Originally Posted by Anonymous
I tell the kids and parents it's not about winning and losing. I schedule tough teams and tournaments so the kids grow and play teams that are better and realize what they need to do to step it up a level. Our playing style is based on long-term skills versus winning, i.e., taking a shot with your off-hand and not scoring or making that one more pass and your teammate drops it, versus powering through for the score.

All that said, those late afternoon post-championship photos are a big deal. Kids love it. Great for team morale. Parents love it. Makes kids more committed and loyal to team, etc. Parents can tell if a coach is organized and gives it is all and treats their kids well, but at the end of the day if you are losing they think you are a bad coach and if you are winning they think you are a good coach. That's life really.

More cynically, if a program is in it for the money, winning is what is going to make you money.

This is a great post. You have to care enough about winning to want to go and put up with the heat,travel and other outside crap. The best tournaments are when your team has a winning record but you didnt get the wins by 10 goals or more. I will take a 2-3 weekend with 5 one or 2 goal games over a 5-0 weekend with 5 blow outs. And I think thats what you get when you pay the extra money for some of the better clubs. The new lower level clubs go and get smoked in 5 games or play in a tournament to low for them and win 5 blow outs.