When Effort Beats Talent: Lessons from a U10 Tournament Weekend
By Jesse Candela, U10A Head Coach – Hespeler Minor Hockey / Regional Scout, Georgetown Raiders (OJHL)
Our U10A group entered the weekend on a high note — we’d started the season 3–0–1 and were beginning to find an identity built around speed, teamwork, and effort. We were excited to test ourselves in our first big tournament of the year.
Then reality hit early.
We opened against a strong AA opponent and took a 9–0 loss. It was a tough one to swallow. The pace and physicality were a clear step up, and our group looked a bit shell-shocked. But to their credit, the players didn’t fold. They regrouped and battled hard in the next game against the eventual tournament runner-up, losing 4–2 after a late goal. We created plenty of chances, and the compete level was much better — but we ran out of gas late.
Heading into Day 2, we faced a team we should have beaten. On paper, we were deeper, faster, and more skilled. We scored early and took a 1–0 lead, but hockey has a funny way of humbling you. Despite generating plenty of chances, we couldn’t finish — their goalie stood on his head, and we lost 3–2. We were the better team, but the score didn’t reflect it.
Then came the final game — the one that stuck with me the most.
We played a team that, quite frankly, didn’t match our skill level. But they outworked us in every single area — every puck race, every battle, every shift. They handed us a 5–0 loss. And as a coach, that one stung the most.
Walking off the bench, I found myself asking questions that I know every coach has asked at some point:
“Am I doing something wrong?”
“Am I saying the right things?”
“Did I prepare them properly?”
It’s easy to take those moments personally — to internalize the scoreboard as a reflection of our own ability to coach. But after sitting with it, I reminded myself of something we often forget in youth hockey: we’re coaching eight- and nine-year-old kids.
They’re learning how to compete. How to handle emotion. How to respond when things don’t go their way.
I’ve coached U SPORTS football for eight years — a completely different environment, built around execution and accountability. In minor hockey, it’s about learning to love the game through both success and frustration.
The 5–0 loss reminded me that progress isn’t linear. Sometimes a tough weekend teaches more than a winning streak ever could.
Our job as coaches at this level isn’t to protect kids from adversity — it’s to guide them through it. To help them find the small wins, to stay resilient, and to show up ready to compete no matter the opponent or the score.
That’s what real development looks like.
Three Takeaways for Coaches
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Effort beats talent when talent doesn’t work. Skill gets you started, but work ethic wins games.
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Self-reflection matters. Questioning yourself isn’t weakness — it’s growth.
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Keep perspective. At U10, it’s not about perfection. It’s about passion, progress, and planting the right habits early.
