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A Perfect Season: Strategies To Uplift, Enable and Inspire

by Darryl Belfry

183 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #07-0995; ISBN 1-4251-2849-1; US$19.13, C$22.00, EUR14.92, £9.89

A Perfect Season is a clever and entertaining illustration of practical coaching strategies hidden in a narrative that follows a coach as he overcomes the challenges of a minor hockey season.

About the Book

There is nothing "Minor" about being a coach in minor hockey. The demand on the coach to balance the individual development of every player, the expectations of the parents, the development of the team and the values of the coach can be an overwhelming task.

A Perfect Season is a fictional novel told through the perspective of an average, everyday minor hockey coach, as he relives the situations and lessons that helped him fulfill his coaching purpose. The unique combination of presenting the specific coaching strategies through the narrative of a fictional minor hockey season makes the book an entertaining read as you learn how these strategies can be applied to your own coaching situations.

Every season the success or failure of the coach comes down to a series of interactions with his players. Coaches who aspire to create new levels of performance, commitment and understanding must focus on outcomes that uplift, enable and inspire their individual players and the team collectively. The way coaches manage these teaching moments will either build the bridge to development, or burn it.

At the end of each chapter, coaches are presented with "Coaching Challenges" that encourage them to apply the strategies presented in the book to their own coaching situations.

"Every coach has the choice to be remembered fondly, or to be quickly forgotten, the difference lies in the quality of the relationship built with the student."

Learning the strategies and applying them directly to your coaching situation is your first step to A Perfect Season.

About the Author

Darryl Belfry is a pioneer in hockey development. At 21 he founded www.playmakershockey.com, the Niagara Regions first, and remains the only year-round hockey development company.

His teaching over the last 10 years has been instrumental in the development of many of the Niagara Regions best hockey players including 2003 NHL 3rd Overall, Nathan Horton of the Florida Panthers, Patrick Kane a projected 2007 NHL 1st Rounder and Daniel Girardi of the NY Rangers.

In 2005, Darryl became the first full-time Director of Coach and Player Development in the Alliance for Brantford Minor Hockey and has also been a coach mentor for Wainfleet Minor Hockey and Niagara-on-the-Lake Minor Hockey.

He has been a guest speaker at numerous coaching and hockey development seminars and workshops, including the Canisius College Coaching Symposium and is an Alliance Hockey Coach Facilitator. He is a NCCP certified advanced level coach, worked extensively with the men's team at Brock University and is a former head coach of the St. Catharines Falcons Junior Hockey Club.

Darryl, his wife Ruth and daughter Ella reside in Ridgeway Ontario.

Reviews

"If you are a player, a coach or a parent and have always wondered what "A Perfect Season" truly is then this book is a MUST read. If you are a New Coach or an Experienced Coach and have questioned what you impact to your Team could be then this book is a MUST read."

Carolyn Rollins
Vice President
Region 4 ALLIANCE Hockey

"Coaches of all ages and all levels will find A Perfect Season a very enjoyable read but more importantly they will find it an extremely valuable coaching resource. Even experienced coaches will have to look at their current strategies and make some adjustments, I know I will."

Gary McFarlane
37 year Minor Hockey Coach
ALLIANCE Coach Facilitator

"If you have any passion about coaching this is must read book... After reading this book I can't wait for the coming year to apply the coaching strategies used in this book. These strategies will only help me in coaching, planning, executing, monitoring progress and skills development... This book has inspired me to be a better coach and focus on skills development. Great Book."

Bruno Skubel
Coach Mentor
Niagara-on-the-Lake Minor Hockey