Coach Life 2.0
Coach Life 2.0
CoachLife2.0
Words of Wisdom from Wally Kozak
1 hour 9 minutes Posted Jul 20, 2021 at 1:43 pm.
How he got involved in coaching
Why the season his team went 0-7 was his best coaching experience ever
Why coaching?
Challenges early in his coaching career
How his coaching philosophy has evolved with time
His transition from the men’s to the women’s game.
Challenges that coaches face later in their careers
Coaching at the university level
The danger of shortening the bench
Thoughts on the Toronto Maple Leafs
What he valued most about his experience at the Olympics
Impactful mentors that he has had on his coaching journey
Mission statement exercise that he runs as every clinic
His experience designing a body checking manual
Work-life balance & self-care
Advice that he would give himself as a first year coach
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Show notes
This week’s episode features Wally Kozak. Wally is known as one of the best technical hockey coaches in the world. A retired teacher and life-long coach, he has worked at every level of hockey and has contributed to Hockey Canada’s certification programs with age appropriate curriculum for teaching foundational skills.
Wally was a defensive skills coach with the Canadian men’s hockey team at the 1988 Olympics. He has coached in 3 Spengler Cups and at 2 Olympics, capturing a gold medal with the Canadian women’s hockey team as an assistant coach in 2002.
He has also served as head scout and manager of player development for Team Canada Women’s Hockey.
Wally is an advocate of the development of life skills through sport, and has dedicated his life to serving “the good of the game.”
In 2018, Wally was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame.
Wally has mentored hundreds of coaches and players over the years, and his passion for coaching and wealth of knowledge is undeniable.
In our conversation, we cover a variety of topics, including:
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