U18A Coach's Letter

Dear potential U18A players and parents,

My name is T.J. Connolly and I am excited for this opportunity to coach the U18A team for the upcoming 2026-2027 hockey season. I have had the privilege of coaching minor hockey, in various capacities, for over a decade on both the girls and boys side from Initiation Program (IP) to U18 and very much look forward to the upcoming year.

My coaching philosophy:

As a coach, I strive to create a positive environment and team culture where players are empowered to work hard, are accountable to one another, feel accepted and encouraged to stretch their abilities while they develop as hockey players on the ice and as positive role-models and leaders off. Principles that guide this development are respect, discipline, effort, teamwork and positive attitude.

The high-level vision for player and team development this upcoming season will consist of both on-ice and off-ice activities. Practices will be designed to be high tempo with a focus on individual and team tactical skills and systems. Practices will also be designed to continue refine skating skills; speed, acceleration, agility, power and endurance to benefit all positions. In depth team systems will be introduced in a progressive manner over the course of the season to maximize individual and team performance.

As we all know by now, it takes a small village to ensure a fun and successful hockey season for all players and families. Once the team selections have been made I will be looking for parents to be get involved in a variety of roles to help support the team throughout the season. Bench staff will also be determined once the team is selected.

Commitment

The team is expected to have 3-4 mandatory team commitments per week with a potential mix of on ice, off ice and team building sessions. You can expect a fluctuation between days of the week throughout the season. The expectation is that all players will be fully committed to bringing a positive attitude, strong work ethic and a desire to compete to all team activities.

It should be expected hockey supersedes other sports & activities, with exceptions made for family, school and exceptional priorities. We will post the schedule as early as possible to avoid potential conflicts.

For playdowns & playoffs no call ups are allowed so please keep this in mind when booking family holidays in Feb & March. Blackout dates, as applicable, will be communicated in advance.

Season and Tournaments schedule

Our season will consist of approximately 22 regular season games, playoffs and playdowns.

We will also hope to compete in 4 tournaments with a potential for an additional one depending on team performance during the season (Provincials). We will be looking at identifying the tournaments over the summer with the possibility of 2-3 away tournaments. "

Team Fees 

Team fees are expected to be around $2,500 depending on tournaments selected, planned commitments and making Provincials. These fees are in addition to registration fees. The final team budget will be determined closer to the beginning of the season; they will be distributed and discussed at the first parents’ meeting. Offsetting fees through sponsorship and/or fundraising is a possibility.

Tryout outs for U18A

The evaluators will be looking for a combination of abilities from players this year that demonstrate an effective balance of skill, hockey knowledge, effort, team play and positive attitude. Wishing all participants a great end to your current season and I look forward to seeing everyone at the rink for try-outs in late April.

As per KGHA policy feedback will only be given for the players in the final release and will be given, if requested, by the VP of Competitive. vpcompetitive@kgha.ca If you have any questions you may also contact me directly at tj_connolly@yahoo.com.

I look forward to having a successful, fun and rewarding season.

Good luck to everyone.

All the best,

T.J.