Volume 3, Issue  9 - May, 2003  

 "From the Right Wing…"

 

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Anaheim
MIGHTY DUCKS

#21

Dan Bylsma’s Newsletter --- A Feature of West Michigan Hockey Camp, Inc.

www.danbylsma.com

 The Ducks are now in the finals!!!  

For a printer friendly version - click here                                                                                                                                            

     

              

This month's issue contains:

 DAN'S TIP OF THE MONTH   THIS MONTH'S QUESTION   TRUST FUND AUCTION   TIPS FROM HOCKEY CAMP 

 DAN'S HONOR ROLL  COACH'S TIP   THE SAYING OF THE MONTH   DAN TRIP IN THE NHL   DAN & JAY'S BOOKS 

  A WAY TO SUBSCRIBE

 
DAN'S WORD THIS MONTH FOR PLAYERS AND FANS is...

GO DUCKS!!!

 

The Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

I thought winning the Western Conference Championship would be something very special, that we would be ecstatic and celebrate into the night.  We were and we did, but not because we won this trophy and that the 2002-2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim would be listed on it forever as a Western Conference Champion... but because winning it meant we would be playing for the Stanley Cup. 

If you saw game four of the series against the Wild, and you saw the presentation of the Campbell Bowl (it's a cup they call a bowl for obvious reasons), you saw that Paul Kariya didn't lift it up above his head and skate it around the rink.  He didn't even touch it.  He got close enough to be polite - to be respectful, but that's as close as he or anyone on the team got to it.  That's because as nice as the trophy is, and for as nice as it is to win it, that's not what we play the game for.  We play the game to win the Stanley Cup.  And that's the goal, that's the focus, that's what we will be breathing, eating, sleeping, dreaming for the next few weeks.

My father and I thought it would be nice if you could share in some of the experiences.  So you are invited to ask questions about what it's like to be living the dream I had since I was a little kid skating on my backyard ice rink doing show-down against my brother Greg to win the Stanley Cup.

So send your questions to questions@danbylsma.com and include the words "Hockey Question" in subject line so we don't confuse your question with a spam for another mortgage or credit card or...

We'll try to answer as many as we can.

Dan Bylsma

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MY CHARITABLE TRUST FUND...

There is an auction this month.  It will be an autographed Jean-Sebastien Giguere game used goalie stick - one used in the Stanley Cup Finals.  How hot is that?  The bidding will start at $100 and be in $10 minimums. The winner will pay for shipping from Grand Haven, MI and will get the stick after the series ends and I get home to Grand Haven.  The bidding will end at 9:p.m. EST on June 7th.

All proceeds will go to my Trust Fund or to IT PAYS (your choice) - either are 501 (c)(3) charities for which you may claim a deduction on your US tax return for the amount over and above the value of a used goalie stick.

Kids, you must have permission from your parents to bid.  Better yet, let your parents bid for you. 

And please, no dealers.

To go to the auction click here.

 
NOTES FROM MY HOCKEY CAMP...

A reminder that we will be having a high school session of our hockey camp.   It will be a mini-camp held from 7-9 p.m. on August 5, 6, and 7 at the Standard Federal Ice Center on Paterson Avenue in Grand Rapids, MI.  The cost will be $175.  It will be a chance for you to have your skating analyzed and to review your technique.  You can sign up on the web site.

 As I've said before, everyone can improve on their skating, and that includes many of the players in the NHL.  That's why NHL teams hire skating instructors (they do - believe it or not).  When your fundamentals are not correct you waste energy, are not as maneuverable, are not as fast, are easier to check, and your muscles work inefficiently (you tire faster).  I can't make you skate like Paul Kariya in three days, but you can make great strides (Get it? Great strides).

                 

Dan Bylsma

DAN’S HONOR ROLL 

I think your academic progress is so very important that I have an academic Honor Roll; I don't have an honor roll for hat tricks and shutouts.  I hope each of you are diligent in your studies and can either raise your GPA by one point, or can attain a 3.5 GPA and be listed here.
 

NAME

AGE

GPA

 SCHOOL

 TEAM

STATE

Ross Hinkle

11

3.67

Wayland Middle School

G.R. Grizzlies PeeWee AA

MI*‡

Shannon Kelsey

14

4.0

Estero High School

Pinch a Penny Womens League

FL‡

Lucas Kelsey

13

3.57

Three Oaks Middle School

Jr. Everblades Bantam A

FL

Cliff Jones

13

3.86

Spring Lake Middle School

Muskegon Chiefs Bantam B3

MI*‡

Marshall Jones

11

4.0

Spring Lake Intermediate

Lakeshore House - Bonners

MI*‡

Brad Christiansen

 11 3.83 White Pines Middle School Norton Shores (Vers. Fab) PeeWee

MI*‡

Winston Jones

9

3.9

Holmes Elementary School

Shoreline Rec League Squirt

MI*‡

Brandan Ryfiak

11

3.8

N. Rockford Middle School

Rockford PeeWee

MI*‡!

