Page 22 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 53

22 April 2017 Issue #53 www.sportsenergynews.com

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presents

BEHIND THE BENCH

Special Edition

Getting to Know Matthew Lapierre, Coach of Sweden’s Kungälv

IK U-14 Team

By Molly Kett Lapierre is looking forward to the upcoming town I grew up in,” says Lapierre.
exhibition game. “What I am looking forward In terms of Lapierre’s coaching philosophies,
atthew Lapierre will be coaching Sweden’s to the most, for this game, is being able to come he says his team members would describe him as
MKungälv team when they face Cornwall’s back to Cornwall and play against the team “tough, but fair.”
Seaway Valley Rapids Minor Bantam AA Team I grew up playing for. When I was part of the
in the exhibition game to be played this April minor Bantam Rapids team in 2010/2011, we had “I believe that when the boys are at the U14 age
14th. Lapierre is a 20-year-old originally from the opportunity to host a team from Kungälv that group (Minor Bantam), you must push them to be
Cornwall, who has been living, working in the season. To have the chance, this year, to be a part their best, every time they are on the ice. I always
small city of Kungälv Sweden for nearly two of the experience from the Swedish team’s point preach to my players that you must practice as
years. He just began coaching the team for the of view is going to be really special for me. I am you want to play,” says Lapierre. “Although I
2015/2016 year. really looking forward to bringing my team from think it is important to push the boys to be their
Kungälv to Cornwall and to introduce them to the best, I also believe it is equally important to make
“My athletic history is pretty much like any sure that they have fun when they come down to
the arena every day. If the players enjoy hockey
Brought to you by Scores and enjoy being at the arena, they will be much
Athlete of the Month more open to listening to coaching. On top of
that, if they enjoy playing, it also means they will
continue to develop and play hockey for many
years.”
Wyatt Thompson In terms of the upcoming game, Lapierre hopes
the boys will enjoy the experience of playing
Hometown: Long Sault other typical Canadian; hockey, hockey, and more hockey in Canada, as for many it will be a once
hockey. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to in a lifetime experience. But he’s also hoping to
Age: 8 play many years of high-level hockey, with the come out with a win. “Nothing would make me
Wyatt Thompson is an active majority of my career spent playing for the Seaway happier than to beat the Rapids. I would love to
young athlete. The Grade 3 Valley Rapids,” says Lapierre. “As I got older and beat the team I grew up playing for, with the team
entered high school, I really tried to get involved I now currently coach,” says Lapierre.
student at Akwesasne Mohawk in playing as many school sports as I could. This
coaching
Lapierre’s
memory
favourite
School participates in hockey, included mainly basketball, volleyball, and high actually comes from his time coaching this year’s

soccer, flag football, and lacrosse. school hockey. Unfortunately, due to the fact that team in Sweden at a tournament in Växjo.
many of the sports coincided with each other, I
He hopes to play in the NHL one was forced to stick to mostly just playing hockey. “It was the first time I got to go away to a
day and score a goal on Carey I played until I was 17, and then quit playing tournament with a team I was head coach for,
Price. While there have already when I started attending University of Ottawa. and it was a great weekend,” says Lapierre. “The
That is when I began coaching.” best part of the tournament was the heart the boys
been so many fond memories in showed in the ‘playoff round’ on the final day.
Lapierre began coaching with the Kungälv
sports for Thompson, he calls winning the gold medal at the Little team part time for the 2015/2016 season and has We needed to win our last game to finish second
in the tournament, and we were down 2-1 with
Native Hockey League Championship Tournament in Mississauga, taken on a larger role this season. He has also only a couple of minutes left to play. We called
in March, as his favourite so far. signed on to coach the U16 team next year. a timeout and really challenged the boys not to
Delivery Available “Since I moved halfway across the world and quit, and to fight hard to win the game. After the
I was completely new to the area, being a part of timeout, we scored 2 goals in about 30 seconds
ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT the local hockey community was a great way for and won the game 3-2. Although it was nice to
SOUP, SALAD AND FRUIT BAR me to get to know more people. After thoroughly win the silver medals, the real win for me was
enjoying my year of helping out the team for the seeing how happy and relieved our players were
2015/2016 season, I decided I wanted to take a to win that game. As a coach, seeing the boys
bigger role in the club for the next season. That fight extremely hard and get rewarded like they
led to me deciding to be ‘co-head coach’ of the did that game was the best feeling in the world.”
team for the 2016/2017 season, and eventually Who will win the exhibition between the two
960 BROOKDALE AVENUE, CORNWALL signing on to continue coaching U16 for the
613-935-7777 upcoming 2017/2018 season,” says Lapierre. teams? Head out to watch the exhibition game
April 14th to find out!