Kasie Strong Coach of the Month, Ice Times Magazine

ICE TIMES MAGAZINE COACH OF THE MONTH

CONGRATULATIONS KASIE STRONG-FAIRBARN!

1) Name: Kasie Strong Fairbarn

2) Team, association and level you coach: Texas Attack 14U Girls’ Team

3) Number of years coaching: 3 years

4) Why you coach: I started coaching because I wanted to continue to stay involved with hockey once I graduated from college and wasn’t playing anymore. I coach to help our younger generation learn the life skills needed to succeed as young adults and into adulthood. I’ve been lucky enough to have had people in my life teach me those skills and I feel that I can positively contribute to the lives of my players. I also love coaching youth hockey because it helps balance me. No matter how hectic my day at work is, at night I get to come to the rink and be one of the kids and have a blast teaching the best game on Earth.

5) Coaching philosophy: You can never spend enough time on your skating! It’s one of the most fundamental parts of the game but can often be overlooked, especially as you get older. 6) Favorite drill: With the ages I coach, I have to keep practice fun.I like to disguise some competitive drills as fun games. My girls love this and instantly begin working harder when it becomes a game instead of a drill. One game that I often use is simple yet gets the whole team involved. Bring the nets up to the blue line, one net on each blue line facing each other with goalies in the nets. Split the team in half with each group on opposite blue lines. On the whistle, both sides will start at the same time with two players per side going at once (2 on 0). The players will need to skate around their teams net and then head towards the opposing teams net trying to score. Once they score, they skate around their net and back into line. This relay race can be done in pairs or as singles. Try it at your next practice and don’t forget, the losing team does sprints or pushups!

7) Most memorable coaching moment: Working with a group of energetic and talkative young ladies leaves me with many memorable moments, but to date, the most memorable was actually a few months ago when my team went to Windsor, Ontario to play in the Rose City Girls’ Tournament.

8) Coach you admire the most: Hands down, it would have to be my mom, Joyce Strong. She started playing hockey in her forties and now, is a level 5 USA hockey coach who coaches my brothers Kip and Kam in Groton, Massachusetts. My mom is such a wonderful example of how it’s never too late to start playing, to start coaching, or rather, just start something new. She is a single mother of five, a small business owner, a breast cancer survivor and now a hockey coach. She inspires me everyday and I often share her story in hopes that it will help inspire others to take chances and try something new.

9) One thing you would change about youth hockey: I would like to change the perception that I think some people have about young kids needing to play hockey year round. Yes, at some point it might be necessary to commit to one sport, but for kids especially under the age of 12, I think it is extremely beneficial to try other sports or activities.