Marshall Jones

11

4.0

Spring Lake Intermediate

Lakeshore House - Bonners

MI*‡

Ryan Christiansen

 8 TR Peach Plains Elementary G. H. Plastics Mite In-line

MI‡

Jeremy Hopersberger

 11 4.0 Laingsberg Middle School Lansing Capitals PeeWee A

MI*‡

Andrew Frank

8

3.67

Eagle Lake Elementary

Irish Rover Mite A

MI

Paul Engman

 12 3.72 E. Rockford Middle School Rockford PeeWee

MI*‡

Aaron Alkema

 8 4.0 Kettle Lake Elementary Capital Centre Pride Mite AA

MI*‡

Matt Rosenthal

11

3.75

Chapparel  Elementary

Calababas Flyers PeeWee

CA*‡

Ryan Corgan

 14 4.0 North Muskegon Middle Muskegon Chiefs Bantam B1

MI*‡

Josh Corgan

 10 4.0 North Muskegon Elementary Muskegon Chiefs Squirt AA

MI*‡

Caleb Weiler

 9 3.87 Calvary Christian Academy Hatfield Ice Dogs Squirt B

PA

Harrison Huls

 9

3.87

Blaisdale Montessori School

Ajax Knights A Minor Atoms

ONT

Sammie Baker

10

4.0

Fr. Marquette Middle School

Marquette LitiGators Girls 11 Under

MI*

Josh Weinstein

 10 4.0+ A.P. Terhune Elementary Ice House Avalanche Squirt AA

NJ‡
Kris Johnson 10 4..0 St. Stevens Lutheran Lakeland Squirt Spitfires MI*

Bennett Schneider

13

3.78

Canterbury School

Jr. Everblades Bantam AA

FL

Madison Schneider

9

4.0

Canterbury School

Teco Squirt House

FL

Colton Ritchie

9

4.0

Schola Maxima

Red Wings Squirt House

AL

Dakota Abramowicz

11

4.0

Jane Addams Middle School

Royal Oak Eagles PeeWee A

MI

Matt Weinstein

 12 4.0 Schyler Middle School Ice House Avalanche PeeWee AA

NJ‡

Ben Grace

 9 3.63 Raisinville Ellmentary Monroe Ice Hawks Squirt B

MI*

Jonathan Koslop

 11 4.0 Bonita Middle School Sunrise Ice Sharks Black

FL‡

Andrew Lawrence

11 3.9 Quinton Township School Delaware Jr. Blue Hens PeeWee A

DE‡

David Lawrence

 13 4.0 Quinton Township School Delaware Jr. Blue Hens Bantam AA

DE‡

Reid Munroe

 10 4.0 N. Muskegon Elementary Muskegon Chiefs Squirt AA

MI

Ben Bodman

 13 3.93 Mason Middle School Lansing Senator Bantam B

MI*

Mark Hazel

 13 3.9 Pinewood Middle School W. Michigan Bantam A

MI‡

Tyler Spiering

 12 3.9 Sylvan Christian School EGRAHA Bantam B

MI*‡!

