Just like great hockey players, there are all kinds of great hockey coaches. 

In Minnesota, we have many coaches who have experience playing at the highest levels of hockey including the National Hockey League and the Olympics. We have some coaches that have been teaching kids basic hockey skills for 20, 30 or even 40 years, and we also have some coaches that just started playing the game themselves in an effort to learn more about what their players experience.

Regardless of coaches’ hockey experience and knowledge, most of hockey’s greatest youth coaches share some of the same characteristics. They have a passion for the game that they strive to share every time their team hits the ice. They work diligently to teach age-appropriate fundamental skills in a way that makes sense to their players, and they place an emphasis on teaching their players lessons such as teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership and respect that go far beyond the wins and loss they experience.

Perhaps, most importantly, great coaches care about our kids almost as much as we do, and they show it every day.

In an effort to recognize our state’s excellent coaches, Minnesota Hockey, in partnership with Park Dental, provides the HEP Coaching Excellence Award to recognize youth hockey coaches at all levels whose behaviors provide for a positive athletic experience, allowing players to develop to their greatest potential, have fun and learn to love the game.

“The Coaching Excellence Award is all about recognizing coaches that have their priorities right,” said Steve Morse, HEP Coordinator for Minnesota Hockey. “Caring about the kids is number one. When a young player takes the time to recognize a coach, we know the coach cares about the players!”

Parents, players, officials and other coaches can now nominate coaches for the 2016 Coaching Excellence Award. Selected coaches will have the opportunity to attend a Minnesota Wild practice during the 2016-17 season, and all coaches meeting the award’s criteria will receive a recognition certificate. The certificate will be sent to the nominator at the end of this season so that the nominator can make the presentation to the coach at the team’s banquet.