Issue #14 — September 18, 2026
THE LOCKER ROOM 🙊: Facilities Help. They Don't Play the Games. 🏒
A rink tour, a team at the top of the world, and the part no building can buy.
In partnership with
Something to end the week on.
The Colorado Thunderbirds just gave a tour of The Hanger, their home rink. If you're raising a hockey player in the Northeast, watch this one all the way through:
There are a few places like this around Boston, Philly and Pittsburgh. Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse don't have anything that compares. If you're raising a hockey player in our part of the country, remind yourself who's on the other side of the bracket: kids who have these resources year-round.
And at the complete other end of the spectrum:
Barrow High School practices in Utqiagvik, Alaska, the northernmost town in the country. No dome, no turf room, no year-round anything. The Whalers are 3-1 and have outscored their opponents 124-58.
And out in Calgary, the third piece — the one that costs the least:
Small groups. More reps per kid. A coach close enough to fix an edge before the next rep. No building required.
Facilities help. They don't play the games.
Meanwhile, at the rink most of us actually live in:
No tour, no dome, no drone shot. Just another full weekend in the stands until the kid finds the EXIT sign. If you have spent a Sunday at a rink, you have seen this exact pose. (h/t @chiaceed_)
One more before you close the laptop. Youth football, one unscripted moment, and a sideline that could not hold it together:
@sportiq85Nobody expected that reaction from this young football player, and the way he handled the moment had everyone on the sideline laughing. 😂🏈... See more
Nobody drew that up. Keep the game fun enough that this still happens. (h/t @sportiq85)
LOOKING AHEAD ⏭️
Tomorrow on The Coach's Board: WHAT WE'RE WATCHING 📺 — the weekend's youth, high school and college streams, and the pro game worth a team night.
The week on the Board:
Day | What lands |
|---|---|
Monday | THE SCOREBOARD 🏆 |
Tuesday | COACH'S FAVORITES ⭐️ |
Wednesday | COACH'S CLIPBOARD 📋 |
Thursday | THE FACEOFF 🤼 + the podcast 🎙️ |
Friday | THE LOCKER ROOM 🙊 |
Saturday | WHAT WE'RE WATCHING 📺 |
Sunday | THE HIRING HUDDLE 🕵️🕵️♂️ |
SPREAD THE WORD
Send it to the coaches, directors, parents and operators in your network and we will know who to thank.
Fifteen subscribers from your link and the Coach's Beanie is yours: a Carhartt Watch Beanie 2.0 with the Coach's Board crest, your pick of black or heather grey. The same one we wear.
Replace 16 supplements in one daily drink.
David Beckham. Giannis Antetokounmpo. Aryna Sabalenka. Inter Miami CF. The world's best choose IM8 because performance starts with what you do every day.
Daily Ultimate Essentials and Longevity deliver a complete, clinically formulated system for energy, digestion, sleep, focus and healthy aging. In a 12-week randomized controlled trial, 95% felt a boost in daily energy, 85% felt less bloated with better digestion, 80% reported better sleep and 75% reported sharper focus and mental clarity.
IM8 is NSF Certified for Sport, tested against 280+ banned substances and recommended by 300+ clinicians. With 50 million servings sold across 46 countries, discover the IM8 routine trusted at the highest levels of sport—and built for everyday life. See the clinical results.
Have a story, deal, facility project, or product we should know about or feature in the newsletter? Just hit reply or send a LinkedIn to Paul Variano. We read every email and note.
The Coach's Board by Paul Variano
The daily executive roundup for youth sports leaders.
Get the next issue in your inbox.
Join youth sports leaders reading every issue.
September 18, 2026