2008 - 2009 Director of Tournaments:  Peter Leone,

TOURNAMENTS

An Excellent Way to Build Team Spirit!

The youth hockey season can be long and at times grueling.  One way to keep team spirit high is to build cohesiveness.  Tournaments, when properly selected, develop strong relations with players and families, and help build support for the team.

Playing in tournaments offers the ability to focus on the players’ attention by playing several games in a short time span.  In addition to giving the kids a chance to play new teams, it gives coaches a chance to improve performance by having several games close together.  This gives maximum opportunity to correct mistakes and improve players.

Tournaments also give players and parents a chance to develop social relationships off the ice.  This is especially wonderful for families who are new to our hockey program.  Getting to know teammates off the ice helps to strengthen friendships and build the team concept.  Tournaments also offer a way to travel to some of the hockey hot spots, such as Lake Placid, Toronto, Quebec and Montreal!

While tournaments offer a chance for strong competition, they more importantly offer the chance for lots of fun.  Careful selection of tournaments will balance the hockey and the entertainment for both players and families.  The best tournaments fill quickly so that it is imperative to plan well in advance.  It’s also wise to talk to other coaches and families for tournament recommendations.