Matt Slowinski

 11 3.79 Tawas City Elementary GSAHA TBF Graphic Blues PeeWee

MI

Bobby Pease

 11 3.92 Austin Prep Valley Jr. Warriors PeeWee AAA

MA

Mitch Hughes

 10 3.9 Stoneybrooke Christian Anaheim Jr. Ducks Squirt A

CA

Marty Jensen

 13 3.75 Anderson Middle School Omaha Bantam B3 - Reds

NE

James Sheff

 10 4.0 Island City Academy Anaheim Jr. Ducks Squirt A

MI*‡

Alex Toppin

 9 3.85 Miliam Upper Elementary Tupelo T-Rex Squirts

MS*‡

Drew Toppin

 12 3.9 Miliam Upper Elementary Tupelo T-Rex PeeWee

MS

Joe Adams

 11 4.0 St. Paul's Lutheran JR. Mighty Ducks PeeWee AA

CA‡

Vinny Valentine

 10 4.0 Three Oaks Elementary Jr. Everblades Squirt AA

FL

Blake Ramos

 11 4.0 Chippewa Middle School Lansing Capitals PeeWee A

MI

Sean Wilson

 10 3.8 Pelican Marsh Elementary Jr. Everblades Squirt AA

FL

Andrew Steghuis

 11 3.5OGI Grandville East Elementary Grandville Ice Dawgs PeeWee

MI*‡

Donald Sund

 9 TR Immanuel St. James Luthn GRAHA Squirt A

MI*

Taylor Olson

 9 4.0 Centre City Elementary Hollydell Hurricanes Squirt A

NJ

Ben Suchin

 11 3.7 Running Springs Elementry Hunting Beach SunDevils PeeWee A

CA

Kris Johnson

 11 3.83 St. Stephen Lutheran Lakeland Spitfires Squirt

MI*

Ross Hinkle

 12 3.71 Wayland Middle School G.R. Grizzles Bantam AA

MI*‡

Ian Lane

 9 4.0 Evangelical Christian School Jr. Everblades Squirt AA

FL

Devin Steele Stankevitz

 9 4.0 Glenview Elementary Long Beach Jr. Ice Dogs Squirt BB

CA

Jeremy Dunbar

 12 4.0 Colerain Middle School Cincinnati (GCYHL) PeeWee B

OH

Ryan Reid

 10 4.0 St. Regis School Southfield Warriors Squirt AA

MI

Alex Reid

 11 3.7 St. Regis School Birmingham BBLT PeeWee B

MI

Clayton Reid

 8 4.0 St. Regis School Birmingham Bruins Mite  B

MI

Lauren Jones

 12 4.0 Bloomington Junior High Illinois U12 Girls #1

IL
           
           
           

 

     There's room here for you!    
     

 

 

  

I hope all of you set a goal to make this list.  To qualify you must have a GPA (on a 4.0 scale A= 4.0, A- = 3.75, B+ = 3.25, B= 3.0, etc) of 3.50 or better, an average overall grade improvement (or OGI) of at least one full grade over last year, or a Teacher Recommendation (or TR) which must be Emailed directly to me by your teacher and be based on outstanding achievement in a non-letter graded situation.  When you qualify, Email your name, age, GPA or improvement, school, team, and state to Number21@DanBylsma.com

* Attendees of my hockey camp.  ‡ Indicates repeat offenders. !Wears Number 21

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COACHES AND PARENTS from Jay...  

 I don't think life has been this exciting since... since... I don't know when, if ever.   When the games are on, we're sitting on the edge of our chairs and standing two feet in front of the set during the last two or three minutes of the games and during penalty kills (when a 30 second shift lasts for what seems like hours).   

Strangers stop me at the grocery store, people from our church who are not hockey fans tell me they stayed up until 1:30 a.m. to see the outcome of games, and the minister mentioned the Mighty Ducks and the Stanley Cup in his sermon this past Sunday.  (I thought it might have been more appropriate to mention the Ducks in his prayers).

Yes, we're going out to Anaheim for the games.  Yes, we talk to Dan two or three times a day.  Yes, we talk about little else but the finals - except taking care of the chores around Dan's house that he normally would be home to tend and canceling speaking engagements he thought he would be home to make.

And every other sentence between his Mom and I, and between us and Dan's brothers and sister is, "Can you believe it?  Dan is playing in the Stanley Cup Finals!"  And they're all busy making plans to go to Anaheim to see some of the games.

His knee is holding up, his body is sore because with the knee condition he was unable to skate or train himself into game shape.  But we think he's playing the best hockey of his life, and did I mention how happy we are for him?

And all I ever expected him to be was an accountant.

  Jay M. Bylsma

THIS MONTH'S SAYING TO PUT IN YOUR LOCKER...

 

"It doesn't take any talent to hustle."
 

Pat Summitt - Lady Vols Head Basketball Coach    

 

ONE KID'S TRIP TO THE NHL - current installment...

As you know, I'm back in the lineup - killing penalties and being a part of the energy line.  It's tough playing after almost 4 months off.  I couldn't train hard enough to get into game shape or I would aggravate the knee.  So while the knee is doing okay, my body is sore.  But now after four games, I'm starting to get back into game shape and into the groove of playing regularly.

It was not expected that we would eliminate the Wild in four games.  But Jiggy continues to play very well.  (By the way, not better then we knew he could play.  The media is acting like he's come out of nowhere and is standing on his head.  Jiggy has been outstanding for the last half of the season).  The Wild came into the series by winning with their power play.  They had scored 25% of the time when on the power play, which is outstanding.  But we were able to shut their PP down by forcing the puck, and keeping them on the perimeter, and taking away their passing lanes.  They scored on only one power out of 14 (and that may be one of the stories of the series). 

I would very much like to score the winning goal or even a goal, but if the other team doesn't score on their power play, that's as good as scoring a goal.  And if we can score short-handed (which we did twice), that's a two goal swing in the outcome - the goal they didn't get plus the short-hander we got.

