Everyone has been wanting to learn a little more about the coach and his philosophies,and I had a chance to sit down with Gerry Fleming recently to do just that.
Now that you have been in town for a while,how do you like Tallahassee?
Actually,it reminds me a lot of Fredricton,New Brunswick where I live and make my home in the sense that it's a university and government town with everything kind of revolving around the two. It's very clean,with beautiful trees. I think that's what I love most about this city,just pull off a main artery and it's like you're a city surrounded by a forest. People have been A-1,with southern hospitality,it's just like the maritime hospitality you hear about back in Canada. Having lived in Atlantic Canada in the summertime,it's just like coming home,because there are so many similarities.
Has there been much of an adjustment for your family,moving from Canada to Florida?
Not at all. Last year we lived in Quebec City and it was a wonderful experience. Jessica learned French,and this year is going to a school where she's swimming in November. She gets to meet different people,with different influences,it's a great experience for both of them. (Carol and Jessica)
If there was one thing you had to pick out that you liked best about being here,other than being the head coach,what would it be?
The weather is just great. There's no getting up 45 minutes before you go to work to warm your car up,no more shoveling,no more winter boots. I come to work in flip-flops,I go home in flip-flops. The weather and the people,really good people.
What is the most challenging thing about being the head coach,particularly versus being an assistant,like you were before?
I think when you're in charge,it's always your fault. That's just the role of the leader,or somebody responsible,the buck stops here. So,if the guys don't perform well,sometimes I take it personally. I know I work my butt off with Ronnie (the assistant coach) and we do all the things that I think are necessary to make these guys better hockey players. Sometimes it doesn't work out and you can't take it personally. But,at the same time,it's always your fault. As an assistant coach,you do what you have to do,but the buck didn't stop with you.
Do you find it difficult to balance building a winning team here in the ECHL versus training the players that are sent down from the affiliates? Because the minute they are trained well,they get called bck,then we lose good players here?
I think what we are trying to do here is just promote a sense that anybody on any given night,if we all stay consistent,then anyone can step in and do the job. I try to make everybody feel like they've had a contribution to the success or the failure of the team. I'm trying to promote team togetherness,and that everybody is accountable for everybody else's actions. Like when I mess up,it affects everybody else on the ice. once guys understand that they have to compete and work hard every night,then if they get called up,good,it means I'm doing my job. If we win at the same time by doing that,it makes your guys work harder,make themselves better,and the bottom line is your team works.
Did you expect this level of play in the ECHL?
Well,yeah in one sense,because when guys get called up they fit in and were able to play. So,yeah,I was expecting the skill level,the speed. The only difference I've noticed in the ECHL is defensively. I think it takes a little longer for a good defenseman to mature. Even in the NHL,they really don't start to find their rhythm until they are 26,27,28 years old. I think it's the same thing down here,they have to learn the game and the fundamentals of being a defenseman,because it is a hard position to play.
Is there on position,or player,that you think is more important than the others?
I think the number one position,and what makes a good coach,is a great goalie. The goaltender can make the difference between winning and losing in the respect that if he makes a big save,it lifts his team. If he lets a bad goal in,it brings his team down. So I think the goalie is a key position and you try to focus on team aspects,team defense and not just defense.
Is there any particular quality you think a player should bring to the team,besides his skill,that you think improves the team overall?
The intangibles. Whether your skilled and you have a lot of talent,I think you have to contribute by working hard and finishing your checks and doing all the little things that don't get noticed on the score sheet. I think once you have your most talented guys doing those things,it makes everybody else more accountable. I think team toughness is important,everybody in your face. Not fighting necessarily,just being a tough team to play against. you know you're going to get hit,you know you have to pay the price if you want to win in here. It's a process of building a winner and making guys believe in themselves.
Face-off percentage seems to be an important factor. What are we doing to improve our face-off percentage?
Working every day at it. Every day Ron works with the guys after practice and we must drop between 200-300 pucks. Just working with centermen and rotating them and looking at their styles. A face-off is everybody knowing what their responsibilities are,win or lose the face-off. Face-offs definitely start with the centermen,but everybody else has to contribute. I think we've been working hard on it,as far as what systems and scenarios we'd like to have. Face-offs are a key point,because you can either spend your time chasing the puck,or you can spend your time with the puck,and we'd rather spend our time with the puck.
If you could model the Tiger Sharks after any other NHL team,who would it be?
If I were to model my hockey team after any team,and myself after a coaching style,I think it would have to be the New Jersey Devils. They have a talented core of individuals,who believe and work together as a team. Their coach leads by example,he's a players coach in a sense that he's tough with them when it's time to be tough,but he's very fair with them and I respect that.
If there was one change you could make in the Tallahassee organization,and you had the power to make it,what would it be?
Just more practice time at home. We have to go to Pensacola for the next 2 days to practice,and I think it would be nice to have a facility here where we could practice. That would be the only change.