Tag: nhl

How Sports are changing the world

Posted Glen MulcahyPosted in Athlete, Coach, Organization Executive, Parents

I would be remiss not touching on what is the hottest topic in the world of sports, the recent postponements of league and playoff games by Professional sports in response to the tragic shooting of Jacob Blake in Kinora, Wisconsin.

Yet another tragic moment where a white officer uses excessive force towards a black man, this time Jacob Blake being shot 7 times in the back when he was entering back into his SUV where his kids sat in the back.

Although it appeared Jacob had no weapon, the police now allege that he had a knife and put one of the officers in a headlock before he let go and went to enter his vehicle.

What they can’t dispute it the officer shot Jacob 7 times in the back in lieu of other means to subdue, contain him with his partner before using deadly force.

In lieu of potential criminal charges being brought forth for the very least assault with a deadly weapon (as Jacob is still fighting for his life in ICU and was handcuffed to his bed until recently when I am writing this) using deadly force to this extent he and fellow officers involved in the incident are put on “administrative leave” pending investigation of the incident?

Really?

What is the justification for lack of justice that has been called out now by many professional athletes starting with Lebron James, identified by commentator on ESPN as being of the top 5 most influential athletes in the globe when he shared this tweet

 

Having worked in security for BC Place Stadium for many years and been trained in use of “reasonable force” to deal with unruly fans and having worked with many police constables and sergeants as a result, I agree 100% with Lebron’s statement, pulling a gun is the LAST resort and first shot would be to subdue someone (i.e. shooting in the leg) or to be used in self defence for their lives (i.e. when gun pointed at them).  There is no way the officer in question can make either of those claims based on video footage.

Much like when I watched the video of George Floyd  when I watched the Jacob Blakes video where the officer pulling the trigger 7 times I was again sick to my stomach.

In lest we forget why the movement why BLACK LIVES MATTER has led to so many protests as a result, the issue of racism including white police brutality towards black people or other members of colour has been going on for decades which is what lead to the recent postponements of COVID-19 delayed league and playoff games.

The first by the Milwaukee Bucks who as a team took the stance they would not play and then the Orlando Magic and then the NBA postponed games on a Wednesday, much like they were the first league to shut down their season due to COVID-19 also on a Wed (Mar 11) and the NHL on the Thursday (March 12)

Fast forward 5 months, the NBA shuts down first, MLB and MLS canceled games but the NHL played on even though discussions started on Wednesday by a number of players to do the same?

Unlike COVID-19 league response to shut down the season, this time it was the players that pressuring the league and owners to do so as they had reached out to members of the newly formed Hockey Diversity Alliance (HAD) co-founded by Evander Kane and Akim Aliu that now includes many other minority members in the NHL.  The dialogue continued Thursday morning after the Vancouver Canucks had a team meeting and Bo Horvat and Tanner Pearson then reached out to Ryan Reeves who were scheduled to play that evening.

In ESPN article, Bo shared “We talked about it in the room this morning. We realize the impact it’s having on the world and in the sports community, seeing what was going on in basketball and the MLB. We wanted to go over and talk to Ryan and Vegas. We just all thought it was the best course of action,” Canucks center Bo Horvat said. “We have to come together. This stuff can’t stand. We need to educate ourselves and understand what’s going on in the world. There needs to be change. Us, being all together here as one, shows strength in the hockey community and in the world.”

 

As a result of pressure from the NHLPA and negative press they were receiving, the NHL then postponed games Thurs and Friday to protest Jacob Blakes shooting and will return to play Saturday

 

 

 

Ironically all of these events transpired the week that the MLB was to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, on Friday Aught 28th, 7 decades after he broke the colour barrier for Major League Baseball.

Traditionally the MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson Day on April 15th, where all players wear 42 on all teams in recognition of his contributions to the game (which has been retired permanently for the league), but MLB was shut down to COVID-19 they opted for Aug 28th this year in lieu

This was to recognize the day that Jackie, his wife Rachel and children participated in the March of Washington in 1963, where Martin Luther King delivered his infamous “I have a dream speech”

Jackie was rookie of the year, MVP numerous times and helped the Brooklyn (now LA) Dodgers win the World Series in 1955.

