NEWS

Q & A courtesy of Hockey Canada website - www.hockeycanada.ca
(pictured - Wellington Dukes General Manager & Head Coach Marty Abrams, photo credit:  Amy Deroche/OJHL Images)

Why did you want to be involved in the World Junior A Challenge again?

MA: I was involved the first four years and I’m honoured to be involved; it’s a great tournament and I wanted to get back on that stage again. It really just came down to a timing issue for me, my family and the organization I work for here in Wellington, and I’m glad that I was successful in getting the job.

How will your previous World Junior A Challenge experience help you this year?

MA: When you’re putting the pieces together in a short-term event you have to address it a lot differently than the regular season. If you haven’t had a ton of experience with short-term events, then it’s difficult to put together a program in a short period of time. The experience factor allows you to set up your practices and your communications and your video with an experienced frame of mind.

How has the event changed since you were first involved in 2006?

MA: I think the profile of the event has grown. The very first year in Saskatchewan we stayed in three different hotels and played in three or four different arenas. It was a very new event at the time. Now there is a lot more involvement with Hockey Canada and from the National Hockey League, so the profile of the event with the media and the coverage has just gotten bigger and better. Every country that sends a team knows what to expect in terms of the style of play and the competition.

What is the biggest challenge for a coach in a short-term competition?

MA: For us the challenges are usually pre-tournament in the player selection process, and we’ve made some significant changes in the east to help that process. If you get the player selection process right and get the right mix of guys, then usually the rest of it falls in line.

How does being involved with the World Junior A Challenge help you get better as a coach?

MA: That’s just the hidden gem part, isn’t it? You’re going there to lead the team and you have a mandate to win the gold medal, but the spinoff effect is that you become a better coach. You have resources at your fingertips with the other coaches on staff; you get to watch other teams perform and run practice. That’s one of the things I really missed when I stopped doing the Team Canada East and World Junior A Challenge – I felt as a coach my development stalled. 

What does it mean to you to represent your country?

MA: It means everything! Growing up like any other Canadian boy, we all wanted to do it. We all wanted to represent Canada. You just want to be involved. Any time Hockey Canada comes calling and you get a chance to represent your country, I think anybody involved in the sport would jump at the opportunity – it’s a tremendous honour.

How would you describe yourself as a coach?

MA: Very demanding. That’s one thing you have to look at with a short-term event – when to be demanding and when to back off a little bit. I think accountability is a big part of any player’s performance both on and off the ice, and I think everybody that plays for me usually has a real passion for the game. Accountability and being passionate about the game are two of the pillars I’ve instilled both in our players and my coaching philosophy.

Why did you want to become a coach?

MA: To be honest, it wasn’t really planned. I wanted to stay involved in hockey when I stopped playing, and I got involved right away with the OHL in a scouting capacity and did that for many years. I came to Wellington one year to help out because the head coach stepped down in August and here I am 13, 14 years later, still at it. It just kind of happened by accident.

What has been your most memorable moment as a coach?

MA: It goes back to 2003 – I know it seems like a long time ago! We had won the league that year but it was the series before when we beat Wexford in the semifinals because back in those days Wexford was always the team that won the league and there was a big rivalry between us. To see the joy and excitement of the community and our executive because we beat the Wexford Raiders is really something I’ll always remember, perhaps even more than some of the other RBC Cup appearances and things like that. That series definitely stands out in my mind.