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This will be the final thought on this topic for the Archives version of this debate. It remains open here for anyone Registered to still give any thoughts and/or concerns on this topic.

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Okay here is the last post for the "open" forum. Keep in mind that this might get a bit long and seem to be somewhere in left field.

I have a "life" story that in my mind mirrors Dad coaches. I have a family business and have been part of working within it since I was about 11 years old in some fashion. I would often hear how easy I had it and how great it would be. Well this may appear like the life of Reily and maybe in time it in fact can be. It takes years of "make it or break it" to know the true outcome. I worked day to day with my uncle and my cousin, his daughter at one store while my sister worked day to day with my father, years later.

I would often wonder if my friends faced the same criticizing of things done wrong during their day at dinner, breakfast and lunch. I also thought about how full of mistakes and errors my life was obviously headed towards based on the: You're not doing this right and What's wrong with you to not see what's right in front of you. These memories come rushing right back to the front of my mind when I look out onto the ice and hear some of these Dads with the same demeaning tone to their voices. Today as an adult I can actually hear love and concern in my adults ears but the child in me still hears the criticism and feel what some of these kids must be feeling I can imagine.

I believe it's the years of this that created the character and good qualities I have today, along with many issues I think might never be reversed. This is a short version of my "Dad" coach and for the most part I have no regrets outside of a difficult relationship my father and I still share today. I found that, as we all do, that the things our parents always said begin to make sense as we mature and get older.

Here's the flip side of that coin. My cousin on the other hand used and abused the "My Daddy" thing to become a much different person than I. Better or worse? Neither, just different. One of us had the "too hard" on you "coach" while the other had to "too easy" "coach".

So do I believe in Dad coaches? Honestly I don't know but I do know that all of the parents here and everywhere are constantly "coaching" their children and as we all recall, tuning out plenty of what's being said. So as a parent let me ask you..? Do you want to find yourself in a position that may damage the relationship you now share with those children? Is it the child who asks his/her father or mother to coach them or is it the parent making this choice for said children? What harm comes to those children, majority, that are never coached in the game of hockey? Is there a down side to NOT coaching them? Ask yourself the same thing about coaching them.

As for the favoritism that parents think they see in Dad coaches, if not a father coach then there is just another reason parents find for why these children are the chosen one or few. Ever hear it's because that kid is the coaches godparent or best friends kids and so on? I know I have and in situations that never warrant it. Yes sometimes they do, but I wouldn't say it's anywhere near 50/50 from my experience.

I can only imagine what these Dads feel and face in themselves. Am I too hard on our kid, am I too easy, I just don't know honey, each and everyday when the day is over I can only imagine.

As for the assistant coach factor, easy fix. Your kid plays "D" then that dad works the forwards and visa versa.

Just my thoughts...

for your time!

JK-