The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
Just found this out yesterday. I finished my "Learn to skate" lessons and i think i'm ready to start my hockey 'skills and drills' stuff. Bought my helmet, gloves, and stick and i was all ready to sign up for a "Learn to Play" class at the local rink. Who is teaching that class? Chris ****ING Chelios!
Have any of you had an ex-pro teach you the game before? What can i expect? Any do's and dont's involving Chelios?
I was instructed by Paul Fenton and Kevin Dineen in the early '90s. Can't remember much of the drills but be prepared to hammer the heck out of your weaknesses, skating, and doing things that'll make your "normal" game easier by comparison.
edit: have you met/seen Chelios yet? That site mentions that the instructor is his cousin but has the same name. If it's the Chris Chelios, bring him some peanut butter cups if you get on his bad side...haha
hope I'm not bursting your bubble, but that isn't THE Chris Chelios. it is his cousin as Ozz said above. He is still a good coach and I believe was drafted but just didn't get there. He is the hockey director for a couple of different clubs I believe. I did sub a couple of times in one of his leagues. Each team had an A,B,C line with a horn going off for shift changes. I've never heard anyone complain about him as far as youth hockey goes, so I'm sure you'll have fun.
Lol where does it say its his COUSIN teaching the class?
His bio states that he is the cousin of NHL player Chris Chelios. It would be weird to have the Chris Chelios teach a class from a program run by the other Chris Chelios. If the Chris Chelios was running the class you bet your bottom dollar that it would be on the front page of that website.
Lol where does it say its his COUSIN teaching the class?
LOL...
In about 3 seconds I went to the "Coach Chelios" part of the site and it says first and foremost:
Quote:
As a player and cousin of Chris Chelios from the Detroit Redwings, Chris' hockey career includes playing professional hockey for the Shreveport Mudbugs in the CHL, the Baton Rouge Kingfish of the ECHL and one year professional hockey in Germany. He played collegiate hockey at University of Wisconsin-Superior, as well as, Junior A Hockey in the USHL for the Sioux City Musketeers.
followed by a list of hockey experience that does not match 'the real' Chris Chelios' resume.
My Learn to Play Hockey class was taught by all time IHL scoring leader Jock Callander who got his name on the Stanley Cup while playing with the Penguins.
I don't think many of my classmates knew who we was, but I used to work in TV, and covered the Cleveland Lumberjacks when Jock played for them.
As for what to expect? For us it was a "True" beginners class. Almost nobody could skate backwards, nobody could pivot, and everyone stopped to watch if someone managed to elevate a shot off the surface of the ice. Jock fully understood that, and so was a lot easier on us than the subs he got the few times he couldn't make it. But he went through a lot of fundamentals, positions, responsibilities, etc.
We've had several other coaches since for various things who have pushed us a lot harder at the physical aspects of things, but Jock taught us how to think the game.
I'm sure you'll be getting your money's worth, though.
I agree.
In a learn to play class, I really don't know that I would even want an amazing ex-NHL player teaching me. I would probably feel embarrassed and nervous about being so bad that I would focus more on whether or not he was thinking I was a total idiot than actually getting much out of the class.
And if you're just learning to play, I can't imagine that you would even get the real benefit of learning from an NHLer. At an advanced level, sure - but for someone just starting out, what will they be able to teach you that just about any other decent hockey coach couldn't do?
I teach French and I can imagine that if a prizewinning member of the Academie Francaise came to teach my level 1 students, nobody would be happy. The author wouldn't know where to start with such beginners, and they wouldn't appreciate the literary prowess of their teacher anyway.
