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16 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012 Novice Hornets getting a little help from their friends By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR For the past four months, Lauren Droog couldn't wait to get back on the ice. Last October, the 17-year-old Loyola student was involved in a car accident that left her with a broken thumb, a sprained wrist, a sprained ankle, ligament damage in her ankle, whiplash and a concussion. Her hockey season with her Oakville Hornets team was effectively over, after just two games. Last weekend, Droog returned to the ice for the first time since her accident, finally receiving clearance from her physiotherapist to resume skating. But Droog's return to the ice wasn't to play for a Hornets team. It was to coach one. Not that the car accident was preventing Droog from coaching the Red Rockets, a novice house league team of seven- and eight-year-old girls, all season. In fact, she hasn't missed a single practice. "I've been there for all of them," said Droog, who was assisted at practices by her father Adrian. "I did the practice plans, set up all the drills. The only thing I couldn't do was skate." But all along, even days after the car accident, Droog didn't want to miss anything to do with her young team. "The girls are so fantastic. They're so great," said Droog. "I love my girls." Several teams coached by high school students Droog is one of two high school students serving as head coaches of Hornets novice house league teams this season. Alyson Schwichtenberg is the other, deciding to take over the White Blizzard this year after hearing the Hornets program needed coaches. The 17-year-old Abbey Park student didn't have any prior coaching experience herself, but she didn't have to turn far for help. "My dad (Kerry) was my head coach for six years," she said, "so I jumped into it and became a head coach. If I ever had any questions, I asked him." Both Droog and Schwichtenberg have teenage assistants as well. Droog is aided by fellow Loyola students Stefanie Rasquin, Corey Simmons and Kevin Zielinski, while Schwichtenberg has the help of White Oaks students Ryan Hong and Evan Kwan. And while the Orange Flames, another team in the Hornets novice house league, technically have an adult head coach in Brent Christensen, teenAlyson agers Haley Thomson, Samantha Schwichtenberg Wilson, Kristina Sitas, Melaine Whalen and Katey Teekasingh are often calling the shots behind the bench. "I had really awesome coaches when I was playing for the Hornets," the 16-year-old Sitas, a Loyola student, said when asked about her motivation to coach. "I wanted to give back, and I wanted (young players) to want to come back." Having high school students coach house league squads is an initiative that the Hornets introduced a few years ago. This, however, is the first season that the local girls hockey MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER HAVING FUN?: Loyola student Stefanie Rasquin (left) welcomes Red Rockets player Sam Ecclestone off the ice during Oakville Hornets girls' hockey house league action Sunday at Joshua's Creek Arenas. Rasquin is one of many local teens who are helping coach Hornets house league teams this year. association has had teenagers serve as head coaches. "One of the things the Hornets organization tries to do is develop young girls into well-rounded ladies," said Steve Landryi, who convenes the Hornets novice house league. Many of the timekeepers and referees in the Hornets house league system also play, or have played, for the Hornets. Coaching seemed like the next logical step, Landryi said. "We had no reservations. We know the girls, and the girls that typically volunteer for this are girls who volunteer for a lot of things," said Landryi. "They're really responsible kids." Parents have been supportive The commitment to attend as many games and practices as possible is one thing. Being responsible for the hockey development, and occasionally the behaviour, of young girls is another. But the biggest source of apprehension for several high school student coaches might have been how to deal with parents who might not respect the teens' decisionmaking abilities, particularly if the team wasn't winning. "I was so nervous. When I was making calls to teams when we did our draft, I told people I was 17 so they wouldn't be surprised when they saw three teenage coaches," Schwichtenberg said. Droog wished she had done the same. "I called all the parents initially, said `My name's Lauren and I'll be your daughter's coach,' but I kind of left out the age part," she said. "When we all showed up and (parents) saw there would be four teenagers coaching their daughter's team, there was a little bit of shock." Thomson could relate. "At first it was a bit intimidating, all the parents expecting their girls to learn something new," said the 18-year-old Abbey Park student. But dealing with parents hasn't been an issue at all for the teenage coaches. "The parents have been awesome. Sometimes, especially in January when we had exams, we've gotten busy, and they've helped us out," Schwichtenberg said. "We had a rough start to the season. I think we were 0-5, and the worst part was we lost every game by one goal. But we (coaches) were probably more concerned about that than the parents were." Droog said it didn't take long to earn the respect of parents, either. "Once we explained that we are 17 but that we're really mature for our age and we really want to be here, they kind of got on board," she said. "Now a lot of parents just love the idea." Jackie Chafe and Kim Williams, two women with daughters who play for the Orange Flames, say they were never concerned about having high school students coach their girls. In fact, they embraced the notion. "I thought it was great, right from the beginning," said Chafe. "My daughter just thinks the world of the girls who help out. They're fantastic role models... They make it so much fun for (the players). I think it's a win for both the kids See Youngsters, page 18