Chiefs need more than effort

Sun., Sept. 26, 2004

The Spokesman-Review

This past Sunday, following the Spokane Chiefs’ shutout loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds the previous evening at Eagles Ice-A-Rena, The Spokesman-Review printed that the one thing Chiefs coach Al Conroy did like from his team was its – and it is his mantra – effort, effort, effort. Conroy himself was quoted as saying, “I thought the effort was good.”

In postgame interviews last season, the Chiefs, to a man – players, coaches, the general manager – all toed the company line by focusing exclusively on effort, or more specifically, the sufficiency or insufficiency of it. But as we spectators bore witness to, watching the team play with effort alone was akin to watching a fire drill – lots of activity, often frantic, with very little in the way of results to show for it.

Make no mistake, while achieving results in hockey takes effort (heart) in maximum amounts, it must also take the application of skills (body), i.e. , the ability to put the puck in the net or keep it out, and smarts (mind), i.e., discipline and awareness – in a system that emphasizes and utilizes not just one but all three elements.

A team with a system that incorporates strategy and technique within practice and game plans – along with effort – will not only develop success for its players, but players for its success, as best exemplified last season by the Everett Silvertips. The first-year expansion team under coach Kevin Constantine showed little early on. As the year progressed, however, so did the players within Constantine’s system. The results carried the team deep into the playoffs (including dispatching the Chiefs in the first round, in resounding fashion) before being ousted by another system-playing team, the eventual Memorial Cup champion Kelowna Rockets.

If the Chiefs continue this season to focus on effort, and effort alone, we fans are in for a repeat of last season – another finish low in the standings, another record well below .500, and another quick exit from postseason play.

Oh, by the way, I would like nothing better than to be proven wrong.

Al Pierce

Spokane

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Chiefs need more than effort

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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