Phoenix Jr. Coyotes Elite
Unassuming Gustin as steady as they come S
By Brett Fera
eth Gustin’s new coach isn’t afraid to admit it: He barely notices the 5-foot-11, 175-pound defenseman out on the ice for the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes Elite program’s 18U
team.
Talk about the ultimate compliment. No, re- ally - it is.
“Especially at this level, one of the best things a coach can say about a defenseman is, ‘Jeez, I really didn’t even notice you,’” explained Nick Naumenko, the first-year head coach of the Jr. Coyotes Elite 18U team. “At the end of the game, if you know a kid played a lot of minutes and you actually didn’t notice him, to say that he played steady and reliable is very important.” Added Gustin: “As a defenseman, yeah, you want to get to the puck and make that big break- out pass, but first and foremost you want to make the smart, simple plays.
“If I can do that - be steady and try to keep the puck out of our net and do all that good stuff - that’s a big part of me doing my job.” In many other sporting scenarios, the words “steady” and “reliable” might be considered the kiss of death. It can mean a player isn’t interest- ing - not exciting enough to draw attention. It could also mean they’re middling - not great, but
not bad.
Not so in the hockey world, Naumenko notes. In this game, at that position - defense - “steady” and “reliable” is anything but bor- ing; it’s a godsend, and Gustin is hardly “just there” when it comes to shoring up the Jr. Coyotes’ blue line.
“Seth was given a fresh start when I arrived, and I’d say he’s made the most of it,” said Nau- menko, who took over the pro- gram after the season started. “I didn’t take any background on any of these players when I took over - zero whatsoever, a blank canvas - and Seth has played himself into a very impor- tant role on this team.” At the same time, Gustin, a Phoenix native, knows the reality of the situation. He’s not going to blow up the scoreboard; with just two assists through the Jr. Coyotes’ first 27 games, that’s just not his job.
“I don’t have a problem not
nize his unassuming attributes. “Obviously, everyone loves scoring goals and getting assists, but you also want to make the right decisions (on the ice) to help the team win.”
Like any good defensive- minded player, Gustin said he gets just as much of a rush from seeing zeroes on the scoreboard as his upfront teammates do from lighting the lamp.
Seth Gustin has quietly become a val- ued asset on the Jr. Coyotes Elite 18U team’s blue line. Photo/Dave Getz/
A-ZPhoto.com
being the leading goal-scorer as long as we’re win- ning, as long as we’re steady,” Gustin said, adding that he hopes junior and college programs recog-
JrCoyotesElite.com
CAHA SPRING 3x3 So what’s next? CAHA
On The Hor i zon! The holidays have come and gone and the second half of the hockey season is in full swing.
Spring 3x3 at the Ice Den! CAHA 3x3 differs from most spring programs because our skaters never leave the ice - literally (no player benches are used).
Once your three-minute game shift is up, you head directly to our center-ice “Skillz Zone” to work on passing, shooting, skating and take part in small games. Players can enjoy a puck on their stick for up to 45 minutes in a one-hour session!
Last year, this fast-paced 3x3 league was completely sold out in ev- ery division, so come out and work on your game!
CAHA 3x3 is also the only program in the Southwest to use regula- tion-height dasher board/rink dividers, creating two cross-ice game rinks and the popular “Skillz Zone.”
Players become faster, quicker and more creative with the puck. Learn to see the ice better, be more decisive and make faster deci- sions - that’s what the game of hockey is all about!
The 3x3 spring league concludes with an exciting all-team Jamboree, which is turning into a much-anticipated event!
The league runs from April 9-June 10. Detailed information and registration will be available in the coming weeks at
CoyotesIce.com or by calling (480) 473-5843.
10 magazine Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association
Hockey, CAHA a way of life for Radke
By Shane Dale T
ony Radke doesn’t have a hockey-playing back- ground, but his kids certainly spearheaded a passion
for the sport in his heart. Along with being the head coach of the Phoenix Jr. Coy-
otes’ Pee Wee AA squad and an assistant with their Bantam AA team, Radke assists with the Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association’s (CAHA) instructional program, which is the next step for kids who aspire to play hockey following its learn-to-skate program. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s great working with the kids,” said Radke, who moved
to Phoenix from Chicago with his family 30 years ago. “There are a wide variety of ages in the program, and it’s nice to see those kids coming through and go on to play in the leagues.” Radke garnered an interest in coaching hockey after his son joined CAHA years
ago. “I was interested in being an assistant coach on my son’s team when he was a
Mite, and that’s when I first met (travel hockey directorMike De Angelis) and just fell in love with coaching.” Radke, whom De Angelis calls a “tireless worker,” has since seen hockey become
a way of life. “I also have a daughter who plays in a house league at CAHA,” he said. “Hock-
ey’s really a family experience for us.” And the development he oversees in the instructional program, not to mention
his Pee Wee and Bantam squads, has made all of Radke’s time and energy worth- while. “I approach the season not from a standpoint of wins and losses and banners, but one of preparing the kids to play at higher levels if they choose to,” he said.
CoyotesIce.com
“For me, anyway, I get just as much of a thrill when I can shut down an opposing player on a 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 rush, or on a penalty kill,” he said. Naumenko, who patrolled the blue line at the University of North Dakota from 1992-96 before embarking on a lengthy pro career, said having players like Gustin - those who know where they’re supposed to be, what they’re supposed to do, and never fail to listen - have helped his own adjustment to coaching at this level.
“He’s extremely coachable - that can’t be stressed enough,” Naumenko said. “He’s like a sponge; when you speak, he takes it all in.”
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