This was no easy task for Jackie as the racial challenges he broke the colour line by himself and faced numerous racial challenges well before the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King and very March of Washington he participated in well after he retired and was nominated in the MLB Hall of fame in 1962.

He continued to be an advocate for the civil rights movement after he retired until he sadly passed away as a result of a heart attack in 1972 when he was 53 years old.

I have watched many sports movies over the years but one of my all time fav’s as a result of my Papa Johns (my step grandfather) love for the game of baseball was 42, the story of Jackie Robinson as I wanted to learn more of his favorite players.  He would share with me all the time that he was his favorite as he changed the game of baseball, as well as sports for the better and how disappointed he was he died so soon.

It was because of her love for the game of baseball, that it became one of the many sports that I played and became a fan of the Montreal Expo’s growing up in Montreal.  The recent postponement of NHL/NBA games reminded me of the lockout season where the Expo’s were the front runner to win the World Series in 1994.

It is also why this is one of my favorite clips from the movie and why all players wear 42 on April 15th every year since 2004.

 

Fast forward and many other sports and political leaders have come forth to open the colour barrier and reduce racism in sport and the world to include;

Bill Russell 60’s

 

 

As a member of the Boston Celtics in 1961 he lead other black players on his and opposing team St. Louis Hawks to protest racist behavior in Lexington, Ky although the game was played by white team mates.

He shared when interviewed afterwards “I am coming to the realization that we are accepted as entertainers, but we are not accepted as people in some places”

 

Muhammed Ali 60-70’s

 

Arguably the GOAT of boxing, and one I am the biggest fan of what he did not only for the sport, but also his fight against racial injustice throughout and after his career. One of the driving reasons he opted out of the army to go to Vietnam was due to the racial injustice in the USA he felt needed to fight more.

One of his most infamous quotes

“Why are all the angels white? Why ain’t there no black angels?”

Nelson Mandela 90’s

I could not write any post about racial inequality, injustice, or brutality without referencing I believe was one of the greatest leaders of our time, Nelson Mandela.

20 Years ago in the first every Laureus Global Sports awards he shared his infamous speech “Sport has the power to change the world” when he was asked to introduce the first ever recipient of the lifetime achievement Award Pele in 2000.

This after Nelson was president of South Africa where he was instrumental for ending apartheid after serving 27 years in prison of a life sentence but then pardoned in 1990 for conspiring to overthrow the state. During his first year as President one of the tactics he did to unify the country post-apartheid and integrate white and black constituents was provided advice and guidance to captain of their World Cup Rugby Team that South Africa was hosting they went on to win in 1995.

Colin Kaepernick

In 2012 he took over as starting QB for the San Fransico 49’ers and lead them to their first superbowl since 1994 and in a preseason game in 2016, he took a knee during the anthem as a protest against racial injustice, police brutality and systematic oppression.

The protests continued in 2017 until Donald Trump told NFL owners they should “fire” players that protest against the anthem (arguing it was disrespecting all the current and veterans of the military and the American Flag which never was the reason for him or others that followed suit taking the knee)

Colin became a free agent and was not signed by another team, and filed a collusion lawsuit against the NFL as no teams would hire him and in 2019 received a confidential settlement so withdrew his grievance.

In the fall of 2018, although still waiting settlement from the NFL, Nike produced this commercial narrated by Colin

 

After Nike released their commercial, they received praise, the value of their stock and sales increased and received numerous positive comments on all their social media platforms for supporting Colin and his stance against racism and police brutality.

Yes, there were still those on the other side arguing that he was disrespectful, and although he lost his career in the NFL, he did not give up on what he truly believed much like all the other examples above starting with most recent postponed NBA/NHL and other sports games to protest racism, tragic brutality and injustice.

This is why Nelson was so correct when he shared that Sport has the power to change the world and we WILL see a change for the better as a result. In order for it truly to change, everyone involved in sport, whether it be professional, collegiate, school or community sports need to continue the conversation so the momentum is not lost.

Black Lives Matter.

#theconversation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Youth Sports Must Pivot

Posted Glen MulcahyPosted in Athlete, Coach, Early Sport Specialization, Organization Executive, Parents

 

When all of the events we planned or I was going to speaking at starting late February were canceled one after another after another left me shaking my head in disbelief.

