Foremost of all values is to learn a sense of fair play. Become humble in victory, gracious in defeat. Foster friendship with teammates and opponents alike. Good sportmen may hate to lose, however, they do not make excuses they accept the final score and vow to work harder giving more effort on the rink next game while learning from their losses. Poor sportmen, on the other hand, will make excuses for why they lost, place blame elsewhere and never learn from their losses.

Integrity

Seek to foster honesty and fair play beyond mere strict interpretation of the rules and regulations of the game. Never cheat yourself or another to seek an advantage over the competition.

Respect for the individual

Treat all others as you expect to be treated. You must respect yourself before respecting others.

Pursuit of excellence

You should seek to perform each aspect of the game to the highest level of his or her ability. The key in determining the outcome of an event (game) is often dictated by the amount of effort (heart or passion) one is willing to put forth.

Teamwork

We value the strength of learning to play together. The use of teamwork is reinforced and rewarded by success in the hockey experience. No one individual can accomplish more than a team. Hockey is a team sport. We need players who can pass the puck, who can score, who can defend against the opponent's scoring opportunity and we need a player that can stop the puck when it is shot. We need a team to be successfully!

Enjoyment

It is important for the hockey experience to be fun, satisfying and rewarding for all participants. If it is not fun why play? We as parents need to assist our kids with this philosophy. As parents, not as coaches, I think these six things should be said to each of our kids if we want their best effort and results:

Before the Game:

I love you.

Good luck.

Have fun.

After the Game:

I love you.

It was great to see you play.

What would you like to eat?