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In episode 287 of the Glass and Out Podcast, Head Coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds Derek Laxdal stops by.
His coaching career has seen him climb from the now defunct Western Professional Hockey League to the Central Hockey League, the East Coast Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, the American League and finally, to the show.
During that time he's successfully navigated the ebbs and flows of his coaching journey with his trademark optimism and enthusiam.
Today Laxdal is the Head Coach of the AHL affiliate to the Seattle Kraken. No different than any other team he’s coached, he has the ‘Birds in contention as they make their way towards another playoff run.
Listen as he shares why the skill of defending is lacking in today's young player, how to change the narritive after a tough loss, and how to stay optimistic through the challenges of a coaching career.
Video Timestamps:
- 0:00 Golfing/Living in Palm Springs
- 6:00 Collaborating with a new staff
- 11:00 Communication with new players
- 14:50 Common missing habits for young players/improving defending
- 17:30 Creating a hard practice
- 19:50 Junior hockey career
- 24:05 Playing for John Brophy
- 30:40 Catching the coaching bug
- 37:35 Wife's support
- 40:40 Last year's OHL conference finals
- 45:00 Coaching in Wichita/Showing players you care
- 51:30 Coaching the Edmonton Oil Kings/Greatest coaching moment
- 53:20 Getting buy-in
- 59:45 Shifting the focus after a loss
- 1:01:30 2012 Memorial Cup lessons
- 1:04:50 2014 Memorial Cup
- 1:09:00 Experience in taking risks/Teams getting better in second half
- 1:12:45 Coaching influences
- 1:15:45 The bubble
- 1:20:20 Creating a family culture
- 1:23:35 The power of Optimism
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