When David Hungerford assembled his coaching staff for this year’s Saratoga Blue Knights squirt division B hockey team, he wanted one that would give his young players as much knowledge as possible.
At the same time, Hungerford wanted coaches the players third and fourth graders could relate to.
So, Hungerford brought in three volunteer assistants ` long-time youth hockey coach Terry O’Brien and two Saratoga Springs High School varsity players, Tyger McGuiggan and Nick Torres.
The result: three generations of hockey helping a fourth generation learn the sport.
`The critical thing to me is that I’ve had volunteers on the ice who are hockey people both young and old,` said the 48-year-old Hungerford, who bridges the age gap between O’Brien and the two high school students.
Hungerford’s idea has worked out well for the squirt division B team. The Blue Knights qualified for this week’s Patriot League playoffs after a solid regular season that also included a second-place finish at the South Bur-lington Tournament.
`It’s been a great year for all of them,` said team manager Linda Pelletier, whose son Thomas is one of the players. `My son has really progressed.`
`They share so much knowledge with the kids,` said Glenn Hobbs, whose son David is the goaltender. `The kids look up to all of them.`
Each assistant plays a specific role. Torres is the big brother to the players, skating with them in drills.
`The big thing I’ve been working with them on is making tape-to-tape, really crisp passes,` said Torres, a senior forward with the high school team.
McGuiggan ` Saratoga’s starting goaltender ` works specifically with Hobbs to teach him everything about the position.
`Playing goalie is very difficult because there’s a very specific school of play, and it’s important to teach young goalies this specific school of play called the ‘butterfly stance,’` said McGuiggan, who finished his sophomore season as Saratoga’s starting netminder. `It was popularized by guys like Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. It’s very easy to teach it, but the goaltender has to be willing to learn it.`
`It’s cool because he’s really experienced, and he teaches me a lot (about goaltending),` said Hobbs.
O’Brien, the elder statesman of the staff, also helps with the drills and offers advice and encouragement to the players on the bench.
`Dave (Hungerford) lights the fire under the kids, and I’m the grandfather who goes over and says to them, ‘You missed that shot. I’ve seen you make that shot before, so try it again,’` said O’Brien.
`He knows a lot about the game,` Torres said of O’Brien. `He comes to a lot of the high school games, too, and comes up and tells us what we’re doing and what we should do.`
Hungerford said he knew what he was getting with O’Brien when he asked him to join his staff.
`Terry’s a personal friend of mine who’s been in hockey forever and ever,` said Hungerford. `I asked him if he’d consider helping with the kids on a part-time basis. He spoke with his wife first and agreed to give it a shot. He’s been an absolute joy ever since.`
`Third and fourth graders, from what I’ve found out, are no different than kids from Saskatoon or Quebec. A 9-year-old is a 9-year-old,` said O’Brien. `They’re just learning the sport.`
What Hungerford didn’t know was how much time Torres and McGuiggan would be able to dedicate to the squirt team, since both of them had obligations to their school’s varsity team.
`Nick (Torres) has been with us when he’s been able to fit it in with his other sports ` the same thing with Tyger (McGuiggan),` he said.
But the two Blue Streaks said fitting the Blue Knights practices into their schedule was no problem.
`School sports practices are over at 5:30 or 6 p.m., and these practices start at 6:30 or 7 p.m. So it was easy for me to get over here in time to help out,` said Torres.
`It’s been a lot of fun,` added McGuiggan. `It’s really good to help these kids, and it brings back a lot of memories of when I was their age.`
The parents are appreciative of the efforts Hungerford’s staff has made with their young players.
`The fact that they want to be with the kids is amazing. Terry (O’Brien) doesn’t have a kid here, and he still comes. Nick (Torres) is wonderful, and of course Dave (Hungerford) is wonderful,` said Pelletier.
`Every time (McGuiggan) has worked with my son, he’s been very patient,` said Glenn Hobbs. `It’s not the big saves ` it’s the little things he does, the repetitive moves he does that helps (Dave) a lot.`
Hungerford won’t be able to keep his coaching staff intact next year, as Torres will be going to Harvard. But all of his assistants said they’d be willing to do it again.
`If you can mentore kids, it’s really one of the best ways to give back to your sport,` said O’Brien. `And I’ll continue to do it as long as I can.“