All the guys on the team are playing well.  We're scoring goals - even strength, power play, and short handed.  We're winning face-offs.  We're not giving the opponents very many quality shots.  We're getting the puck out and getting it deep.  It's the Stanley Cup Finals and we're doing the things I've been telling you do to at the PeeWee level.  All those things add up to winning games.

So I'm back playing the role that got me into the NHL in the first place.  And while it's not a role that gets the media around you after the game and microphones in your face while you're just wrapped in a towel with wet hair, it's a role that helps win games - and if you falter, it could cost you the game.  And I love it!

Now we're in the finals.  I need to pinch myself when I'm not at home.  I don't need to pinch myself at home because Bryan, my little son, speaks of little else.  He is, as one of you wrote and sent pictures, the Ultimate Duck fan with his purple hair (this will be the only occasion he will be allowed to have purple hair) and his Bylsma #21 jersey pounding on the glass behind the home goal when we come out for warm-ups. 

It's hard to choke back the emotion when we see him. 

It's hard to choke back all the emotion we feel right now. 

I'm so close to the dream I had back when I was doing showdown against my brother Greg.  All I can think to say is...

GO DUCKS!!!

****

Thanks to all you who send well wishes and congratulatory messages.  There are so many I cannot answer them all, but please know they are appreciated.

 

Dan Bylsma

DAN'S BOOKS

 

So Your Son Wants to Play In The NHL Published in 1998 by Sleeping Bear Press in the US and McClelland & Stewart in Canada. HC $24.95. The story of Dan’s journey from the ice rink in our back yard to the NHL. “This is the best hockey advice since ‘Don’t rile Gordie Howe’”. "This is more than a hockey book. It's a book about life and how to use simple lessons and values for success. …a refreshing straight-ahead approach that makes you feel that you've learned something." LA Times.  Autographed and personalized copies available at www.DanBylsma.com.

So You Want to Play In The NHL Published in November, 2000, by NTC/ Contemporary/McGraw-Hill. Trade paperback—$14.95. Thirty-five questions that aspiring young athletes have and Dan’s and Jay’s alternating answers. Forward by Luc Robitaille. This book won’t help you play the game better, but we think it will help you live the game better. “I am making this book required reading for my team because it confirms everything I have ever said in the locker room and to parents.” Coach John M. You can read a chapter by clicking here.  Autographed and personalized copies available at www.DanBylsma.com.

Pitcher’s Hands is OUT!  Is finally out! (released) and you can get it at on line on the web site or at Barnes & Noble. Published in February by River Road Publications. HC $15.95. A historical novel about what it was like to be a kid living in the Great Depression. It’s a great baseball tale. “…a wonderful story – rich in historical detail, full of excitement, warmth, and humor – a story that readers of all ages will not want to end.” "These father-son authors... made a literary double play." Grand Rapids Press.  You can read a chapter by clicking here.   You can get autographed, personalized copies at www.DanBylsma.com.  And there is a discount if you buy both novels.

Slam Dunks Not Allowed! - another historical novel is here!  This one about basketball and World War II. Many of the same characters you will read about in Pitcher Hands is OUT! – Scooter, Woody, Doolie and Dutchie - are now on the High School basketball team.  "The Bylsma writing team takes a page from the history of basketball and sets it against the backdrop of WWII to create a dramatic, touching and often funny novel."  Published by River Road Publications.  HC $15.95.  You can read part of a chapter from the original manuscript by clicking here.  You can get autographed, personalized copies at www.DanBylsma.com.  And there is a discount if you buy both novels.

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DAN’S ON THE WEB

AT www.DanBylsma.com

WITH SEVERAL NEW PICTURES ON THE PHOTO GALLERY

 

 


If you know of another player or his family who might enjoy Dan’s Newsletter “From the Right Wing…”, feel free to forward the newsletter along. Coaches are welcome to send the names and Email addresses of their entire team - we're happy to sign them all up.

If you are reading the Newsletter because someone passed it along and would like to receive the Newsletter for yourself, Email your first and last name to newsletter@DanBylsma.com.

You are also welcome to reprint articles of the newsletter in your hockey newsletter. See Q&A # 51 on the website for the proper way to do that.

If you have a question you would like to ask Dan or Jay, Email your question to questions@DanBylsma.com. You can see the questions asked and answered on the Q&A page on Dan’s web site unless you ask that the response be confidential.
 
 

DAN’S ORGANIZATION

West Michigan Hockey Camp, Inc.

P.O. Box 917

Grand Haven, MI 49417

Fax: 616-846-0710

Email: Number21@DanBylsma.com

 

 

  

 

“Remember… it takes three things to succeed:
talent, hard work and perseverance.

And the greatest of these is not talent.” J.M.B.
 

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