It was when what I am calling Sports Black Friday happened on Friday, March 13th when one sports org after another in Canada announced either they were ending their winter seasons or suspending their spring seasons indefinitely was when my jaw dropped and now just a few weeks later all sports, fields, parks, beaches and other areas where people traditionally were playing or being active are closed.

Since that point, like many other small businesses I have been scrambling to figure out how we can pivot and still continue to provide all key stakeholders the resources we have thru our newsletters as well a digital resources including digital summits, podcasts and so forth thru our digital arm For The Love of The Game.

I have listened in on several podcasts and a few webinars the last couple of weeks to get a sense from health authorities as well as numerous other experts in the sports sector to get a sense (a) when we should see youth sports ramping up again and (b) what it will actually look like.

We all know that 2019-20 winter programs have been ended although the NBA and NHL are still crossing their fingers they will be able to salvage some form of playoffs late Spring/Summer.

The same holds true for the MLB, they are on hold until given the green light.

The big unknown is when will other sports programs ramp up, things like parks and rec summer programs, schools, and traditional winter sports that traditionally start up in September.

The fact is, no one, whether they be government, health authorities, sports executive members at any level truly know the answer.

The one thing that all, including yours truly, can say is ….

Youth sports needs to plan NOW how it will Pivot and improvise, adapt and overcome post COVID-19 vs. pre outbreak timing.

#1 – Although we have been advocating for kids to have more cost-effective programming for years vs. what has evolved to the travel ball, pay to play models that have pushed out more and more kids from participating, it will push even more out due to recessionary impact on our economy when many people have lost their jobs or businesses

#2 – Community Centre, Parks and Rec and school-based programming should see huge opportunities to provide cost-effective programming options in lieu to accommodate the increased demand for kids who are already itching at the bits to get outside and play with their friends but are unable to do so as adhere to physical distancing requirements.

#3 – The sports that were seeing huge growth with academies, private leagues will all need to revisit their prior business models as families show parents lost the jobs, businesses will no longer be able to afford it and may take years to recover.

Many parents will also be conditioned as the weeks, month evolved to have their kids practice physical distancing so map opt to have their kids do individual sports or activities like art, music in lieu short term.

#4 – Youth sports orgs are also going to have to PIVOT quickly to implement digital resources for games, training, meetings, AGM’s that traditionally involved gatherings over 50 people and should not be on hold, should be rolling up their sleeves to plan for their revised fall programs NOW.

#5 – Due to the youth isolation that kids are experiencing not being able to go to school, participate in extracurricular activities, youth, school sports when they are given the green light to do so, the teachers and coaches are going to need to be able to connect with them moreso now then ever to appease their concerns.

#6 – All coaches will need to address how they are providing a safe environment for the kids under their watch starting from the initial parent meetings to ensure kids are SAFE.

Perfect example – I have evaluated many coaches over the years running practices to provide them mentorship and it has amazed me how few ensure that every one of their players has a full water bottle, majority of times only a handful of players and means the kids share.  Think if a team had shared a few water bottles with their team mates and with one that was positive for CV19?

#7 – Those that have thought nothing of “mandating” travel tournaments in youth sports programs in past will need to understand that forcing families who were able to squeeze their pennies enough to support their kids to play recreation or competitive youth sports will not be in a position to do so.

 

 

#8 – Free Play, the term used for when kids just go to a park, field, court, rink and “Play” for the sake of playing like they all are now, should become more the norm like it was pre internet era, than the exception.

Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA and other community rec centres should see huge growth when we are given the opportunity to return to play as a result.

#9 – Due to significant drop in registrations means lower gaming grants which means many of the sports organizations that have relied on third party providers for skill development will need to revisit what they can do in lieu.

 

#10 – I have shared in past how Norway is setting the bar with their youth sports model but it actually goes back to the 1980’s when the globe had another recessionary period and they created a Children’s rights to Sports Initiative that was both top down (government initiated) and bottom up (public sector supported)

What this entailed

  1. All kids (not just those that could afford to pay to play) would have access to quality coaching
  2. All would have a voice in the experience (asked what they would like to see)
  3. Needed to be low-cost (funding by gaming sector)
  4. Promoted Multi-Sport Sampling
  5. No Travel or competitive teams until 13 years old

The focus – developing the love for the game, friendships, and having fun which lead to over 90% participation rates for ALL kids, not just the select few that could afford the pay to play model.

