Bob Otte sent me an email on Sunday afternoon announcing that he had to resign as Rules Interpreter of the MSHL. Bob has been taking more and more responsibilites with USA Hockey plus, his new job at his old place with a new employer that actually had him working more hours now then before he retired!!
Bob is a voice of reason. He and I knocked heads a few times over some rule interpretation or another, but it was always civil. Invariably, he was right. But in the end we both respected each others opinion.
So now another of the original 6 (or so) who founded the league has moved on. It is up to us to nurture what they began over 20 years ago so that when our successors look back they can give us the same warm kudos and we give them.
If you see Bob at an ice rink, please give him kudos for a job well done!
He will be missed.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Referee - Coach - Player partnership
You all know the scenario. Big game, maybe late in the game or maybe not, and the official makes a call that your side does not like. Can be any level from little kids to pros and can be in any sport.
What happens next? Well if we watch TV, the camera immediately pans to the player and/or coach who goes ballistic, or the manager who comes flying out of the dugout and starts arguing with the official. Looks great on TV - great entertainment -- but it has no place in interscholastic sports!!!!!!
So what should you do??? Ask the official in a calm voice if you and he/she could discuss the call at the next break. You all know that the call is not going to change, so why take away valuable ice time arguing???? At the break, go to the end of the bench - away from the players -- and ask the official what happened. He/she will generally give you their side of the story. And that's it. End of discussion. You got the information you wanted and now its back to coaching/teaching.
Referees are not 100% perfect -- not at this level. And guess what, neither are the players and neither are the coaches. Imagine the ref in the middle of the game yelling out, "that was a horrible line change.", or "that was the worst pass I have seen in the last 6 months." You wouldn't like it, and the players would not like it. So, as my mother once said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
Coaches coach
Players play
Officials officiate
Spectators cheer
If everyone does their assigned job, we have a great game. When we try to do more than what we have been assigned, then that is when problems arise.
As Patrick Swayze said in Road House, "Be nice."
What happens next? Well if we watch TV, the camera immediately pans to the player and/or coach who goes ballistic, or the manager who comes flying out of the dugout and starts arguing with the official. Looks great on TV - great entertainment -- but it has no place in interscholastic sports!!!!!!
So what should you do??? Ask the official in a calm voice if you and he/she could discuss the call at the next break. You all know that the call is not going to change, so why take away valuable ice time arguing???? At the break, go to the end of the bench - away from the players -- and ask the official what happened. He/she will generally give you their side of the story. And that's it. End of discussion. You got the information you wanted and now its back to coaching/teaching.
Referees are not 100% perfect -- not at this level. And guess what, neither are the players and neither are the coaches. Imagine the ref in the middle of the game yelling out, "that was a horrible line change.", or "that was the worst pass I have seen in the last 6 months." You wouldn't like it, and the players would not like it. So, as my mother once said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
Coaches coach
Players play
Officials officiate
Spectators cheer
If everyone does their assigned job, we have a great game. When we try to do more than what we have been assigned, then that is when problems arise.
As Patrick Swayze said in Road House, "Be nice."
Monday, September 21, 2009
YAHOO
When you first think of the word Yahoo, you generally associate it with a web page or a search engine or some other part of that giant web service company out on the left coast. But, do you know what Yahoo means?
You
Always
Have
Other
Options
That's right, you always have other options. So what, in the context of the MSHL does this mean? First, there is the golden rule - what happens in the MSHL stays in the MSHL. We don't air our dirty laundry in public. Disputes are discussed internally amongst the board and, when appropriate, the membership. However, we don't go around gossiping in rinks about internal issues.
OK, enough of that. Some school has issues with a decision made by MSHL management. Could be anything ranging from a suspension to player placement, to how cold the rink is. You know what happens? Our email box gets flooded with wailing and gnashing of teeth from one or more people claiming (figuratively) that the world is going to end if their problem is not solved right now and to their satisfaction.
And that's the way it is left. They dump their problem on the league's lap and then expect the league to become Solomon and solve the problem. The trouble is, if they don't agree with the solution, the league is wrong and more emails come flooding in.
What's missing is Yahoo. OK, you have an issue. Instead of asking the league to solve it, why not present an alternative that may work for all parties, not just yourself. Be creative. If you think it is too cold for your team, don't go out and buy space heaters and blow the fuses, but maybe offer to buy the ice at an indoor rink at a time convenient to both teams. It may not be the best solution for you, but it may be the best solution for all.
So if you have an issue, don't be a complainer, be part of the solution. Just remember that when the league makes a determination it is making it with the whole league in mind, not just you. Keep that in your mind as you pound out the email to the league.
You
Always
Have
Other
Options
That's right, you always have other options. So what, in the context of the MSHL does this mean? First, there is the golden rule - what happens in the MSHL stays in the MSHL. We don't air our dirty laundry in public. Disputes are discussed internally amongst the board and, when appropriate, the membership. However, we don't go around gossiping in rinks about internal issues.
OK, enough of that. Some school has issues with a decision made by MSHL management. Could be anything ranging from a suspension to player placement, to how cold the rink is. You know what happens? Our email box gets flooded with wailing and gnashing of teeth from one or more people claiming (figuratively) that the world is going to end if their problem is not solved right now and to their satisfaction.
And that's the way it is left. They dump their problem on the league's lap and then expect the league to become Solomon and solve the problem. The trouble is, if they don't agree with the solution, the league is wrong and more emails come flooding in.
What's missing is Yahoo. OK, you have an issue. Instead of asking the league to solve it, why not present an alternative that may work for all parties, not just yourself. Be creative. If you think it is too cold for your team, don't go out and buy space heaters and blow the fuses, but maybe offer to buy the ice at an indoor rink at a time convenient to both teams. It may not be the best solution for you, but it may be the best solution for all.
So if you have an issue, don't be a complainer, be part of the solution. Just remember that when the league makes a determination it is making it with the whole league in mind, not just you. Keep that in your mind as you pound out the email to the league.
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