The Minor Hockey Spotlight with Coach Adam Manah

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1:04That's because I've got eyes on the first half of this game. It's 7 o'clock puck drop here in downtown Edmonton. Again, going to stick with the junior hockey theme. Of course, shifted to the minor hockey side of things as we do once a week every Friday in our minor hockey spotlight with coach Adam Mana brought to you by Lexus South Point. Why buy your service anywhere else? Lexus South Point. Great people. Great product down on the South side there. Coach, how you doing this evening? I'm doing great. How are you, Brennan? I'm hanging in there. I am again ready to watch some western league playoff hockey here. There's just something about the playoffs and I mean, it goes without saying, but I think about our time together in Sherwood Park and the excitement around that and just sort of the volatility around junior hockey. Like anything can kind of happen, you know, it's just a beast in and of itself and I love it.

2:07Yeah, you're right. Those days in Sherwood Park were pretty exciting, especially when we were you know, ranks pretty high up and the expectations were high and that gets the fan base, you know, fairly fired up and they want to come support and I'm sure it's going to be no different for the oil kings here coming out because they've had a tremendous year and you know, it's exciting for everybody, right? The players, the coaches, the fans, and I think it's going to be a good run for the oil kings. I think it's, I wouldn't say it's a long time coming because they obviously had that really good run a few years ago and as we see in the western hockey league, I mean, once teams kind of go all in with their chips, it takes a few years to rebuild. So good to see them back there and it's good that you get to be at the game and you get to take in game one. Absolutely. Now, in terms of what we wanted to talk about tonight, I was happy when you pitched me this idea because I think it's really worth discussing in terms of how wide the net is, how all encompassing a commitment it can be to be playing

3:16competitive level of hockey. When you think about the financial implications, when you think about the time and the travel and all of this stuff. So I think this is sort of the path that you wanted to wander down today and just almost bringing in awareness to it, right? Yeah, and I'm glad that you were on board with it because I just feel it's a good one to talk about, especially as you know, parents and players are approaching spring hockey and I think spring hockey has changed a lot, you know, since we kind of grew up with, you know, NA, NES, you know, Wolfpack, some of those, some of those programs back at already there when we were younger and you know, there was only one team to make back then, right? And if you didn't make it, you usually went and played a different sport in the summer, right? Like that, that's kind of how it would be. You either made that top team or, you know, you went on to play baseball, soccer, you know, something else. So I mean, now I think with so many different options within spring hockey and transitioning

4:20from winter, you know, it's interesting because, you know, I'm helping my girlfriend coach or her 2016 team with Alberto Prolocchi this spring and we're considered a silver team. And if, you know, if the listeners don't really know how well it works now, I mean, there's a gold division, there's a silver, and I think there's a bronze. So I mean, when you think about what I just said about, you know, going back to our day, you know, there was just one team to make and that was considered the gold division. And now you have gold, you have silver, and you have bronze, right? So it's anybody could play spring if they'd like. And there's nothing wrong with that. I just think it opens up an interesting debate in terms of the commitment level from the parents, the players, and you know, how much time they want to put into it. Because again, the expectation when we played, you know, if you made that top team was you were all in, right? Whether you were

5:22the player or the parent, you understood the expectations of what the standard was in terms of, okay, we're going to commit to playing spring, we're committed to going to three tournaments, you know, whether that was Vancouver, Minnesota, you know, and then maybe one in Edmonton or whatever was. And you were expected to not miss any practices, any games, you were expected to be there for everything. And you kind of worked around your other schedule, you know, whether that would be, you know, the home life school, you know, birthday parties, you know, family events, whatever it might be, the commitment was hockey was number one, and that's what you committed to, and that was the expectation moving forward. So I think, you know, just from we had our first practice yesterday, and we were already missing, you know, two or three players, you know, maybe maybe a few more, I can't even remember, but we had at least two or three players not there for the first practice,

6:25right? And it's kind of like, okay, well, where is that commitment level? And I know we're considered a silver team, so it might be a little different, you know, but I kind of look at it as well, if you're going to commit to playing for a team, then you should probably show up, especially for day one. And then if, you know, maybe a family event pops up along the way, then you really can't move, then you got to, you know, you can maybe wiggle out of, you know, practice or two, but, you know, I just think that commitment level needs to be there from the players, from the parents, and that's obviously for a number of reasons that we can dive into as we go here. Yeah, 100%. I mean, it's funny. I think about the men's league side of things, and just there's nothing more aggravating than being one of the people that's showing up and not having the commitment of other people there to come out and work with you. And I guess it's probably a little bit different for a minor hockey player, right? But at the same time, it's, I would think that, yeah,

7:27this is as much as it's about a lot of the on-ice stuff and that kind of thing, the integrity and commitment and that kind of stuff too, just to bring up one human being into the world with a good set of morals, like that this is an opportunity to understand what commitment really is, and it's something to me can stretch beyond just hockey. Yeah, and I mean, you're, again, we always talk about the hockey being a game of teaching you valuable life skills, whether it's the accountability part, time management, right? That structure that you need within your schedule and being committed to it, making sure that you're on time, and, you know, that you have a routine and that you're preparing the right way, because in life, I mean, if you don't prepare and you're not on time for things, I mean, you probably don't have a job at the end of the day and you're not making money, right? So, you know, you might get a warning here or there, but if it happens multiple times, you're probably out. So, I mean, it's just a very