As more and more days go by and kids are unable to play their organized sports, I suspect if you ask them why they play, having asked 100’s over the years, those will be the answers they share and should have been the focus of youth sports organizations not what it evolved to as a multi-billion industry

  • Not Winning at all costs
  • Not Travel or Tournaments
  • Not sitting on a bench when it is their turn to play
  • Not working with a specialty trainer/coach
  • Not the trophies or the medals

Hopefully when youth sports return again, we all will look at it with a different lens and it will be just that, kids playing kids for the love of the game.

#WeApplaudit #OnApplaudit

For all the workers in heathcare and other sectors deemed essential services for their selflessly working during this difficult time for all of us.

 

 

 

 

This is the Future – 2020

Posted Glen MulcahyPosted in Athlete, Coach, Parents, Uncategorized

 

About a year and half ago I shared the growth of eSports in This is the Future and this week saw an article in the financial post where the owners of the Canucks Sports and Entertainment, The Aquilini’s, have invested in numerous eSports leagues and teams starting back in August 2018 to build the biggest e-Sports gaming network in North America less that 2 years later.

In 2018 the industry projections of e-Sports were projected to exceed $1 Billion, and now is over $1.5 Billion, a further 50% growth in just over a year with no signs of slowing down, similar to the 400% growth rate of the youth sports sector since 2010 in Canada.

Here are the numbers shared in recent article in the Financial Post;

  • Dota2 Event hosted in Rogers Arena August 2018 had $25 Million in prize money, $11 Million going to the winning team
  • eSports events hosted across the world in the very same arenas that professional sports teams play in (NHL, NBA) are selling out faster than the top musical acts are
  • Ticket prices average $40 for fans of the eSports “athletes” to attend the live events, generating over $600,000 in ticket revenue alone per event
  • According to MarketingHub, a market research firm, 800K people had heard of the growing niche industry in 2015, by 2019 the awareness had grown to 1.57B
  • Revenue has been increasing by more than 30% per annum, in 2016 was $493 M USD, $906 M in 2018 and is projected to exceed $1.6 B USD in 2021
  • eSports is inclusive, regardless of your sex, orientation, nationality etc. if you can play you can play online against any gamers across the globe

What the Aquilinis realized in 2018 like many others in the top 5 professional sports space is eSports is no longer a niche phenomenon but it is growing exponentially and as a means to further grow revenue streams and tap into a new and evolving fan base is to invest in the eSports industry.

Other prominent owners in professional sports have done the same

Jerry Jones – the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, one of the top professional sports franchises in the world, has purchased an esports team, including the purchase of a house in the Dallas area for them to live, eat and to hone their craft who is coached by one of my colleagues, James Leath, founder of Unleash the Athlete.  For insight listen to the podcast of the week HERE when I talked to him.

Prominent athletes and celebs are also investing millions into esports

 

  • Michael Jordan, arguably one of, if not, the Greatest Basketball Player of all time, invested $26 Million in eSports organization Team Liquid

 

  • Canadian Rapper Drake who was shown supporting the Toronto Raptors as they made their amazing run to the NBA championship last year has invested in esports organization 100 thieves with teams that compete in games like Call of Duty and Team of Legends

 

  • Steph Curry and teammate Andre Iquodala invested $37 Million in eSports organization TSM whose teams compete in games League of Legends and Fortnite

 

  • Hall of Fame Quarterback and now NFL commentator Steve Young also tagged into the investment made by Steph and Andre and part of the funding will be to build a 15-20,000 square foot eSports facility in Los Angeles

 

  • Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs along with a group of investors provided just over $30 Million in funding to PlayVS eSports League Based in Los Angeles that allows high school students to represents their schools in eSports competitions and can qualify for the growing number of collegiate scholarships for competitive gamers.

 

  • Former Golden State Warriors Team Mate Kevin Durant invested $38 Million in Vision ESports and esports investment fund and management company

 

Professional Sports Leagues have also jumped onto the bandwagon starting in 2017

 

 

Since this interview in 2017;

 

  • NBA formed a joint venture with Take 2 Interactive to form NBA2K League whose inaugural seasons was in 2018 with 21 teams who are owned by NBA Teams and has partnered with the likes of Champion, AT&T, Snickers as key sponsors

 

  • NHL franchises are also forming leagues, starting with Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) the parent company of the Washington Capitals working closely with EA Sports.

