When you think “hockey” and “success”, the first thing you probably think of is winning. Most of the female hockey players, coaches and parents you know probably think the same way. I know I used to. But now that I am a coach, I have changed my mind.

I consider myself very fortunate to have the opportunity to train, coach and hopefully inspire young female hockey players each and every day. It’s easy to get caught up in thinking that your off-ice training program is successful because your players got stronger, faster and fitter. It’s easy to think that your season has been a success when you end up with more wins than losses. Both of these outcomes are great, but they are not what I used to gauge whether I have been successful as a coach.

I judge my success as a coach by how many players I affect in a positive way. Whether that’s through off-ice training, coaching them on the ice, speaking to them at tournaments or helping them out on-line, I know I have been successful when I receive a letter like this from one of my players.

“A role model means to me a person that you want to be just like when you grow up. It’s a person that you look up to and you want to follow in their footsteps. Coach Kim is my role model.”

This is part of a letter I received last week from a 10 year-old girls hockey player that I have trained off the ice, uses my training program and who attended a seminar I did for her team.

Words cannot express how much this meant to me as a coach.

This is WHY I do what I do every day.

This is my definition of girls hockey success.

What’s yours?

How do you define your hockey success?

Share your story below.

Work Hard. Dream BIG.

~ Coach Kim

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