February 10, 2012
Posted in BC Edition, Development
Ryan Huska is in the midst of his fifth season as the head coach of the Kelowna Rockets. In the 2008/09 season, he led the Rockets to a WHL Championship and was an assistant coach on the 2004 Memorial Cup Championship team. Huska has also been an assistant coach on Canada’s past two World Junior Teams, winning a silver and bronze medal respectively.
Q: You recently returned from your second stint as an assistant coach with Canada’s World Junior Team. How has this opportunity helped you develop as a coach?
A: For one month it’s 24/7 with the same group of players and four coaches. Each coach brings his own experiences and degrees of success. It’s a great opportunity to swap and share ideas. Also, the short-term competition is an aspect that is challenging.
Q: It seems like the Kelowna Rockets have been a factory for NHL defencemen since the late ‘90s. What do you credit to the organization’s success in developing elite rearguards?
A: First off, Lorne Frey (Kelowna Rockets Assistant GM & Director of player personal) has done a great job of finding elite defencemen. The players themselves have also had an elite drive to succeed. It’s easy to coach guys who want to get better.
Q: During your time as a coach in the WHL, what stands-out to you in regards to the players who move on to successful pro careers? How do you instill those same traits or characteristics in your current players?
A: That’s a tough one. The guys that move on love the game. Some players play the game because they feel they have too. We try and instill in our players that they have to be self-driven with a goal in mind.
Q: Despite having one of the youngest teams in the league, many analysts picked the Rockets to finish first in the B.C. Division. As the coach, how do feel the team has performed this season and how do you manage those outside expectations with a talented yet less experienced line-up?
A: So far, this season has been inconsistent. It’s been a real up and down year in terms of our work ethic. As far as expectations, players have to play for each other. Sometimes young players can overreact to outside comments. The only focus should be to play for the room.
Aaron Wilbur is the Managing Director of the Coaches Site. Check out the Coaches Site online at www.thecoachessite.com or follow him on Twitter (@thecoachessite) for the latest coaching news.
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