Do you know your team’s core values?

Joel Martin, Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations of the ECHL's Kalamazoo Wings, asked that very same question on stage at TCS Live 2023. That focused, thinking look you likely just had on your face was wide spread across the audience.

Hockey is about the x’s and o’s and winning games, but hockey also has nothing to do with x’s and o’s and winning games. Martin, currently one of only two black head coaches in North American professional hockey, believes hockey is a microcosm of life and without a team possessing core values, too much importance is placed on goals, points and wins.

Martin is currently in his second season coaching the Wings in a league very much in the middle ground of older players who are looking to extend their professional careers and young players looking to work their way up. That makes the role of an ECHL coach a tough one to manage. Martin believes it starts with direct communication.

"Asking them the question of where do you want to go and how do you need to get there I think is important. I think trying to put guys in situations where they can have the most success is important."

Inspired by mentor Tim Lester, Head Coach of the Western Michigan football team, Martin incorporates daily affirmations into his team's routine as a way to further create a culture of communication.

"It's an opportunity for us to create a positive environment for players, and also to learn about players. They start telling you who their hero is, they affirm a staff member who has been helping them get through an injury. You get to learn who they are and they get to learn about each other as teammates."

Martin takes on the job of getting to know his players very seriously because caring about the human behind the player is paramount to his team’s success, as you’ll learn in this 17-minute TCS Live presentation. Watch as he explains how and why it’s important to define your team’s core values.

Noteworthy Timestamps:

• 01:50 The why and how behind culture
• 04:00 Core value exercise
• 06:15 Growth, Grit and Family
• 10:45 Growth: Collin Saccoman example
• 12:30 Grit: Game examples
• 14:15 Family: Team events