- INSIDE”
‘SPORTS MENU C2”

Skeena Angler Rob Brown is off this
week, In his place and to mark Minor
. Hockey Week, here are some tips for.
coaches provided by the Canadian
Hockey Association.

Be prepared

EING WELL organized and
prepared on game day is onc of
the keys to getling your players
to do their best and have fun

during games.
Arrive at the arena well before game time.
For safety, make sure you have your first
aid kit and all its supplies. Ensure that your

players have all equipment on properly and

insist they complete a proper warm-up.
Also make sure that referees, timekeepers,
scorekeepers and other officials are present
and ready to go,

Have a short meeting with your players
before the game. Siress only a few points of
instruction and encourage them to relax,
have fun and do their best.

During the game, remain cool behind the
bench by not shouting at officials and op-
ponents. Be positive and enthusiastic with
your players, and give corrective feedback
in a constructive, quiet manner. Change
lines frequently to let every player partici-
pate. Always set a good example for your
players.

After the game, insist that all players and
slaff shake hands with opponents and offi-
cials. Meet briefly with your players to of-
fer encouragement and positive feedback,
and ask for input regarding team strengths,
attitude and areas for improvement. Make
announcements about upcoming games and
practices, and attempt to say something
positive to each player before leaving.

Checking From Behind

The most common cause of serious spinal in-
juries in hockey is when a player is checked,
‘pushed or bumped from behind, and goes head
._dirstinto the boards.

Such injuries have feft some victims paralysed 7

for life.

Asa coach, it is your responsibility to ensure
your players develop the proper attitudes and
skills to protect themselves and opponents from
dangerous hits from behind.

Coaches at all levels, contacy and non-contact,
mual help players develop respect for opponents
and rules. Players must be aware of the con-
sequences of checking, shoving, or bumping an
opponent who is in the “‘danger zone’’, the 3-4
metres of ice.in front of the boards. Teach your
players to treat opponents as they like to be
treated themselves.

Coaches in categories with contact should
recognize that checking is an advanced skill
which. must be taught using proper teaching
progressions, and only once the players have
mastcred all skating skills. Safety must be the
first priority when teaching checking skills.

- — ensure your players stretch properly before
all games and practices

——~ make sure your players include exercises to
strengthen neck muscles in off-ice training pro-
grams

— teach your players the proper technique for
receiving checks, and to always be alert when in
the “danger zone”?

“—— encourage referees to enforce all rules that

‘ penalize checking from behind

For more resources, oblain the videos Smart:

~ Hockey with Mike Bossy, and NCCP Checking
. from the CHA Resource Centre,

Making practice fun

Fun is an essential ingredient in an effective
hockey practice? Do you include fun when you
‘ develop your practice plans?

While you should establish objectives for your
practice such as skill and fitness development,
don’t forget the main reason players participate
is for enjoyment. Fun can be an element in
-* every component of your practice, including
.. Warm-up, instruction, skill practice and fitness.

‘ Although fun should be incorporated through-
out your practice, some coaches use specific
_. games, drills, or novel equipment to motivate
players and stimulate interest. But just because
a game or drill is fun, docs not mean it is unre-
. Iated to objectives like skill development.
Games can be designed to incorporate funda-
mental skills such as skating, puck control and
checking,

— beginning skaters can develop skating
skills through games like push ball, which
forces players to bend knees to move a ball, and
hick ball, which allows players to develop
balance and agility by playing soccer on ice

— skating skills can also be developed with
games like tag, British Bulldog, red light/ green
light and relay races

— players can enhance puck contro! skills
through games like 2-on-1 and 1-on-1

— players learning checking skills can prac-
tlee contain and control through games like dot
tag, with and without a puck, and crease tag

For more ideas, contact the CHA Resource
Centre (1-800-667- -2242) or attend the next
NCCP Clinic in your.a area,

_Trappl conqu

JANA TRAPPL gave the
Shames Ski Club a golden
boost at the Jan, 7-8 Alpine
Zone races, qualifiers for the
BC Winter Games,

Starting fourth last of the 29
Giant Slalom competitors in
Salurday’s first run, she sped
to a 1:03.77 time to take the
lead among J3 skiers.

Although slightly slower on
her second mn, -Trappl’s
1:04.85 was easily enough ta
maintain her three second
edge over Chelsea Hubbard of
Prince George and sew up the
gold.

