This week in the PAC

Headed to Washington DC to present at the local annual USA Hockey Coaching Clinic's, which is required that all bench coaches involved with USA Hockey maintain a certain level of certification. This is a great way to build relationships, learn from our mistakes, give back, set goals, encourage debate and discuss disagreements. From the clinic's I have attended and presented at my impression is that the coaches are there because it is required.

In creative positions like athletic coaching, when there is little to no choice it can cause people to become suspicious, defensive and resist from the very beginning. The other pearl I found was once the coach has met the requirement which is basically just showing up, they have a choice which is to decide how they want to spend their time at these clinic's.

Your choice, or is it?

"When I was a little boy, my parents told me what to do, and scolded me when I didn't. When I went to school my teachers told me what to do, and caned me if I didn't. When I joined the army, the sergeant told me what to do and God help me if I didn't, so I did! When I got my first job my boss told me what to do too. So when I reached a position of some authority, what did I do? I told people what to do, because that is what all my role models had done. That is true for most of us, we have been brought up on telling and we are very good at it."