Should Coaches Try and Win? Episode 138 - Quick Shift Episode

Key Points Discussed The youth hockey buzzword problem: “development” often gets reduced to individual skill work and ignores human development. Why Derek believes winning matters — not as the only priority, but as a teacher of responsibility, teamwork, pressure, and accountability. Confidence explained: confidence is owned, built through preparation (routine, hydration, nutrition, visualization), and shouldn’t be dependent on external validation. Resiliency explained: bouncing back from fear, failure, and adversity — and why kids must experience competitive situations to learn it. Coaching reality: a coach being “hard on a player” can mean investment; being ignored is often the real warning sign. The difference between putting players in positions to succeed vs “shortening the bench to win.” Story from the Oakville Winter Classic: late goals against, overtime loss, and the mindset response Derek got from his 10-year-old goalie son the next day. Book recommendation: Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday — why it’s valuable for athletes, goalies, and hockey parents. Listener/community plug: Derek invites DMs and in-person conversations at rinks; encourages sharing the episode and leaving a 5-star review. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.