Quick Hello

Hi Hawks,
I just wanted to check in briefly with the best ball hockey team in SWO.

I'm spending the work week at two separate conferences, all day, every day. But we will also be preparing for the Vultures!

I checked late last night and the playoff standings had not been updated. We'll keep checking.

Either way Hawks, Saturday at noon we control our own destiny! No one else has control. It's all up to us!

Remember, you must believe to achieve! Always!

Lastly, Burger, how's your foot doing? Please have your parents call me or email me with an update. Email and phone numbers are listed to the right.

I'd any others have injuries or issues that may effect is Saturday, please let me know.

Go Hawks!

Activity versus Results

Go Hawks!

Okay gentlemen, we’re right back into the SWO playoffs tonight. The playoffs start with a four-game round robin, during which we face the Owls, Harriers, Falcons and then Vultures.

We knocked off the Owls two weeks ago. This weekend we take care of the Harriers and Falcons.

So far we’re 1-0-0.

We’ll play the Harriers like we have many other teams. Just in case they’re listening in on this blog, we’ll discuss our strategies pre-game, in the dressing room.

We’ll need full effort from each and every one of you! And I’m sure you Hawks will deliver!

Remember to get there at least one hour pre-game, by 8:00pm. We get to break the camera tonight.

Personally I think the photos might be better post-game, when you guys are all sweaty, red-faced and out of breath. But for some reason we’re doing them pre-game. Such is life.

Here’s another truth in life gentlemen:
“Never confuse activity with results.” -Lou Gerstner, former CEO, IBM

There is no trying Hawks. There’s only doing, or not doing! This weekend, let’s DO!

Photos are this Friday (tomorrow)!!

As Jordan has brought to our attention Hawks, our team and individual photos will be taken this Friday, June 12, at Don McLaren, before our 9:00pm tilt with the Harriers.

Please arrive at least one hour before game time. For those that struggle with mathematics and telling time, that means arrive by at least 8:00pm. ;)

Let’s remember our Hawks Hockey Nation Excellence Creed. Specifically the following items:

1) We respect ourselves, our team mates and our team. We treat our team colours (jerseys) as our flag, and thus honour them with care and keeping.

2) We respect all involved in our team experience. This list includes all team personnel, families, refs, time keepers, arena staff, spectators and others.

5) We respect our team and team mates enough to arrive at least 25 minutes before each game and practice, and to be fully-dressed and ready for the pre-game talk at least 10 minutes before each game. OR, IN THIS CASE, AT LEAST 60 MINUTES BEFORE THE GAME!)

9) We realize that when we look good, and we feel good, we play good.

I’ll post again before Friday morning some preparation material for our game against the Harriers. We’ll be ready for them. And they’ll realize, from the first ball drop, that they’re in a Hawks HOCKEY game!

Thanks Gents,
Coach Steve

“Surrender the ‘Me’ for the ‘We’”

Hi Hawks,
I wanted to take a day or so and let the dust settle after the tournament, providing time to gather my thoughts. And providing you time to gather yours.

Hawks, you should be very, very proud of your accomplishments. I am! Your other coaches are very proud of you also. You’ve come so far in such a short period of time, marching all the way to the semi-finals!

I also wonder if I made a strategic error in the way we prepared to play the Ravens. I suspect I underestimated their abilities. Perhaps we should have gone with four-deep in our zone from the start, rather than starting with three-deep. As I’ve said, there’s ample opportunity to learn in each and every defeat. I’m doing my best to do so.

That said, we can’t take anything away from the Ravens. They played a fantastic game, and they deserve our full respect and congratulations!

And congratulations to the tournament champions, the Falcons, who defeated the Ravens 3-2 in the final on Sunday evening. The final four teams all deserved the championship, and all deserve our respect. Both semi-finals were one goal games, as was the final.

Congratulations to SWO also, for running a fantastic tournament. Great job gents!

Hawks, I want you to know that it continues to be an incredible honour and privilege to go into battle with each and every one of you. There’s not a single player in the league that I would add to our team. I’m very happy with our line-up, and I’m glad I’m your head coach.

