Simply the Best: Insights and Strategies from Great Hockey Coaches

Ian A. Andrews is editor of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association’s Focus and co-author of Becoming a Teacher.

The 12 men featured in Simply the Best have all changed jobs may times,
most often not by choice. Yet they have been judged by authors Mike
Johnston and Ryan Walter as among the best in their craft. They are
professional hockey coaches. They know that longevity in one job is
unlikely, but their desire to coach transcends an almost inevitable
dismissal. How have they achieved success, and how do they approach
their chosen profession?

Johnston, a career coach at university, national, and NHL levels, and
Walter, a 15-season NHL veteran, conduct seminars on high-performance
coaching. They realized that few of the best coaches had ever explained,
in detail, the motivation that led to their successes. Their project was
to interview 12 coaches “who have influenced the game of hockey with
their strategies, approach, and team accomplishments.” They were
pleasantly surprised when 12 on their list of top 14 coaches agreed to
interviews.

After a brief introductory essay about each subject, a
question-and-answer format is followed. Questions about the coach’s
own motivation and how he motivates players are central. Communication
skills with players, team leadership, and the handling of pressure
situations are discussed. Successes and failures, and the perceived
reasons for each, are explored.

The coaches chosen include the obvious—legendary Scotty Bowman,
innovative Roger Neilson, and charismatic Jacques Demers. Studious
mentors like Dave King, Andy Murray, and Ken Hitchcock also provide
substance. Brian Sutter and George Kingston are best known for their
successes in international coaching, while Clare Drake is the
acknowledged dean in university ranks. Marc Crawford, Mike Keenan, and
Pat Quinn round out the top dozen. Readers should be impressed by the
open manner in which the coaching psyche is portrayed.