8:29interesting topic, because, again, you know, if you want to play AA, AAA hockey, I mean, it's that's the time commitment that you're getting geared up for, right? Is, you're on the ice, probably three to five times a week, practices and games combined, you know, teams have office sessions, so that might be sprinkled in, you know, once or twice a week, and then you have games on the weekend, or you might be traveling on the weekend for a tournament. So, I mean, it's busy, right? And even spring hockey, I mean, typically, again, back, back when we played the weekends would be full, right? I mean, that's when all the out-of-town kids would travel in, you'd hear of, you know, players playing on your team that would come all the way down from, you know, wherever, great, grand, very high level, like they would make that drive, you know, five, six hours for the weekend, knowing that they had two practice Saturday, two practice Sunday, or, you know, maybe it's three practices in a game, you know, whatever it is, that was the commitment level from that player,

9:30wanting to be there, and from the parent side, obviously. I mean, that's why you always kind of look back and you thank your parents for everything that you did, for that they did for you, because, I mean, they're driving countless hours, and they're making sure that they're kind of putting everything on hold to make sure that you get to do what you love to do. And so, the part about not showing up for me is just, it's a little bit perplexing because, you know, you want, you want the development side for your player, for your kid, and then you don't show up to practices, and, you know, whether it's, you know, like I said, I've never understood the whole, well, you know, it's his birthday that day, and we just, you know, we have these things planned, well, you know, how much, how much does he have to rank for an hour or two? Right? Like so, you have the rest of the day to commit to that birthday, for example, or, you know, you can plan in between, you know, you might have a practice in the morning, and then you got a five or six hour window, and they can go do something fun in between, and then they come

10:32back to the ring for the evening, or whatever it is. So, I just think a lot of those things can be worked around, and I think that's where, you know, it's, it's a real commitment, not just casual, you know, where you expect your, your son or daughter to get better, but then, you know, they miss this, or they miss that, and then they're not there consistently, and then you wonder why they're not making a double A or triple A team, as that's the goal of most people, you know, if they want to be playing competitive hockey, and I mean, if they're just in it for fun, then that's a little different, and that's okay too, and that might be what, you know, those, you know, what the, the other divisions are for, or especially, you know, whether it's host league, or, you know, playing in the bronze division, or whatever, but, you know, I think silver and gold, I think the expectation would be, you know, at the spring level, I think that would be the expectation of, you know, practice, practices, and games are not optional, and, you know, the team expects the players to be there, so that if the coaches are giving up their time to teach, and to be there

11:37as well, because I mean, let's be honest, you know, coaches could be saying, well, Jesus, I know that we're only going to get nine or ten players of practice every, every weekend, and we're going to be missing five or six, A, how am I going to teach any structure, you know, with five or six players missing every weekend, and then how do we expect to compete in games, and then thirdly, I might as well take the option and go, go to the lake if it's nice, right? Like, I mean, that's, that, like, I mean, it's funny, but like, honestly, that's, that's what, you know, you'd start thinking, because I don't really know how you're supposed to get ahead development-wise and team-wise, you know, if you're missing a handful of players every, every practice, right? So, I think it's just the unwritten rule, and inside the, the hockey world, or the hockey culture, is that, you know, coaches expect players to be a proxies, and make sure that they're, you know, prepared ready to go, and that they're going to work hard every day, right? And then, obviously, you know, being coachable is a big thing on whether it's, you know, the player side,

12:39or on the parent side of understanding what the, what those expectations are, and how important it is for, for them to be at these team events, because again, there's so much more than just the practices in the games, for the players, I mean, it's getting to interact and bond with the other players, you know, making new friends, and just being able to do some team-building, and that's what brings the team together as well, right? So, I mean, there's so much, so many things that you could kind of look at and break down, and you know, from there, you kind of get a good measuring stick of maybe where your son or daughter is at, you know, on that team, and saying, okay, well, we know, we know we need to work on A, B, and C, whether it's, you know, skating, puck control, shooting, but, you know, maybe we're seeing now that he's out with some, some other high-end players, you know, we need to bring up his IQ, or we need to do this, or we need to do that. So, I just think it's, it's a win-win if, if players show up and they're ready to go, and kill parents understand that time commitment.

