing these levels of hockey, as they offer the highest level of competition. However, many local Junior programs cost 4-5 times the amount of money it costs to play High School hockey. I say this to encourage players and parents to be realistic about the player’s future and to make decisions based on the right reasons. I have come across many players throughout the years who had unrealistic dreams of playing Division I hockey. Sometimes the tough realization that these aspirations are not likely comes too late and the money spent on playing for these teams can end up being a source of regret.
The benefits of High School hockey, which is the path I decided to take back in the late-1990s, has been largely overlooked in recent years. High School hockey offers the opportunity to represent your community, wearing your school’s colors, taking on your school’s fiercest rivals. Players are given the chance to represent their friends and classmates in front of crowds full of their peers. I played for William Tennent from 1997-2001 and the friends I made on that team remain my closest friends today. I can honestly say I still get chills thinking about playing in the annual Turkey Day Game in an arena packed with my family, friends and classmates taking on our archrivals Archbishop Wood.
I write this not to denigrate the benefit of playing high-level hockey. I just want the best possible experience for local hockey players so they can get the most out of the greatest sport in the world. Players need to assess whether or not they have the talent and commitment level required to play NCAA Hockey, and to choose their teams accordingly. The 4 years I played High School hockey are definitely among the highlights of my long hockey career, so I am inclined to champion it. Thank you for reading, I hope this post inspires discussion amongst parents and players to make the right choices about their futures.
-Coach Nick D’Aurizio
About Coach Nick D’Aurizio: Nick played his youth hockey in the Father Judge system until he moved from Philadelphia to Warminster in 1997. He then played 4 years of Varsity hockey at William Tennent, making it to the Flyers Cup Semifinals in 2000 and Captaining the team in 2001. He then moved onto Rider University (playing in the ACHA) where he was named Vice President and Captain in his Junior and Senior Seasons. Nick returned to the William Tennent program in 2007 as an assistant coach and was named Head Coach in 2010. Contact him at ndaurizio@hotmail.com.
