Feedback better than push-ups, Quebec minor hockey coaches say

Encouragement is more effective thanphysical discipline when it comes to getting results from young hockey players, say minor-league coaches in Quebec.

They are critical of aLac St-Louis coach, LouisIsabella,who ordered his team of 11 and 12-year-old players to do more than 50push-ups following a loss. Isabellawas suspended by theHockey Lac St-Louisdisciplinary committee.

"I find that positive reinforcement gets much better results thanpunish-oriented events like push-ups or skating or anything else in that nature," David Benamron, a AA peewee coach for the Lakeshore Panthers, told CBC Montreal's Daybreak.

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Michael Stinziani, a trainer at Evolution Ice Hockey School in Dorval, said that when he was a young adulthis coaches used push-ups as motivation, not as a punishment.

Coaches have to be tough but fair, he added.

"Some teams if you're a little bit sterner on them, that may work," he said. "But some teams you have to be softer and communicating. That may helpthe team achieve their goal."

A second chance?

As a player, Benamron says he was often forced to skate laps but that isn't the kind of coaching style heuses. Instead, he emulates his favourite coaches by communicating with players and talking with them off the ice.

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"We try to emphasize a lot of the things they do rightand correct the things they do wrong but without punishment," he said.

Stinzianisays thesuspension might be a bit long, but that Isabellacould learn from the incident.

"I do think he does deserve a second chance following the suspension," he said."It's a lesson and I think if he comes back after May that he can move on from this."

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