The following is a Q and A with Dan Fontas, coach of the U13 Premier team.
Q: Where is your team in the standings? How are they doing?
A: We are currently sitting in third place of our division. The top four teams are pretty comparable so it makes for some good hockey. I really like the way we are competing recently.
Q: What are their strengths/weaknesses as a team?
A: I think as a whole we have lacked consistency at times but it seems to have gotten much better the past few weeks. This past weekend was one of our most consistent weekends of play in recent times, so that is a positive as we hit the home stretch of our season. I think one of our strengths is the passion that our players have for each other. They are starting to develop the want to win and they see the importance of everyone being a factor in our success.
Q: What has been your favorite in game moment so far this season?
A: I have a pretty short memory, so that is tough but I would have to say that when we first played the New England Hurricanes. We had a tough time beating them last year and this year we were able to come over our defeats from last year and beat them 3-1 in the first match up this season. It really shows me how far our team has come. We have learned how to be able to win close games, where we have not done a great job of that in the past. We currently are 2-2 with them this season and look like we will match up with them in the first round of playoffs. We have developed a nice little rivalry.
Q: What has been your favorite off ice moment?
A: Our Lake Placid Tournament. It was just a great experience for all of our players and families. The kids were really excited to be there and play in the Olympic facilities. I was just happy that I could be apart of that with them.
Q: What is your favorite part of coaching this team?
A: The relationships that I have developed with the players. I have been coaching most of these boys for 3 and 4 years so watching them develop as a hockey player and a person is real rewarding to me. I have been a coach for a long while now and when you see a former player that you coached 10 years ago and still have a connection with that player, its pretty cool. I know that I will have that with these kids too.
