Page 20 - Washington Little Capitals Season Program 2016-17

It's such an amazing position in all of sports and it's
opportunity for Little Caps not for the easily rattled. This
goalies to have a chance to position will eat you up and
train regularly with someone spit you out if you don't have
with your experience and the right mindset. Sometimes I
knowledge. You could have have kids freaking out because
brought your coaching a goal is scored IN PRACTICE
talents anywhere. Why did and I know how to calm them
you decide to get involved down in an instant. I tell them
with the Little Caps? What is that I've been through the
it about the organization that whole spectrum of emotions
attracted you? that they go through, but you
have to be strong mentally to
After I retired, I spent a year
survive the game. I truly do
and a half in Pittsburgh and in
empathize for them.
my downtime, I wanted to try
coaching on for size. I Are there different things
INTERVIEW : immediately loved it! It put a you can teach them as a
passion for teaching in me that former NHL player that they
I never knew existed. When we might not get elsewhere?
returned to our home here in
What kinds of inside " tricks"
BRENT DC, I got in touch with my do you share with them?
hockey loving dentist, Tom
Lenz, who told me about the My inside tricks: Read the
shooters eyes. They say more
opportunity with the Little
about what he does then
Caps at the minor level. I anything.
JOH NSON thought it was a great I tell them how to compete in
opportunity to stay close to the
game and give back to the next
generation of goalies in the practice and make those your
games. This will make both the
area. After meeting with Dan goalie and his teammates
Jablonic and Beth Lenz better.
The former Caps netminder is (fantastic bosses), I realized
I also tell them to take the 4-5
training the next generation of this was a great organization of the best shooters and make
and I wanted to help make it
Little Caps goalies better in any way possible. I it their goal not to allow them
have learned a lot in my time to score all practice long. This
is more game like, because you
You come from a storied grandfather, he told me to playing in the NHL, among can't work your hardest 100%
hockey family. Your father always love and respect the other leagues, but I was of the time in practice. It's just
played for the Penguins and game and to always keep my happily surprised at how much not a possibility.
your grandfather is Hall of dauber up, no matter what the I learned from these kids on a
Fame legend Sid Abel. What game was throwing at me. daily basis. They made it Every Little Cap dreams of
was it like growing up with And did you always know possible for me to try and following in your footsteps.
so much goaltending talent you were going to be a perfect my craft and ultimately What advice do you have for
around the family dinner hockey player? they made me a better goalie Little Caps players about
table? What lessons did they coach. reaching the next level?
impart to you? That is a big no! Of course all I What are the main lessons My advice for our youth: Love
ever wanted to do was play the
My family imparted many life game which I have the greatest you try to impart to Little and respect the game, because
lessons on me, so many that it's love for, but there was a point Caps goalies? when that is gone, so too will
hard to just pick a few, but I'll (19 years old) that I thought it I think anyone can go out the game be. Also when you
try. From my dad, he gave me wasn't going to happen. At that there, do some goalie specific are on the ice, be all there.
so much, from how to time, my rights were owned by drills and be done with it. I tell Don't let the outside world
approach the game on the ice, the Colorado Avalanche and the kids why we are doing the distract you. This game is
to how to better myself in the their depth chart was long and drills and what specifically to about having fun and having
weight room after hockey. distinguished. I was traded to work on during them. But I passion for this great game. As
Confidence was always a big the St. Louis Blues in the think the greatest thing that I Tony Gaskins put it, "Doors
part of our talks, but conceit summer of '97 and signed the bring to these kids is the will be opened to those who
was never in our same day and the rest was mental aspect of the game. are bold enough to knock"
conversations. From my
history. Let's face it, it is the hardest

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