Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/95789
line change ADVICE FOR PARENTS, REFS AND COACHES CALLING ALL DOUBLE-GOAL COACHES Liberty Mutual Insurance and the Positive Coaching Alliance know that coaches are the backbone of youth hockey. Their sacrifices, dedication and caring are important cogs in ensuring that kids have fun, learn important life skills and develop their own passion for the game. That's why they are looking to Hockey For The Holidays balancing act of school events, holiday parties, family gatherings, practices, games and tournaments. It can be as stressful as protecting a one-goal lead in a playoff game. The holidays are a lot like hockey in another way: W Winning efforts come to those who plan. So here are a few tips from my life and the lives of my hockey friends. Having a visual game plan can be one of the best ways to keep the family a little more sane and organized during the holidays. I use a dry erase calendar to keep my home team in line. Place it in the kitchen or the family room. That way your family can see what's coming up, when to say no, and how to work together to tackle the many tasks of the season. Mark down work, school, games, family commitments, schedule holiday shopping, baking and even gift wrapping. You can count on conflicts in the schedule so setting up a car pool might be the next best thing to Santa's sleigh. Parents are always willing to pitch in and help shuttle the kids to their destinations. Make sure you return the favor. Make your list, check it twice and as my hockey mom friend Caroline Stanistreet suggests, do the mom and dad timeshare. One parent goes to the games and the other stays home to clean or cook. As long as you are both there for the championship game, your kids will understand. I admire Skaneateles, N.Y., hockey mom Shannon Proud, too, for always finding unique gifts at shops near the rinks. Her kids get their practice, and she painlessly whittles down the holiday wish list. Online shopping on the phone or iPad during intermissions can give you that home-team advantage, too. Lose the guilt, and cheat. Go ahead and cut corners during this crazy season. If the holiday tournament calls for parents to supply food, pick up a couple of pizzas or buy one of those family sized frozen macaroni and cheese dinners. Doctor it up with a little seasoning and toss it in a Crock-Pot. You'll satisfy a hungry crowd and save time and money for the team. A lot of planning and a little compromising can go a long way and help you keep the "Ho ho ho" in the holiday. 10 reward outstanding coaches with the PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance. PCA and Liberty Mutual Insurance Proper Planning May Be The Biggest Present You Can Give Yourself By CHRISTIE CASCIANO BURNS hat words come to mind when you think of the holidays? Peace, love and joy? Or travel, tournaments and stress? Hockey families execute a delicate annually honor 20 youth and high school sports coaches who embody the ideals of the Double-Goal Coach, striving to win, while also pursuing the second, more-important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. As part of its criteria of a Double- Goal Coach, the organization redefines "Winner" through the ELM Tree of Mastery (Effort, Learning and Mistakes are OK). Rather than a strict scoreboard orientation, a Double-Goal coach teaches players that a "winner" gives maximum effort, continues to learn and improve and is not stopped by mistakes or fear of mistakes. All coaches, parents, athletes, friends, family members or fans can nominate as many coaches as they wish prior to the Dec. 31 deadline. The award includes $250, a trophy and recognition in PCA's website, newsletters and media campaigns, as well as on ResponsibleSports.com. Q&A: DAN SCHACHTE After a 30-year career as an NHL linesman, Dan Schachte has traded in his stripes for a pinstriped suit in his new role as the officiating coordinator for Hockey East. The Madison, Wis., native worked 2,009 regular- season games in the NHL dating back to 1982, which ranks first all-time among American-born NHL officials. Schachte recently talked about his transition from the NHL ice to the collegiate ranks. How did you know it was time to hang up your NHL whistle? My body was telling me it was time. As your career goes along you get older and a little wiser, but physically it becomes harder. The older and wiser you are the more you learn to compensate for your physical shortcomings. In the end, honestly, there was nothing left in the tank. I couldn't have done one more minute. I got every ounce that I could get out of my body, and it was absolutely the right time to leave. DECEMBER.2012 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM Why has it been so important for you to give back to the game as much as you have? The game has done a lot for me. Everything that I have is because of the game and because of the [NHL] and USA Hockey. It wouldn't be right to take all of that for 30 years and not give anything back. The other reason is that I really enjoy doing it. Every time you suggest something or give a young official something to work on, they go right out and they try it. That makes it all worthwhile, seeing the way they're improving. The entire interview with Dan Schachte is available on iTunes as part of the USA Hockey Magazine podcast series. What's the biggest adjustment you've had to make from NHL linesman to administrator? It's night and day. When you're on the ice for all those years your whole day is preparing for that two hours and 30 minutes that you're at work and you can't have any distractions. In this job things move much slower but the focus is entirely different. It's all about making sure that all of your guys are ready … giving them the objective that we're working toward, staying on standard, helping with positioning, just helping with anything that I can. It's just a totally different way of life from where I came from over the last 30 years. PHOTOS BY USA Hockey Magazine Archives; Getty Images