 

  • Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs) also is hosting one on one as well as eSports tournaments based on the same EA Sports iconic video game and several other NHL teams are tipping their toe in the water investing in various eSports tournaments, leagues and teams.

 

  • Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS) and even the largest professional sports in the world, the NFL with over $13 Billion in annual revenues, is jumping on the esports bandwagon starting with the Minnesota owners investing in Activision Blizzard.

 

It also has gotten the attention of what used to be a focus on amateur sports, the International Olympic Committee, who has shifted their mindset over the years to permit professional athletes from the MLB, FIFA, MLS, NBA, NHL to participate in winter and summer games.

They also entered into discussions with INTEL last summer to continue on the momentum of pre-Olympic showcase event before the Pyeongchang Winter Games for eSports to be an Olympic event in Paris Summer 2024 Olympics.

If you have been coaching youth sports, a former youth or even professional athlete you’re probably shaking your head why the Olympics would even consider why playing video games could even be considered as sport? Some would argue Poker, bowling, darts are games also but do get considerable coverage on ESPN and other sports networks when major sports like NFL,  NHL, NBA, MLB seasons are over.

Here is some insight in terms of the neuroscience what is needed to be a gamer at a high level;

 

 

That the video game industry, thanks to PlayStation and Microsoft 360 as well as PC games is now over a $138 Billion USD industry worldwide, has now gotten the attention of celebrities, professional athletes, teams and the Top 5 Professional sports to create a spin-off industry to generate even further revenues via competitive events for one vs. one and team play.

Youth Sports has also grown exponentially in Canada and the US in terms of revenues since 2010 as more and more families go all in supporting their kids chasing the dream of full-ride scholarships or playing professionally, based on the growth of eSports suspect will see that spin-off as well.

Sadly, as more and more specialize earlier and earlier, more and more are quitting because what started out as a fun activity became work as many games are sharing when they retire from competitive game play.

Like overuse injuries in young youth sports athletes as a result of the early specialization phenomenon, a recent science daily article share insight how esport athletes who participated in a study are also at risk for various physical, psychological disorders;

  • 56% reported eye fatigue
  • 42% report neck and back pain
  • 36% wrist pain
  • 32% hand pain
  • Yet only 2% sought medical treatment
  • 40% get no physical activity per day, and average video game playing time is 10-12 hours/day

 

Although video games have evolved into the competitive eSports industry, youth sports are showing similar trends in terms of physical and physiological health issues including

  • 400% increase in ACL tears
  • Over 60% of current Tommy John Surgeries on 15-18 year old arms
  • Over 200% increase in concussions
  • Increase in mental health issues due to pressure to perform, meet parental expectations for return in investment

Both Multi-Billion Industries are suffering from CHRONIC overuse injuries being sustained by KIDS?

Maybe it’s just me, but Houston, we have a problem … a very big problem as these trends will merely lead to a major impact on the medical system in future that is already pushing its limits due to funding challenges to hire nurses, doctors and other support staff.

More than ever, we have to work together to bring the game back to the kids so kids can play for the sake of playing again, not chasing the almighty dollar at a lifestyle pace that is not sustainable long term.

 

The Costs of Going ALL IN

Posted Glen MulcahyPosted in Athlete, Coach, Early Sport Specialization, Organization Executive, Parents

The Costs of Going ALL IN

 

This week we came across an article and W5 Episode that aired last spring highlighting two families where they have gone all in to support their kids in chasing their dreams of playing NCAA on full-ride scholarships, national teams or professionally.

In the first of three-part series, they focused mainly on young hockey players and ended with an interview with the chief executive officer of a marketing research company based in the US that focused on the costs of youth sport participation not only in the US but internationally.

Their findings had my head spinning and although I have always encouraged players to chase their dream whatever they aspire to (regardless if it is sport, music, drama, academics) but what this 3 part series showed is a reflection how so many families are chasing the dream it has lead to youth sports exploding into multi-billion dollar industries primarily in Canada and the USA with no signs that it will slow down anytime soon.

