Food For Thought – Don LaRosa (We all play for Canada)

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“Well the power pasta sauce is…. So I started making it for the family and then from there, made it for the hockey players, during our hockey season, when the kids were 9 years old. It’s one of those memories that is individual and unique to yourself. It’s my contribution. My side of the coaching has always been, as a leader, teaching the kids more about life skills and the important things, you know the fair play and playing as a team.”

Jonathan: “ The one thing that is so great about the game of hockey across our country is it gives kids the opportunity to do that, to meet friends and to learn different life lessons as far as what it’s like to play in a big game and commit yourself to something that is more important than just yourself.

Don: “This is something I wrote just before our championship game: ‘As coaches, we want to let you know that we are very proud of your accomplishments this year. As we get ready for this game today, I ask you to think about the following – how much fun have you had this year; how many friends, new friends have you made; how hard have you worked and what have you accomplished. We are united, we are one and we are committed to a common goal. We are a team.”

Jonathan: “Its maybe those things that kind of seep into your subconscious as a kid and when you have influences like that, people like Donny saying those things to a young group of kids, you would think for a lot of them it would go right over their heads but I think after everything else is said and done, the success aside, I would say that’s probably one of the best things we got from playing hockey, being so committed to if for so many years.”

Don: “…you are the best players coaches could ever ask for. In our eyes, you are already champions. Play with what’s inside and the championship will be yours.’ Ya, it’s, you know, its from the heart.

Jonathan: “ Donny is a pretty amazing guy, he would put all that ahead of winning a championship game. Some coaches out there might not, so we are lucky to have guys like him.”

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