13:44Got a coach out of mana on the line right now. We are live at Rogers Place with inside sports, so if you hear a little bit of background noise, that's what's going on on my end, but we're talking about the importance of a full commitment to the, you know, if you're trying to become an upper echelon athlete, then this is, this is part and parcel to it. I'll never forget the time out of my first, my first year playing competitive basketball. It was my only year, in fact, playing competitive basketball. We just played our first game, and it didn't even dawn on me that there was going to be some sort of like post-game debrief in the dressing room thereafter. So, I was just kind of, you know, dappin' people up and, and ready to walk away, and away I went, and left for the night, and then my coach to next day was like, what the heck happened to you like it is everything okay? Didn't even dawn on me, but these are the kinds of things like when you're, again, a team that's, and this was high school basketball, but there's, to me, so much more than just getting to the rink and then getting ready, and then it's about

14:48the process as much as it is anything else. You're 100% bang on, and that's, I think, what we're trying to, you know, if you are a parent, that's exactly what you're trying to, you know, you're trying to set your, your child up for success, right? Whether it's within that team structure, or within that team model, or, again, school, life, right? Like, whatever it might be, you are trying to make sure that they are, you know, getting themselves prepared to succeed in life, and again, that goes, again, into so many different things, whether it's, you know, you, you have a game, you know, and again, spring hockey is different, right? You're, you might be playing a game at night or 10 a.m., or maybe practice is early in the morning. So again, what's that routine when you wake up in the morning, like, or you have in breakfast, you know, before, what are you eating? Like, those are all things that you can start to, I guess, include as a part of the process of teaching your kid, you know, what it takes to be an elite level athlete, and it goes so much deeper than

15:52just the on ice part, right? It's, it's all the off ice stuff, getting enough sleep, eating the right way, hydrating the right way, making sure that you're doing the necessary things off the ice in terms of stretching. You know, I'm finding that, well, not finding it out, but I'm, I'm finding out that I'm 39 now, and, you know, when I play ball hockey with the boys, you know, the running is much harder on my hips than it ever has before, right? Like, when I was 20, I mean, maybe the stretching part, I could get away with it, and it wasn't so bad, but now that I'm getting older, I mean, I'm realizing that I got a stretch before, I got a stretch after, and I got to make sure that I take care of my body. If I want to continue to play, not only for the short term, but for the long term as well and get that extra cardio in, right? So I just think it helps create a positive environment where your, your kid can grow and not only have success, but really takes up mod of it. And I think, you know, it also helps the parents in terms of understanding, okay, if we want to be a part of this competitive crowd, then these are

16:54the things we need to do to support our, our child and making sure that, you know, we're doing everything we can to set him up for success. So, you know, like you said, whether it's basketball, hockey, baseball, you know, soccer, I mean, the same rules apply at any competitive level, and I don't think it just applies to hockey, but, you know, because this is a minor hockey show, I mean, we target, we target hockey side, but I just think it's, it's so important for parents to hear, and I think they often really ask themselves, you know, is my kid wanting that commitment, and if they are, then how do I support them in doing so, and making sure that I can do everything I can to, you know, set them up for success? I always a pleasure learning from you, Adam. Thank you so much. Is the website, the new website up and running yet? I'm glad you asked me. Yeah, she's good to go. We've actually, since I mentioned the calves last week, we've had a bunch of sign-ups,

17:56especially for our U-11 U-13 female cap. At the end of all, I think we only have a few spots left. No different from my U-18 cap. I think we, again, we have maybe a couple forward spots, a couple of these spots available, and then our U-15 cap, I just locked up ice for, and we've gotten, we've gotten a handful of sign-ups so far, so that one has a few more spots available, but, you know, it's mid-March, so things are going, things are going well, so hopefully we can continue to promote it, and obviously before we just came, before you came back on, I heard our commercial air just before we got on, so that's nice to hear on there, and hopefully people are listening to that and checking out the website as well. Right on. Thank you, again, Adam. Enjoy your weekend. Okay, we'll talk again in a week. YouTube, Brandon. Thanks so much. Coach Adam Mana for Lexus South Point and our minor hockey spotlights. We'll take a break here, come back with the Autotown scoreboard for our friends at GCL Diesel.

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20:01and it's never tasted so good. You can add protein, cold foam to your favorite drink or try one of our new protein lattes or matcha. Try it today at Starbucks. Edmonton's News. Today's talk. For live at Rogers, play slowly starting to fill up. Here, the lower bowl is anyway for Game 1 between the oil kings and Saskatoon blades. Pock drop in a few minutes here, about 10, 12 minutes away from the pocket and the ice in the game getting going. Around the rest of the hockey world, it's a quiet or night to night in the NHL. Just two games, in fact, on this Friday, the Detroit Red Wings up 3-1 on Buffalo after 40 minutes of play, and through 40 minutes, it's the Rangers 4-1 over the Chicago Black Hawks in an original six matchup.

21:06Elsewhere in Major League Baseball, Toronto. Oh, that's over their heads right on. Toronto's going to score their first run of the season right before my very eyes. In fact, it's their first two runs of the season as they snake a two-to-one lead away from the athletics of Sacramento. Yeah, great heads up base running by Ernie Clement to set that up. Esco did what's a disputed call at second and Clement just beats the throw to second to stay safe and advance Okamoto in. So Okamoto scores his first run as a bouquet. Love it. Yeah, that was some excellent base part of that. I'm so glad it's back. Me too. I got me fired up in the last season. That's good because I was kind of lukewarm when I before, but here we are. Things changed. All right, coming up after the break. Directly from the hockey news, we'll talk Anaheim Docs with us. We're getting the preview of tomorrow's matinee affair between Edmonton and Anaheim coming up on Inside Sports.

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