A couple of years back Time Magazine’s front page highlighted that the US Youth Sports industry had then exceeded $15 Billion USD (approx. $20B CDN based on current foreign exchange).  The highlight of the article was a young baseball phenom appropriate nicknamed Joey Baseball

The article and spin-off videos highlighted how Joey Erace, then 10 years old, and his family were chasing the dream for him to play MLB.  He was playing on multiple travel teams, getting private one on one instruction for pitching ($100/hr), one on one fielding sessions ($100.00/Hr), had his own home batting cage, was getting sponsorship offers, over 24K followers on Instagram and even being asked for autographs from fellow aspiring young kids who were following him.

His life had evolved to baseball, baseball, baseball.

All this at 10 Yrs. Old?

Fast forward to 2019 and the US Youth Sports Industry had grown to over $17 Billion as a result of more and more players and their parents continuing to chase the dream to reach those lofty goals of representing their countries on national teams, getting NCAA scholarships, what is now multi-million salaries in various professional sports and possibly the Olympics.

Coming back to the W5 episodes shared last Spring, the marketing research firm WinterGreen whose chief executive Susan Eustis was interviewed at the tail end of episode one shared that the Canadian Youth Sports Industry in 2010 was $1.2 Billion, had grown to 5.2 Billion mid-way point of the 2000’s but in 2017 had climbed to $7.6B and last reported number for 2018 was a staggering ….

 

$8.7 BILLION DOLLARS!!! 

THAT’S OVER A 400% INCREASE SINCE 2010

 

Based on the current exchange this is approx. $6.5 B USD.

Compare that to the USA with 9X the population of Canada (327 M vs. 37M) whose last reported number is $17 Billion USD

As a result, Canada’s youth sport participation costs are the HIGHEST cost per capita than any other country in the world.

Highlighted in the episodes were two youth sports players and their families who were all in as either a hockey or soccer family;

Ethan Mcfarland – 14 years old at the time the episodes aired who aspires to get a full-ride Michigan State Scholarship to play NCAA Div 1 hockey and be drafted and play in the NHL.

No different than many kids have growing up in prior generations, playing shinny with their buds on frozen lakes, outdoor ice rinks, stick and puck for hours on end BUT the sad reality is 0.3% of those will reach that level as I have shared out in talks across Canada.

 

The cost for him to reach that goal is he has abandoned what all the powers that be and sports medicine research has shown is multi-sport participation so he becomes the best athlete he can be.

He also has a modified school course load geared specifically for “elite” athletes as a hybrid to homeschooling so he can make it to all of his shooting, skating, puck control sessions both on and off-ice in addition to sessions with Psychologists, nutritionists, custom skate, stick equipment manufacturers

All the while his parents seem to be nonchalant about the fact to support doing all of this is costing them tens of thousands of dollars a year much like thousands of other kids across Canada that are doing the same to chase the dream.

Probably one of the best data sets that I can provide to hockey parents to reinforce the importance for their kids to avoid this excessive time and financial commitment to focus on hockey, hockey, hockey is the NHL players association was surveyed last year and as Ken Martel (technical director for USA Hockey) shared with me and has now shared with other sports orgs, below is a slide from presentation he did for New Zealand Hockey (yes they play hockey in New Zealand)

 

 

Another statistic – Since 2010, there has been a 63% decrease in full-ride scholarships offered to Canadian born players to play in the NCAA which is a direct correlation with the ADM model in the USA, more and more US-born players are being recruited for those scholarships vs. past years seeking Canadian born players.

The other family highlighted was the Nicolazzo family whose three children, Xavier (7 at the time), sister Kiarra (10), and older brother Romero (13).  Their Dad Frank coaches both boys teams.

Year-Round Soccer, Soccer, Soccer, every day all year long including indoor session when Canada’s winter kicks in including playing on numerous travel teams costing tens of thousands of dollars every year.

REALITY CHECK – a colleague of mine shared me the soccer statistics which I reciprocated with hockey a few years back regarding NCAA/Professional path of US Soccer Players

 

 

As admirable as it is for all three of their children to chase the dream, like Hockey, the reality that they will reach that level is a longshot at best and depends on so many factors for all the stars to align.

