U18BB Coach's Letter-Snider

John Snider U18BB 2026-2027

Hi Everyone,

My name is John Snider and I’m excited to have the privilege to be the head coach for the KGHA U18BB program for the 2026-27 season.  I’ve been fortunate to have been involved with KGHA (and KMHA) for quite a while now in various capacities from head coach to on-ice help and almost all levels from Jr. Fun to U18 covering close to 30 different teams.  I have learned a lot over the years and hope to be able to bring that experience to the team this coming year.

My Coaching/Team Philosophy

My goals for next year are to build a team/environment with the following characteristics:

• Players, coaches, parents with positive, supportive and inclusive attitudes and approaches and that are respectful of all aspects of the game (teammates, officials, opponents).
• Players that are passionate about the game, love coming to the rink and are interested in learning new things and getting better.
• Hard working and determined with a relentless compete level.
• Speed and intelligence - team approach will be based on speed with and without the puck and a strong understanding of systems and team play with an ability to adjust and adapt.

With players now somewhere in their last three yeas of minor hockey I want a great environment above all else with lots of positivity, smiles and laughter and just some really good memories.  Team success obviously helps with that and will be a big part of the plan.

Commitment 

You should expect approximately four hockey commitments per week throughout the regular season consisting of both on and off-ice sessions.  Please expect that any day of the week could have a team-related function. These will be shared as early as they are available so that conflicts can be avoided. I’m conscious at a U18 level that life can be quite busy and there will be some understanding, during exam times for example, where attendance may not be possible, however a high commitment level is essential to be able to understand systems play at a competitive level and more importantly be respectful to the team and teammates.

Tryouts and Evaluations

Tryouts can be a very stressful time for players and families, and I can tell you it is by far my least favorite part of the season.  My commitment is to run as fair a process as possible. Evaluators will all have a strong hockey background with no affiliation/connection to the group being evaluated.  Players will be evaluated based on game play situations with criteria linked to the team philosophy areas I outlined above.  In addition, I will have been in touch with previous coaches to understand background and reputational considerations.

Tryout registration and details can be found here: https://kgha.ca/content/registration-information

The tryout schedule can be found here: https://kgha.ca/content/2026-2027---u11---u18--tryout-schedule

Season Schedule and Fees

The team will tentatively plan to attend four or five tournaments next year, two or three of which will be away tournaments.  This does not include Provincials which will be our goal to attend. 

Budget and season details will be worked out with the players and parent group once the team is formed.

All the best with the remainder of your current seasons and we’ll see you around the rinks.

Thanks,

John