Individually...
Aaron – I’ve never seen anyone display more desire, heart or commitment. Keep leading!
Braden – You’re a team leader that does all a goalie should do, which is give your team a chance to win. We thank you!
Bradley – You have all the skills required to elevate the play of each of your teammates. Keep feeding those perfect passes!
Daniel – You play an incredibly strong positional game, always found exactly where you should be. Keep up the great work!
Devin – Your strength and tenacity down low in the opposition zone is very important to our team. Keep pressing harder and harder!
Jordan F. – Your defensive prowess combined with your point shots and rushes make you a two-way threat. Keep pumping them in!
Jordan S. – Your commitment to our team, in regular play and when handling special assignments, is second to none. Keep leading Jordan!
Kyle – We’ve missed you a few times, and our offensive threat has been weakened because you didn’t provide your added punch and presence. Be there!
Mackenzie – Your quick hands and feet have kept the ball in the opposition zone time and time again, and no one works harder than you. You’re an inspiration!
Mitchell N. – You also play a very strong positional game and have great sense of where to be on the floor. Keep playing smart ball hockey Mitchell!
Mitchell J. – Your speed is an incredible asset on defence, allowing us to press a little more than we could otherwise, knowing you’ll get back in time. Keep it up!
Nathan – You have fantastic hands and very strong ball (aka “puck”) sense, leading to scoring opportunities. Keep going!
Russell – You’ve really raised your game lately, playing some great games, and helping your team have more fun. Keep working hard Russell!
Tyler M. – You work very hard on your wing, and always seem to know your job, whether we’re playing three- or four-deep. Keep playing strong!
Tyler C. – What you give up in size you make up for in determination, especially when you make sure you’re in a strong position against the opposition players. Keep it going Tyler!
Zach – A few games ago you moved to our blue line, bringing us great strength both in their zone and down low in ours. Keep clearing that ball!

And as a team...
We’re so much more than the sum of our parts! We ARE the strongest team in this league. Do you BELIEVE?

"Commitment to the team - there is no such thing as in-between, you are either in or out." -Pat Riley

"Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me’ for the ‘we.’" -Phil Jackson

Now we start preparing for Friday night, to do battle with Harriers. The times is now!

It’s Our Time Hawks!

I’ve just been preparing for the semi-final. I can’t wait. Heading to the rink now.

Here’s our updated schedule and results so far.

Friday – 9:00pm – Moses Springer – Owls 0 vs Hawks 0
Saturday 12:00pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks 3 vs Osprey 0

Playoff round:
Quarter Finals – Sunday – 12:00pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks 1 vs Vultures 0 (shoot out)
Semi Finals – Sunday – 3:00pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks _ vs Ravens _
Trillium-Hawks Cup Finals – Sunday 7:45pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks _ vs ??? _

Go Hawks!!!

Calling You Out!

We’ve heard from two Hawks: Mac and Braden.

(Mac wrote in the middle of the night ... but we won’t ask too many questions about that...)

What about the rest of you Hawks! Do you want to win this thing? Do you BELIEVE we will win this thing?

Every great sports team that ever existed...
Every great individual athlete that ever succeeded...
Every incredible inventor through history...
Every great leader, philosopher, and politician....
Every great artist, singer, band, song writer, painter and sculpture...

They all had one undeniable truth in common:
They had NO idea how they were going to accomplish their individual goal or dream.
But each one BELIEVED absolutely that somehow he/she/they would most definitely, eventually, accomplish and achieve their goal!

Hawks, you have to BELIEVE! This tournament, the Trillium-Hawks Cup, is OURS! Let’s take that which is rightfully OURS!

We’ll see you by 11:30am at Albert McCormick!

Coach Steve

Believe!

Go Hawks!
According to the Trillium Cup website, we play the Vultures at 12:00pm (noon) at Albert McCormick.
Let’s win this thing! I love it! We can’t wait to tangle with the Vultures!

Here’s our updated schedule and results.

Friday – 9:00pm – Moses Springer – Owls 0 vs Hawks 0
Saturday 12:00pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks 3 vs Osprey 0

Playoff round:
Quarter Finals – Sunday – 12:00pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks _ vs Vultures _
Semi Finals – Sunday – 3:00pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks _ vs ??? _
Trillium-Hawks Cup Finals – Sunday 7:45pm – Albert McCormick – Hawks _ vs ??? _


Hawks, you’ve played two fantastic games in this tournament. And our games last weekend, against the Falcons and Osprey were equally impressive.

Hawks, you should be very proud of your accomplishments, very satisfied with how far you’ve come, both individually, and as team, in such a short time.

Your coaches will have a look at what the Vultures have done thus far, both in the regular season and in the tournament, and we’ll put a strategy in place. They won their first game of the tournament but then lost their second.

We coaches have absolute confidence in your ability to execute our team strategy to perfection!

Remember Hawks, “you must believe to achieve!”