It's time to clear up an urban legend. The columnist who wrote SKATESTEPS for The Hockey Review was none other than Joe Cheslock, a boyhood friend of Ben Leuzzi's. He was a bit down on his luck and in 1975 Ben decided to give Joe new purpose in his life by making him the Assistant Coach of the New Jersey Golden Blades Midget AA team. The players immediately connected with Joe and treated him with the upmost respect. We all loved Joe.
Joe was a student of the game and was constantly conveying his observations to the players on the ice or the bench. With his life experiences came vast wisdom. He was not short on opinions and always spoke his mind freely - never holding back.
Here's one of I Seymour's columns from July 14, 1977. Rest in peace, Joe.
WHAT SYSTEM ? ? ?
Does it exist?? If it does is it working? And when I speak of the system I am speaking of offensive, defensive organizational play in youth hockey. In my vision, although some might say it has been distorted by the plexiglass, attempts have been made to implement the system and it works at best until the ice has been covered with shavings. It's our fault. You, me, organizational leaders, parents and all those interested gallery gods who watch the youth in action and never offer any suggestion or the self-proclaimed professional who never volunteers.
Only discipline will make the system, which is based on fundamentals, work when those responsible do their best to see that it is used. For example, in a practice, skating drills in all its variations are droned upon then simply forgotten in the scrimmage or game as forwards or defensemen refuse to break to skating stride on the tips if their skates. In full stride they won't bob or weave crossovers with an attempt deft stickhandling or playmaking with variations of the pass to the open man who should be there. It is a six-player effort, from the back ice to the opposition goal; not with the best six players or combination thereof; but with the full roster.
And why should need a coach need a program or introduction to meet new players at gametime, which has become an addicted habit of a high organizational man. The faithful, for better or worse, come first and ring of perspiration and toil in practice for the ringers. And it's a two-way system built on two-way honest hockey players. To gain possession of the puck all players must skate their checks tightly. Back checking wings sometimes fail to keep their checks between themselves & the boards to cut down the lateral movement of the check so the defensemen can hit. Centers, who should be the strongest and most heady skaters continue to drift aimlessly waiting and watching the work being done in hopes of a loose puck or gift. Defensemen must become aggressive, lateral movements and timing sharpened for body checking and an alert goaltender who can direct all in the defensive zone.
I mention only a few of the most glaring mistakes in regard to fundamentals. What are your suggestions?
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