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ILLUSTRATION BY Darren Gygi BEH I N D T HE G L A SS 14 // JUNE/JULY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM JASON SIMONSEN Age 48 Topeka, Kan. Jason Simonsen didn't play a lot of hockey as a kid, but it's been a huge part of his life as long as he can remember. Simonsen was around the sport growing up in North Dakota but opted to play other sports such as base- ball and boxing. It wasn't until his neph- ew became interested that hockey became part of his identity. The Level 5 coach travels 100 miles round trip up to four times a week to coach two programs within the Kansas City Saints organization. While his teams are some of the most successful in the area, Simonsen focuses on developing them as people as much as he does as players. "At the end of the day, it goes back to my medical stuff and what I told myself at 14 years old," said Simonsen, who has lived with hydrocephalus, a condition of water on the brain, since 1986. "Live every day to the fullest because you never know if it will be your last. As a player or a coach, I say 'all in' every shift because you never know if it's going to be your last shift. Enjoy it while you can." Save The Dramas For The Other Mamas Have you ever been part of a team where a vocal minority of disgruntled parents emerges to lead a revolution against the status quo? Can I hear a great big "ugh?" When parental politics makes its way to the forefront, it can suck the fun right out of the season. You win as a team, you lose as a team, and politics can destroy a team. A few years back, we had the unfortu- nate experience of a great divide in a pre- season battle over who should coach our team. Two very good, but stylistically very different, coaches wanted the head spot for the travel team. Rather than stand behind the choice made, a few parents left the organization. There were also a few who found every opportunity to criticize the coach who did get the nod. Lines were drawn. Battles were fought. At times it got nasty. I give credit to the kids. They did everything the coach asked, and never complained. It wasn't about them and they "got it." While we all may have our own ideas as to how to put together line combinations, power play units, dole out ice time, or which systems to run, issues can certainly arise when certain parents start vocalizing these ideas. One way to avoid drama is to know what you're there for. Prior to the season do your homework and ask plen- ty of questions to make sure the coach, the team and the association suit your expectations. When things get heated, perhaps a bit of physical and emotional distancing is in order. That's why you'll often find Syracuse, N.Y., hockey mom Traci McLaughlin in a corner of the rink standing alone with her camera. " I d o n 't e n g a g e ," Mc L a u g h l i n say s. "Getting involved with that stuff can have a negative trickle-down effect for the player and I wouldn't want my behavior to negatively impact his options." Once a parent has the coach's ear, watch out, cautions Syracuse University women's hockey coach Paul Flanagan. "The next step is that parent is per- ceived as making decisions for the team, and that can be an ugly scenario." Gossip and tension are bound to crop up during any hockey season. Just remember it's not the trophies, or win/ loss record that matters. While you may have your opinions of how things should run, what lines should play—or any other thing under the sun— understand the good of the team is what's important. Sometimes it's better to simply distance yourself (we're all getting pretty good at that now) from the angry mob and leave the drama for the other mamas. P COACH OF THE MONTH THE HOCKEY MOM By Christie Casciano Burns When things get heated, perhaps a bit of physical and emotional distancing is in order.