After going 0–8 in our first two tournaments this season, we came into Barrie searching for answers. We’d been practicing well, competing harder, and trying to build the right habits, but it hadn’t translated yet. What happened this weekend felt like the moment things finally started to come together.

Game 1 didn’t go the way we wanted. The kids came out flat. Before Game 2, they were laughing, not listening, not focused, and I could feel the same pattern returning. So we sat down as a group before warmup, and I got animated. I told them that wanting to win can’t just come from the coaches. They have to want every battle, every footrace, every loose puck. They need to decide it matters. And they responded with three goals in the first period. That was the turning point.

From there, something clicked. Their confidence grew as they realized what happens when they play with purpose. They forechecked, they competed, they passed, and they earned three wins in a row. Suddenly we were in the semifinal — a spot we hadn’t been in all season.

In that semifinal, they didn’t play scared. We jumped out to a 4–1 lead, the other team pushed back hard, and it came down to the last 12 seconds with a one-goal lead. We won two massive faceoffs to seal it. That was a sign of a team learning how to handle pressure, not avoiding it.

The final was tough. We came up against a more skilled team, and the truth is we were out of gas. We stopped moving our feet and lost the habits that got us there. The bounces we’d been getting earlier didn’t go our way. We could have won, but we just didn’t have anything left in the tank. We finished second with a 4–2 record, 18 goals for, 17 against, and a stat line that showed exactly how hard we battled.

After the game, the room said everything. It was silent except for the sound of kids crying. They were heartbroken, but in the best way possible — not because they quit, but because for the first time all year, they truly cared about the result. As a coach, that silence told me more than anything else: they took pride in the journey. They wanted it. They weren’t okay with just being there.

What stood out the most this weekend was our will. Top to bottom, every player competed, stayed relentless, and finally started trusting each other with the puck. Our practices showed up. The buy-in was real. And after winning the semifinal, walking back to the room, I felt something I hadn’t felt yet this season — that what we’ve been teaching is working. They’re starting to believe.

The parents saw it. The players felt it. The room grew tighter. This group took a real step, not just on the scoreboard but in identity. Now the goal is to bring that same mindset into our league games. If we do, the results will follow. This weekend wasn’t the end — it was the beginning.

About the Author

Jesse Candela is a regional scout in the OJHL, the head coach of a U10 Rep A team, and a contributor to The Coaches Site. He shares real experiences from behind the bench to help other coaches grow, learn, and stay connected to the game.