Welcome Pee Wee 2004 Maple Leafs,  

My name is Greg Era and I am the head coach of the Summer 2004 Pee Wee Maple Leafs along with assistant coach Joe Gillis. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of you to the Maple Leafs ice hockey team. Joe and I have had competing inline hockey travel and club teams over the past few years but we share many of the foundation values for creating good hockey players and teams. We both emphasize and expect team play and game control. 

I am a Level 3 USA Ice Hockey certified coach and have developed rink champion house teams in both the mite and squirt divisions and competitive teams in the pee wee division. I have coached at this facility since Fall 2000 and was an assistant coach of the 2003 Squirt B Polar Bears. I also have coached AA inline hockey for the past 4 years with Team Excalibur. I currently coach Team Excalibur at the 12 AA, 10AA, 10 A, 8 A, and Women's age divisions. Joe has coached 14u, 12u, and 10u club and rec. inline teams and is currently the head coach of the Castle Warriors which is a 12 A inline hockey travel team playing out of the same club as Team Excalibur. Joe and I are both fans and students of the game.

Get ready to build a solid team. Everyone on our roster was chosen for some team play they displayed either during evaluations or in the previous season. In the early weeks we will build/strengthen individual skating and puck handling skills.  As soon as we are confident that all players have the basic skills down, we will turn to team strategies. All team development drills will employ individual skills along with game knowledge. We will continue to emphasize team play throughout the season. Team development will be geared for the playoffs. Although Joe and I are very competitive and would prefer to win all of our games, we would rather players try to do the right thing and fail (and learn from it) during the season than do the wrong thing and succeed. Successes are not always measured by goals scored, final scores, or games won/loss. There is a lot of hockey classroom work being taught in the locker room so be prepared to learn.

Here are the Codes of Conduct for this team.

Coach’s Code of Conduct

The coaching staff’s primary concern is that your child has fun, plays good hockey, and develops team and individual skills along with general knowledge of the game in a safe and positive environment.

We will develop players in set positions and adjust as necessary to allow both the player and the team to be successful.

We strive for equal ice time but recognize that we are not perfect.

Player’s Code of Conduct

Work hard, have fun, develop team and individual skills, and learn the complete game of ice hockey.

Practice ice time is valuable. Focus will be on skill development in preparation for game situations. It is important that you attend each practice and practice hard/fast, the way you would play during a game. Be dressed in the locker room at least 15 minutes prior to every practice and game. 15 minutes before every practice there will be hockey class and a practice brief. 15 minutes before every game there will be a brief of the game to be played (competitor highlights, positions to be played, strategies to be used). 15 minutes after every game will be a debrief of the game, discussions of what went right and what needs to change, and how it all fits within our team strategies..

Players are expected to display good sportsmanship on and off the ice.  This means that all members of the team will treat all players and coaches of any team, as well as referees, with respect (on and off the ice).   

Parent’s Code of Conduct 

Support your player’s game play and development along with the other players on the team. Everyone can have an ‘off day’ or the ‘game of a lifetime’.   Supporting their development includes their attendance at practices. While we hope that each player will be able to attend every practice and every game, we realize that this is not always possible.  In those instances please inform the coaching staff. 

Recognize the varying age and skill levels on the team and realize that all are developing together at different levels and at different rates. 

Contact the Coach or Asst Coach with any issues, compliments, and concerns before contacting Polar Ice Staff. If we don’t hear from you directly, we are not aware there is a problem. 

• The Maple Leafs team home page can be found at http://www.az-hockey.com
• Desert Schools Coyotes Center (DSCC) official league schedules and stats can be found at http://www.sportability.com/spx/Leagues/League.asp?LgID=6001

Thank you, and enjoy the season.

Coach Greg Era

Asst Coach Joe Gillis