The sad reality for both families and their kids who are rolling the dice and going all-in with one sport year-round as early as 7 years old is there is a very strong possibility that one or all of the issues below may happen;

  1. Kids are suffering pressure as early as 9-10 years old W5 highlighted in their episode.

Shouldn’t 9 -10-year-olds be playing a game for the sake of it, not feeling the pressure to reach a lofty goal 10 years or more down the road?

 

  1. All the research and data shows that these young players may quit (62% in the US are quitting by age 11, 70% by age 13 with similar trends in Canada and many other nations) due to pressure, burnout, not having fun as a result of focusing on winning at all costs chasing the dream because they are not having fun

 

  1. They may suffer a season-ending, worse yet a potentially career-ending injury like multiple concussions, tears of ulnar, medial, anterior cruciate ligaments

 

  1. May suffer depression, anxiety IF they make it to the NCAA, pro-level as they were deprived of a normal childhood which has been identified by many NCAA athletic directors is a major issue of new players coming into their programs now vs. a decade ago

 

  1. Worse case –  may consider, or actually do commit suicide as there has been a 56% increase in the suicide rate the last 10 years from 10-24 years of age. If you don’t think this is a reality, I personally know of 3 kids who committed suicide, the third happened to be the brother of one and cousin of two other players I coached so really hit me hard.  This stat was shared by Corey Hirsch, advocate for mental health and the Hockey Talks program the day that Tyler Motte shared he is dealing with depression and anxiety issues with amazing support by the Vancouver Canucks.  Why?  Because 7 years ago Rick Rypien committed suicide as a result of similar mental health issues stemming from the pressure to perform.

All of the above aside, many of the single-sport players I have interacted with as they got to older levels (15+) stopped smiling, stopped laughing, appeared methodical, robotic when they came to training sessions, games, other activities.

Why?

Because they lost that original love for the game they had which many parents argue with me is the reason when they support their kids to play year long, pay for all kinds of development the grind of playing one sport all year long starting as early as many kids do today became a job.

When they originally started down the path did they ask if they could WORK hockey, soccer etc?

No – they asked if they could PLAY hockey, soccer etc.

Last but not least, in the event that you have not been following business news of late, many countries are looming towards another recessionary period so the tens of thousands of dollars that parents are spending each year, much of which via credit facilities including second mortgages, credit cards, lines of credit will put the entire family in harm’s way if one of the dual incomes is lost to downsizing.

Is it really worth taking that risk going all in with one sport?

In lieu of looking at youth sports as a return on investment, we should be looking at all the other benefits it provides, developing character, valuable life lessons, healthy (both physical and mental) lifestyles, friendships, social skills being part of teams, being well rounded and becoming the best ATHLETE they can be.

If at the end of the day they are one of the select few to reach the level of NCAA, National or professional level then that is just icing on the cake.

Let’s all work together to bring the game back to the kids ….. where it belongs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Times They Are a-Changin’

Posted Glen MulcahyPosted in Athlete, Coach, Organization Executive, Parents

 

 

 

 

To say the last couple of months have been a blur for us would be an understatement.  Fall is always busy due to the number of BC Hockey Clinics, but this fall we have had several other workshops/conferences as we continue to ramp up working with various sports organizations.

What continues to be a hot topic in all of those interactions with coaches and parents is the #metoo movement that we are seeing across numerous sports bringing forth allegations towards abusive coaching practices of old, the most recent and prolific being the coaches that have either been let go or being investigated in the NHL.

Albeit not as high profile, there also has been several university coaches and programs that have had allegations brought forth regarding abusive coaching practices so it is not just inherent to the NHL, what it does show is there is a change of the guard coming which we could not be more excited about as have been advocating for the shift since we started several years back.

Universities failing to protect athletes from abusive coaches, students say

In the last couple of months, we have seen one of most recognized coaches in Canada as a result of his 30+ year coaches corner segment (Don Cherry) ran on Saturdays during the first period intermission Hockey Night in Canada broadcast let go for inappropriate language used during a telecast, another NHL coach investigated and resigned due to racial slur and physical abuse allegations (Bill Peters), another one fired, Dallas Head Coach (Jim Montgomery), for unprofessional Conduct and another issuing a statement of apology after investigation conducted by the Chicago Blackhawks, Marc Crawford, for his style of coaching earlier in his career.

