Team Bonding: The Winning Ingredient for Successful Teams

After scouting 14 spring and summer showcases across the USA from Boston to LA, from Pittsburgh to Denver, from Indianapolis to Grand Rapids, from Chicago to Las Vegas, and after showcasing and touring with 7 summer showcase teams in New England, the Eels have finally selected their players for their two USPHL teams. Specifically, the Eels have 25 returning players and 25 new recruits. What a task of intergrading these guys who come from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington State, California, Oregon, and yes Florida.  Moreover, we have our Euro players from Spain, Austria, Russia and Switzerland.

The task now is to bring these boys together and make two cohesive teams out of these highly skilled individuals. The Eels brought the guys in for 3 weeks of training camp and had 2 inter-squad scrimmages and 2 games vs. ACHA Div. 3 colleges. The training has been intense.  We were very selective during our recruitment process says GM Scarpaci. He sees that he is very pleased with the fruits of his efforts: these guys are extremely dedicated, determined, with tremendous compete level.

 Today, we took matters a little light and created true team bonding. Many teams miss the boat on this one. Player development and training camp is not all about hell and grueling boot camp. To the contrary, the Eels have gone to the beach, a swimming pool barbeques and kayak racing at Coach Frank’s house. These times are the intangible that bring the boys together. The boys had a great day to relax and unwind after 14 days of intense training. They got to fool around, get to know one another and learn where each comes from and bond as one.  Competitors all the way, Coach Frank said. They competed just at hard on the kayaks as they did on the ice. They competed in water volleyball and ring toss. This is what makes playing for the Eels organization so special. When the guys are finished with ice practice or daily workouts, they do not just leave. That distance you see so often in the pros. Not here in the Eels. They hang around as a team whether it is for a late lunch or helping the youth hockey players, or enjoying some needed down time.

Some teams have a lot of talent and skill but never realize their full potential and often ask why? Because they don ‘t get it. Hockey is played as a team and so much is needed in “team” then passing scoring and on ice practices. You need to work together, rely on your teammates and want to win, as much for you as for the other guys on the ice, This is not something you are taught. It comes from within. Team bonding is so underrated.  The Eels live by this brotherhood.

These boys learn what true camaraderie is all about and the concept of whom you would want in the proverbial “Fox Hole”