THE VAULT: ANATOMY OF A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM Everybody feels like they are a contender at training camp.

Sometimes optimism can get the best of us before the hard dose of reality can set in. When it comes to winners and losers, every league has a set of favorites before the first puck is dropped. Most of the time we see the winners simply reload and the losers fall into the same holes season after season.

There is one common denominator within the heart of just about every championship team; confidence and unconditional faith in the system. It takes more than just talented players and just about any mega-rich guy can spend his money on hired guns to be a competitor. In most cases, it is the team that did not take the shortcuts that gets to raise the cup.

Foundation- There are good owners and there are great owners. The guys that provide a great foundation for a coach to work with are the same guys that get to kiss the hardware.

Support- The team needs an iron clad support staff and diehard supporters that will go down with the ship if needed.

Coaching- The right guy can make all the difference. Championship caliber coaches are made at championship winning programs. Talking about winning and having the experience to actually do it are two entirely different animals. The coach needs to have confidence in the players he brought to the table and be able to actually coach them through the developmental process. He also has to be the final say on which players stay and which players have to go.

Chemistry- It only takes a single floater in the punch bowl to keep everyone from drinking the Kool-Ade. Coaches need to select guys that are going to fit into the system and get along with the rest of the group. The programs that create a family atmosphere often experience a high degree of success.

Leadership- From the guy signing the checks, to the coaches and to the team captains, the leaders of the team are always going to be the most important component of a champion.

Confidence- This cannot be taught or bought. It has to be installed at the first day of training camp and reiterated all along the way with practice, patience, and execution. A champion goes the distance expecting to win.

Late into the 1990-1991 season, the Anchorage Aces formed a team to compete at USA Hockey’s National Championships and managed to win the hardware. In 1992 and 1993, the team worked itself into both finals, only to come up short. In 1994, everything was in place for the club’s second championship. 1995 saw the third 2nd place finish. During these years, I learned the hard realities when it came to the differences between being a champion or just a contender.

In 1995-96, I skipped out on the Aces move to pro hockey to help jump start a new junior program in Alaska. Because the closest junior teams were in Seattle or British Columbia, we played an entire season against the strongest adult men’s teams that Alaska had to offer.

We begged USA Hockey’s Dave Tyler to allow us to enter the “B” tournament, but he would have none of it and forced us into the “C” and Independent division. He can’t say we did not warn him.

Our team headed to Pittsburgh with tremendous confidence and a roster full of guys with “A” level experience. We leveled the competition and cruised to an easy championship. Our club was one of National Championship won by Anchorage teams that season. Joining us was the Girls 19U Alaska Firebirds and the Alaska All-Stars (featuring some guy named Scotty Gomez). 

Today, every player on that team can reach back to that season for an easy smile. I am still very proud of that group, a perfect mix of leadership, talent, and confidence.

As an advisor, I try to steer our clients into programs with championship level developmental opportunities. When all the pieces come together and we get see our clients celebrating on-ice success, a smile comes to our faces with a flood of memories. 

There is an old saying that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. I have a better one. A few us old dogs can teach the younger ones all kinds of new tricks.

That's just hockey and It's more than just a game.