The Loss of a Coach

 

 

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

With the passing of Walter Gretzky, there has been a lot said about what a wonderful person he was. How he always had a word for everybody. His contributions to charity. All that good stuff.  There can be no doubt that it’s true. But as far as his contribution to the Hockey world and Canadian society in general, I think these compliments are missing the point. His greatness has much more to do with his coaching.

From everything we hear, Walter Gretzky was a real coach. He encouraged, he motivated, he facilitated development. He invented creative exercises. He used his own brain, and he taught his players to think as well. That’s what coaches are supposed to do. He created the Great One and hundreds of other players who maximized their abilities.

Why is This Special?

Because there is a nasty underside to the game of hockey and to sports in general in North America that doesn’t work that way. Too many hockey parents and the coaches they hire come from the Boot Camp School of Hockey. There is far too much paramilitary “don’t think, follow orders,” and “what doesn’t kill you makes you strong.” And of course, this shows up on the ice, where bullies and thugs rule the game.

An Unfortunate Coincidence

The competing item in hockey news right now is yet another coach accused of improper behaviour towards players in his charge. Yet another power junkie who took to coaching as the ideal venue to cruise for victims. And he’s been doing it for decades, and nobody noticed? How can that be? Well, it can be because that sort of person is considered proper coaching material. We have this attitude left over from World War II that to be a winner you have to have it beaten into you. And there are plenty of coaches and parents happy to oblige.

This attitude may create tough players. It also creates bullies, racism, sexism, homophobia, and a host of the other ills that people put their children into sports to avoid.

Walter Gretzky knew that he could create stronger, better teams by encouraging his players to play with their brains. To predict where the puck was going to be and get there first. Thousands of players at all levels laud his results.

Walter’s “Great” Accomplishment

Wayne Gretzky was infamous among “true fans of hockey” (who have Sport confused with Mixed Martial Arts) for not roughing it up “like a real hockey player.” Wayne played the game the way his father coached it. Fortunately for his style of play, his team had other players who were willing to police the goons on the other teams, giving the Great One the opportunity to work his magic. Can you imagine a hockey game where everyone forgot the fight and focused on teamwork, skill and intelligence?

Oh. That’s right. That’s how they play the game in Europe. What a surprise. Sport in Europe is dominated by a game with a “Yellow card, red card and you’re out” approach to violence.

The Bottom Line

We need a whole lot of coaches like Walter Gretzky in all Canadian sports, and a whole lot fewer of the mini Hitlers like we have now. Here’s to you, Walter, and all those who try to follow in your footsteps.

Disclosure

During my teaching career, I taught all the sports in Physical Education, as well as coaching school and community soccer, basketball, volleyball and wrestling. Oh, yes, and I taught Fight Choreography to my Acting classes. So when it comes to coaching, I have a vague idea of what I’m talking about.

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