NATIONAL COACH SPOTLIGHT - HURON PERTH LAKERS HEAD COACH CHAD SMALLEY
Friday, August 27, 2010 - Submitted by Gene Johnson - Managing Editor
With no regrets, and after coaching for 20 years, the Huron Perth Lakers Midget AAA Major Head Coach Chad Smalley, 38, is retiring following this season to spend more time with his family.
"I have a young family and the only reason why I do it (coach) -- I don't do it for myself, I do it for the kids", and Smally, who has helped coach four players to the NHL. "I get satisfaction out of watching kids develop and move on"
One of those players include Joey Hishon, a center, who was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche 17th overall in the 2010 Entry Draft.
Now before he's through this season, Smalley said he would like to recreate some of that same magic from last year's team.
"We had a good team. We went to the finals. We lost against London (Knights). What made us really good is that we only had 19 players. And out of 19 players, seven never played AAA before," said Smalley, who has coached the Lakers for four years.
"Seven kids that have never played AAA before and we go to the finals against London and lose -- that's pretty good. They (London) probably had five or six drafted players on the team.
And this year's Lakers team looks like they're well on their way to similar feats.
"We're returning three 17 year olds. They know the league. They're a bit more mature, a bit stronger. They can act like role models, " he said. "the Midget Leauge is always tough because you're always waiting for the all the kids going to Junior B camps, and OHL camps -- so you're waiting for them to filter down. The problem that we have in our area is that we have so many Junior C and Junior D teams. They should play AAA and get some ice time. "
"I'm pretty loyal. And I just tell the kids how it is. I don't beat around the bush," said Smalley, who has also managed Junior B hockey teams for six years. "I've been taught by good people, basically."
Prior to coaching the Lakers Major Midgets, Smalley was the Assistant Coach with the Stanford Warriors "AA" Major Midgets and was instrumental in assembling a team that went on to win Silver at the OHF Midget Championships & had 3 players drafted OHL teams. He was also a Player Scout for the University of Western Ontario.
"You have to surround yourself with good people", Smalley said. "If you have a good coaching staff, and good managers, you're going to have a good team. I learned from watching the pros, going to hockey clinics and stuff like that."
Some of those people include Greg Barclay, Nick Aroutzidis, Brent Powers and Dave Schlitt. Schlitt spent thirteen seasons as Head Coach at the AA and AAA levels in Waterloo Minor Hockey Association. The last five seasons, Schlitt was Head Coach of the Waterloo Wolves Midget AAA team.
In his stint as Head Coach, Schlitt compiled an overall great record of 184 wins, 83 losses and 25 ties, including an Alliance Hockey play-off championship in 2006-2007 and a trip to the playoff finals in 2004-2005 season.
