Great idea for a thread.
I have been coaching minor hockey for 8 years now on both with both my son and daughter. Started out as an assistant and ended up being asked to head coach my daughter's bantam team when they didn't have anyone else (I had volunteered to assist again). I absolutely loved doing that although I was nervous as hell at the start. I've been HC three seasons now and hope to coach her one more time in her final year of midget.
I've learned a ton about the game, about coaching, about others, and about myself over these years. Best advice I could give is to learn everything you can from others, there's no humility in that. Borrow ideas, steal drills, talk shop, don't do it all by yourself. I've had the good fortune to have assisted some really good coaches and the misfortune to have worked with some not so good ones. From that I have hopefully learned the good habits and learned what not to do.
You're always learning as a coach and every year has it's challenges. But it is also extremely rewarding.
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