When Winning Isn't Always Winning

Abstract

When a star player makes the mistake of a lifetime, Coach Joe Romano is left with a decision that will determine the fate of a record-breaking season and whether his childhood dream will ever be accomplished.

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“What’s the move, Joe?” asked Phil, his assistant coach, as the emotional rollercoaster of this story was finally reaching its climax. In the 15 years they had worked together as coaches of Breaking River’s ice hockey team, this is the first time Joe could sense fear in his assistant’s eyes. Any guilt that should have been felt at this point had already been flushed from his mind along with the trust and respect he had for the captain of his hockey team. Although emotions were racing through his mind, Coach Joe Romano knew his decision still had to be made based on facts and logic.

After staring out the window blankly, Joe said, “Well, Phil, I know what I want to do. But I just keep thinking back to six years ago, picking up the Sunday paper on that freezing morning and reading the headline “2 goals and 3 assists: Williams Carries Team to Playoffs.” I was expecting to see this Williams boy playing for one of the powerhouse traveling teams, not a Pee Wee phenom who was only in seventh grade.” Joe continued, “For cryin’ out loud, he had better stats than our entire top line that season! I knew right then, that morning, that a state championship might possible for us if we pushed hard recruiting him and he chose Breaking River to play high school hockey. I still can’t believe we got him on board.”