Volume 3, Issue 8 - April, 2003

 "From the Right Wing…"

ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS  #21

Dan Bylsma’s Newsletter --- A Feature of West Michigan Hockey Camp, Inc.

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TThis month's issue contains:

 DAN'S TIP OF THE MONTH   THIS MONTH'S QUESTION   TRUST FUND AUCTION   TIPS FROM HOCKEY CAMP   DAN'S HONOR ROLL

  COACH'S TIP   THE SAYING OF THE MONTH   DAN TRIP IN THE NHL   DAN & JAY'S BOOKS   A WAY TO SUBSCRIBE

DAN'S TIP OF THE MONTH FOR PLAYERS

As you know, the Duckies are surprising some people by their success in the playoffs.  If you read the papers, particularly the Michigan papers, and listened to the experts, particularly the experts residing in Michigan, you heard that the Duckies were thought to be little more than a warm-up exercise for the Red Wings who were on there way to their rightful Stanley Cup championship repeat. The Ducks, it seemed, hardly had the credentials to be on the same ice as the vaunted Wings.

There were articles that told the Red Wing faithful that Curtis Joseph, who was bought by Detroit for the purpose of assuring another Cup, was more than able to de-feather the toothless Ducks.  Experts extolled the virtues of a team loaded with future Hall of Famers whose very presence on the ice assured victory.  And the Ducks lack of playoff hockey experience was certain to make them easy prey for the destined Wings. 

To be candid, while we thought we had a pretty good chance to be competitive, none of us on the Ducks believed we would sweep them.  But Jiggy (a relative unknown east of the Mississippi) played better than Cujo.  Our Hall of Famers (and we have our share of them) played better than their Hall of Famers and our no-name players played as if they had recognizable names. Now you know why we actually play these games instead of letting the experts and the newspaper writers choose for us.

I think there is a lesson in this for you - regardless of your age.  Don't listen to those who would belittle your chances for success - at hockey or anything else you want to achieve.  You have more to say about your destiny than your coach, your G.M., your league officials, the man who writes stories in your local paper, or anyone else who says that you're not good enough, that you won't make it, or that you're a loser.  The experts in your world are even less knowledgeable than the experts you see on TV or the writers in the newspapers.  And now we know how wrong even the expert experts can be. 

If the Ducks had listened to their naysayers, we could have come into Detroit with our wings clipped and been easy prey for the Wings.  But we believed in ourselves, in the goals we had set, and we were successful.  I encourage you to believe in yourself, not in those people around you who belittle you, your abilities, or your goals.

Proving the "experts" wrong can make for some very good feelings inside, as I've found out a time or two.  I hope you can have the same feelings. 

P.S. Does anyone know if there is any truth to the rumor that's circulating around California that they are considering renaming Detroit from Hockeytown to Shockeytown?

THIS MONTH'S BEST QUESTION ON THE WEB SITE…

Jay M. Bylsma

MY CHARITABLE TRUST FUND...

There is no auction this month...

DAN'S TIP OF THE MONTH   THIS MONTH'S QUESTION   TRUST FUND AUCTION   TIPS FROM HOCKEY CAMP   DAN'S HONOR ROLL

  COACH'S TIP   THE SAYING OF THE MONTH   DAN TRIP IN THE NHL   DAN & JAY'S BOOKS   A WAY TO SUBSCRIBE

NOTES FROM MY HOCKEY CAMP...

Many of you have expressed disappointment that we discontinued the high school session of our hockey camp.  This year, one father approached us with enough ammunition to persuade us to reconsider; so there will be a high school session this summer.  It will be a mini-camp held from 7-9 p.m. on August 5, 6, and 7 at the Standard Federal Ice Center on Paterson Avenue in Grand Rapids, MI.  The cost will be $175.  It will be a chance for you to have your skating analyzed and to review your technique.  You can sign up on the web site.

 As I've said before, everyone can improve on their skating, and that includes many of the players in the NHL.  That's why NHL teams hire skating instructors (they do - believe it or not).  When your fundamentals are not correct you waste energy, are not as maneuverable, are not as fast, are easier to check, and your muscles work inefficiently (you tire faster).  I can't make you skate like Paul Kariya in three days, but you can make great strides (Get it? Great strides).

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We were sorry to receive the sad news that several players who were coming from Japan (including Yuka Nojima and Shohei Itami who attended last year) cannot come this year due to scheduling conflicts.  If you were considering coming to the Travel Skills section of the camp, there are now a few openings.  

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From time to time we are alerted to training devices that may have value.  We've told you about the Frappier Acceleration program and various web sites that contain helpful information.  Recently we've learned of a man who has re-invented the chair.  Before you laugh, many of you learned to skate by pushing a chair around for balance, then with another person on it to learn to push off.  Well, a man from Canada has re-invented the chair, made it adjustable, weight bearing, (this is not your father's rocker) and it doesn't cost as much as a folding chair.  We're told it's getting high marks from skating instructors and we're considering buying one for our hockey school.  You can check it out at www.perfectskater.com.  And tell Mr. Dumont that Dan sent you.