Much of which was a result of allegations brought forth by former or current players for coaching practices that crossed the line and was abusive in nature either verbally or physically, but as a result of their investigation, the Chicago Blackhawks will retain Marc as an assistant coach in the new year after serving a 3-week suspension.

“Through our review, we confirmed that Marc proactively sought professional counseling to work to improve and become a better communicator, person, and coach”

 

Image Source: Daily Herald – Dec. 18, 2019

 

This is his full statement shared on the Chicago Blackhawks website this week;

Thank you for the opportunity to share my comments. It was important for me to respect the process required by the Chicago Blackhawks and the ongoing, important discussions being had by players and the National Hockey League. This is why I am sharing my thoughts at this time.

Recently, allegations have resurfaced about my conduct earlier in my coaching career. Players like Sean Avery, Harold Druken, Patrick O’Sullivan and Brent Sopel have had the strength to publicly come forward and I am deeply sorry for hurting them. I offer my sincere apologies for my past behavior.

I got into coaching to help people, and to think that my actions in any way caused harm to even one player fills me with tremendous regret and disappointment in myself. I used unacceptable language and conduct toward players in hopes of motivating them, and, sometimes went too far. As I deeply regret this behavior, I have worked hard over the last decade to improve both myself and my coaching style.

I have made sincere efforts to address my inappropriate conduct with the individuals involved as well as the team at large. I have regularly engaged in counseling over the last decade where I have faced how traumatic my behavior was towards others. I learned new ways of expressing and managing my emotions. I take full responsibility for my actions. Moving forward, I will continue to improve myself, to listen to those that I may have hurt, and learn from their experiences. My goal is to approach all players, past and present, with empathy and understanding. My hope, as a coach and a person, is to create environments of dignity and respect.

I sincerely want to help make our game better for everyone. I want to encourage anyone who may have been impacted by me to reach out so that we may continue this dialogue. There is an important discussion happening in hockey right now. I am and will continue to be a part of the solution moving forward. These conversations will set the course for future generations. I commit to being sensitive to the process, and most of all, listening to individual perspectives and feelings.

__Marc Crawford

______________________________________________________________________________________

What many were unaware of, including yours truly is Marc recognized that his coaching style was not appropriate almost a decade back and has sought and continues to undergo counseling to improve as a coach and a person.  Although made mistakes, he has been applauded by players for helping them that include Alex Burrows who recently was inducted into the Canucks Ring of Honour. Whether you feel he should be coaching or not, Marc has passed the Litmus test the Blackhawks, NHL Coaching Association and NHL to continue evolving and become part of the solution.

Another one of the players that he has been credited for developing is Auston Matthews, who played for Marc in Switzerland and also other young players upon his return back to the NHL as an assistant coach, Ottawa Senators and now once his suspension is removed will return back to the bench as an assistant coach in Chicago in the New Year.

One of our top workshop modules based on blog I wrote a couple of years back “How to Coach Generation Z” literally reinforces the shift that is taking place both in the NHL, University sport and suspect will see in other professional sports, Generation Z (players born after 1995) do not respond to negative criticism, and when surveyed what coaching style the want to see from coaches as outlined below;

#1 – They Want Coaches that do not yell and remain calm

#2 –  Caring and Encouraging

#3 –  Knowledge of the Sport

#4 – Involves team in decision making

This I reinforce in every workshop or talk that do when I have asked coached the top characteristics of the coaches they ever had and the same answers come to up over and over again, many of these coaches are not just Gen Z age group born after 1995, but Millenials (1980-1995) and even boomers (1965-1980).

Yes, kids today want coaches that have the knowledge to teach them the skills of the game, but more importantly, they want coaches that care about them, encourage them in addition to being a calm and positive role model.

There is a much-needed change taking place in the coaching landscape, more and more organizations, teams and coaches themselves are recognizing the importance of connections and relationships with their players than ever before which makes the change taking place.

The entire coaching community regardless of the sport will become a better place and athletes, teams and organizations will benefit as a result.

Our goal is to work with as many organizations as possible to help facilitate this change for the better for who matters most, the kids.

Bob Dylan was infamous for his lyrics and can’t sum it up better than…

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There’s a battle outside

And it is ragin.

 

Although currently going through a storming period, The Times Are a-Changin …. For the better.

 

PS Tagline - Dont be a kids last coach

 

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