New Chelsea hockey head coach Zachary Willis has changed the way the team functions all-around over the summer season. For the players, it will be a big change in their everyday lives. The arrival of the new head coach is a turning point for the hockey program.
“He takes a very extreme approach on how you train on and off the ice, like off-ice training every day after practice or before, and he obviously pushes us to do the drills correctly and condition us," sophomore Landon Scott said.
Some players think Coach Willis has a more aggressive stance on how he runs this team and pushes his players to get better through tougher training, expecting a more disciplined attitude than in previous years.
“He's very direct, and he is very understanding. If players don't understand something, he will help them out,” Scott said.
Some on the team think this new approach is good for those who need more development. Players agree it seems like players can come to him if they do not understand a drill or have questions about something.
“I think he'll help develop the hockey players very quickly, and it won't be easy, because he's new to the team, but over time, I think we'll get better as a team, and we'll get along with the coach,” sophomore Luke Issle said.
Kids want to understand Coach Willis’s approach to coaching and learn to adapt, even if it might take time to adjust to the new environment for everyone.
“He brings a very passionate energy to the team; he really wants to win," Scott said.
Players believe coach Willis brings a winning energy to the team, which the players seem to appreciate. Many will want to do what they can to make that happen by changing things like practices.
“I think the practices are similar but just a little bit different from what we already understood. The same type of drills, but more advanced,” Issle said.
Players think some things will be changing in the future for Chelsea hockey, and a new coaching system will be implemented to try a different approach. Many players have said it is helping them get better and develop.
“He's definitely helped me be better conditioned and have a better mindset, because of the more complicated drills and off-ice training that we do,” Scott said.
