UVM Coach Todd Woodcroft on coaching Sweden
The University of Vermont Catamount’s head coach for men’s hockey, Todd Woodcroft, is trying to bring UVM back to the glory days. During his second year, Woodcroft has added responsibility – to act as assistant coach for Team Sweden at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. “I had to be the first guy on the rink every day,” Woodcroft said. “I believe in the process.” The foundation for a new way is being laid – the Woodcroft way. “It’s not special to work hard for me, it’s the absolute minimum,” Woodcroft said. “Winning is a by-product of work and attitude.” During year two in Vermont, Woodcroft has been tasked with reversing a program that has not had a winning season in five years. “What we’re trying to do is get this room right,” Woodcroft said. “The players understand that they solve all problems. They know we are here and work for them. I think they know that.” He added, “But now they have to work for each other.” Woodcroft’s passion for success brings Catamount hockey from Burlington to Beijing. “We can say hello, the head coach of this UVM team trained in the Olympics,” Woodcroft said. Woodcroft is on his way to the Olympics as an assistant coach for Team Sweden, a responsibility that required him to start preparing months ago. “Four guys are in a hurry, and it’s their defenders who touch that puck and get a chance to score … That’s what they like to do, we would have opposites to that of the Swedes,” said Woodcroft. The former NHL assistant coach is elite in breaking down X and O – but Sweden values another tool in their set. “Why they want me, and I can tell you with 100% certainty, is that my perspective is different from theirs,” Woodcroft said. It’s the same thing. “My words pro may not mean much to people, they do to me, you can see that there are three forwards attacking the Austrians,” said Woodcroft. Woodcroft is a native of Toronto and calls it the “North American” perspective. “They raised a certain NHL player and they said this guy had to be on the team. I just held out my hand and said I do not believe it … I said ‘who will kill a punishment for us? We can not just have everyone who was the goal scorer where they last played … who will defend, Woodcroft said. Understanding roles, working together and being the most effective hockey team are the goals of UVM. “It’s not about who plays the worst, it’s about who plays the best when things are worse,” Woodcroft said. The basic philosophy is the same for Cats as for the Swedes. Although he will sit on another bench in the middle of the UVM season, Catamounts is still his priority. “The network we will create is the reason I go there … to find really good Swedish players or to find really good Latvian players or Slovak players,” said Woodcroft. By the end of February, Woodcroft hopes to be able to return to Vermont in green, and with a little extra gold. “My goal is a gold medal,” Woodcroft said. While Woodcroft is in Beijing for the Olympics, assistant coach Steve Wiedler will take over as head coach.
The University of Vermont Catamount’s head coach for men’s hockey, Todd Woodcroft, is trying to bring UVM back to the glory days.
During his second year, Woodcroft has added responsibility – to act as assistant coach for Team Sweden at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“I had to be the first guy on the rink every day,” Woodcroft said. “I believe in the process.”
The foundation for a new way is laid – the Woodcroft way.
“It’s not special to work hard for me, it’s the absolute minimum,” Woodcroft said. “Winning is a by-product of work and attitude.”
During year two in Vermont, Woodcroft has been tasked with reversing a program that has not had a winning season in five years.
“What we’re trying to do is get this room right,” Woodcroft said. “The players understand that they solve all problems. They know we are here and work for them. I think they know that.”
He added, “But now they have to work for each other.”
Woodcroft’s passion for success takes Catamount hockey from Burlington to Beijing.
“We can say hello, the head coach of this UVM team coached in the Olympics,” Woodcroft said.
Woodcroft is on his way to the Olympics as an assistant coach for Team Sweden, a responsibility that required him to start preparing months ago.
“Four guys are in a hurry, and it’s their defenders who touch that puck and get a chance to score … That’s what they like to do, we would have opposites to that of the Swedes,” said Woodcroft.
The former NHL assistant coach is elite in breaking down X and O – but Sweden values another tool in their set.
“Why they want me, and I can tell you with 100% certainty, is that my perspective is different from theirs,” Woodcroft said.
It’s the same message, only in a different language.
“My words probably do not mean much to people, they do for me, you can see that there are three forwards attacking the Austrians,” said Woodcroft.
Woodcroft is a native of Toronto and calls it the “North American” perspective.
“They picked up a certain NHL player and they said this guy has to be on the team. I just held out my hand and said I don’t think so … I said ‘who’s going to kill a penalty for us? We can not just having everyone who was the goal scorer where they last played … who will defend, Woodcroft said.
Understanding roles, working together and being the most effective hockey team are the goals of UVM.
“It’s not about who plays the worst, it’s about who plays the best when things are worse,” Woodcroft said.
The basic philosophy is the same for Cats as for the Swedes.
Although he will sit on another bench in the middle of the UVM season, Catamounts is still his priority.
“The network we will create is the reason I go there … to find really good Swedish players or to find really good Latvian players or Slovak players,” said Woodcroft.
By the end of February, Woodcroft hopes to return to Vermont in green and with a little extra gold.
“My goal is a gold medal,” Woodcroft said.
While Woodcroft is in Beijing for the Olympics, assistant coach Steve Wiedler will take over as head coach.