Trapp] was unable to repeat
Sunday, however, when
Smithers’ Shauna Holmes
caught fire and a slow first run
left the home girl too much to
do,

Trappl settled for fourth on

‘the day behind Holmes, Hub-

-bard and ‘Ky-Lee Soles from
Tumbler Ridge.

-In other Terrace results,
-Katie Dediluke. (J2 division)
posted a combined time of

-* 2:22:00 Saturday, following

Up: with a fractionally quicker

| Sunday performance.

Alesha Boyko, another J3
competitor,

was. dragged down

Jessica Hall of Smithers was

~fastest female on the mountain
both days, posting winning

~ margins of. five seconds each
_ tithe over Angela Engstrom of
matt Prince: George. be a

“On the men’s side, . Chris

- Paziuk led the Shames con-
" tingent with a two-run time of
"1:49.48, just under two. sec-
7 “onds - clear. of teammate Josh

McDonald.”

The duo finished eighth and
11th overall in the JB ranks.

~ McDonald, _ however,

_ Skeena streak comes to

clocked 2:35.71.

“on day one but, like many
' skiers, -
~ Sunday by a@ slow first run.
. She finished seventh overall,

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, January 18, 1995 - Ct

~ SECTION Cc
“MALCOLM BAXTER 638- 1283

Se hie

ALL SMILES atop the podium | is Jana Trapp! (centre), Giant Slalom gold medallist
in the J3 class at the Alpine Zone races held at Shames Mountain Jan. 7-8.

reversed the placings the fol-
lowing moming by the same
margin as the pair finished
eighth and 10th respectively.
Graeme Dediluke suffered a

horrible second run. Saturday
but shook it off Sunday to fin-

ish a second and a half behind
Paziuk on combined time:
Alan Trapp! led Shames J2

skiers. Saturday and it was.

Jonah McEwan’s turn to do so

Sunday.
Tan Perkins of Prince George
beat out teammate Sean

. Cochrane ‘as. fastest overall

Saturday but saw those plac-
ings reversed on Sunday.
- The zones attracted 12-17
year old .skiers from across

“northern BC and the Watson

Lake, Yukon team.
A lack of snow at home saw
the Watson lake team come

‘down early so’s to get in some

practice before the Shames
races,

Describing the event as a
big deal’’ for Shames, Greg
McDonald pointed out it re-

SKEENA WILDCATS ¢ came ‘out snarling in the opening: game of their own Ji
Boys tournament, hammering Centennial Chriatian: Seahawks, See next week's

Standara for full results,

- dropping a decision ‘to’ Prin
Rupert Secondary. °

quired the assistance of about

50 volunteers.

Explaining that high number,. -
he said one person was needed
to watch every two. gates to ..
check the skiers went through
them correctly and there were
56 gates,

Add in manual timers as
back-up to the computer
timing system, course workers __
and staff to compile results
and it didn’t take long for the -
total to mount.

an end

SKEENA GIRLS had their
unbeaten streak broken, but
only just.

Facing Charles Hays in the .
semi-final of their own tourna-
ment, Skeena found the | going
tough from the start.

Hays threw up an effective.
defensive blanket which -
Skeena often found difficult to
penetrate, And when they did.
the shots too often didn’t find -
their target.

Hays were also quick to pick _
up on careless passes by
Skeena, tuming interceptions
into baskets to maintain its
lead. i

Skeena started to roll late in
the game but Hays were able
lo hang on for a 42-40 deci-
sion. a

Duchess Park of. Prince:
George took the tournament: .
with Skeena having to settle os
for third.

Meanwhile, Skeena Junior a
Boys Wildcats are still trying ©.
to find a way to salve
Hazelton.

Coming off a 59-32 win over
Kitimat Jan. 5, the “team.
headed
tournament action.

Game one there was a cruise:
over Bulkley Valley Christian,
school 68-35,

Which put Skeena up against atk
their nemesis, Hazelton, ‘who- . ae

carried the day 49-39, | a4
The Wildcats were back in’

action over the weekend ©
their own tournament, an eight’.
team affair which included’ DP.
Todd from Prince George.”

Skeena’s Grade 8: * pirlé
Tecent resulis saw the: tea
split, beating Charles Hays but’

into Smithers . for les