Carson’s Corner – The Deadline

While it may be the most interesting part of the hockey season for fans, I can tell you first hand what it's like for many coaches in the hockey world.  It’s full of long days, tirelessly scouring the playing field for a key component to get better, making countless phone calls, staring at the same pages and refreshing over and over... It is daunting.  However, for me, and I'm sure many others, that is not the worst part of it. Sitting across the table from a player who has made a commitment to your hockey club, whether they are from down the street or miles away, and having to cut the cord on them, is without a doubt the hardest and worst part of coaching junior hockey.

Yes, it's a business, and we are in the business of winning, but sometimes we are in the business of breaking hearts, too.  This is the underbelly of our game that is often overlooked. We need to make these decisions, and we try to balance our decisions by considering the interests of all people who watch, and keeping our roster in mind to give them the best chance at success.  Most people will never know what it feels like to look another human being in the eyes and tell them their time with your club or organization is up.   

Bearing in mind all the sacrifices, hopes and dreams of these 16-20 year old boys, it is not just a tough pill to swallow, often it feels like razorblades.  And yes, we are the bad guy.  Judge, jury, and executioner.  But most  coaches at one point or another in their career, have been on the other side of the table. Hopeful, nervous, and uncertain about our future in this game and always wanting to do our best. No matter how the coach puts it, or tries to make you feel better about who you are as a person and a player… you are cut, traded, or released, and ultimately no longer part of something that you've dreamt of for most of your young life.  It is not  always a bad thing for the player as other opportunities lie ahead, but it is difficult regardless, having to adjust to new team mates, new coaches and new town and new routines.  It’s not an easy undertaking.  

Now I am not writing this to make excuses. At the end of the day, we have to make what we believe are the best decisions for the people who are counting on us to get the job done.  When they work out, it can feel easier to forget about and move on from, but there are also the times where things don't always pan out, and it is as deep as cut as any, that leaves scars nonetheless, small or large.  I'm writing this for the coaches and for the players out there to hopefully reach a few eyes that can relate, and understand you're not alone, and to keep pushing along.  January 10th in the junior hockey world is a day that many of us feel under great stress and anxiety. So if you see a coach at this time, give them some reprieve, give them some grace, and understand they are making decisions that may look a certain way on paper, look a lot different in their hearts.