Busy young mother of three finds gym time helps keep her on track

LAURIE WEIR

Sami Holmes has recently joined the Carleton Place Jr. Canadians hockey team as their assistant coach and director of player development.

It was a “no-brainer” to add her to the team, said the EOJHL team’s owner Brent Sullivan. She will be assisting head coach Cole Burton and the rest of the staff, “but her main focus will be on individual player development – whether that be on-ice or off-ice.”

A Player Development Coach focuses on enhancing individual players’ skills, performance, and overall understanding of the game. They work closely with athletes to improve fundamental techniques like skating, shooting, and positional play, often through personalized coaching and tailored training plans. Utilizing video analysis, they provide feedback on players’ on-ice decisions and positioning while collaborating with strength coaches to ensure optimal physical conditioning. Beyond physical skills, they also support players’ mental development, helping them build confidence, focus, and decision-making abilities. By continuously tracking progress and adjusting development strategies, Player Development Coaches play a crucial role in guiding players to reach their full potential and contribute effectively to their team.

Catching up with Holmes was a little like trying to herd cats. She’s everywhere, all the time, but one place she goes to keep her focus, is the gym.

“Balancing family, business, and personal life is a lot,” she shared with this publication. “Building a business while raising a young family is not a small feat. I am very fortunate to have extremely helpful family members who are generous with their time. They see my passion for my business and help out whenever they are able. Scheduling gym sessions into my daily routine is nonnegotiable — I am a better parent, spouse, and skills coach when I go to the gym.”

On a personal note, she said, “I’m eagerly watching my kids grow up. They’re at such fun ages (5, 3, and 3). My oldest is currently playing hockey and is having a blast on the ice. Should they decide to continue with the sport, I hope hockey will bring them as many positive experiences as it has brought me.”

She’s no stranger to hockey. She played minor hockey with the Carleton Place Kings when girls’ hockey was still in its infancy and only available in the city. Once the Cyclones came to Carleton Place, Holmes joined the team for a season.

“I met a great group of girls from all over eastern Ontario who had the same aspirations that I did and we created a competitive team with the same core of players in a few different towns throughout three seasons (Smiths Falls, Ottawa, and Perth),” she said. “For grades 11 and 12, I headed down to prep school in New Hampshire and continued from there to play NCAA hockey at Utica College (now Utica University) in Upstate New York.  I have worked as a mentor and skills coach since I graduated from university.”

When asked about her mentor, she mentioned two people who have helped her along the way.

“As a hockey player, Brian Hart. I found my grit, passion and desire to be better while playing for him. My journey to prep school and college hockey would have been entirely different without the support and influence of the Hart family. I am deeply grateful for the relationship we have,” she said.

“Brian was instrumental in the growth of the girls’ side of the game in the 1990s/2000s and continues to work in the game today,” Holmes said.

In her professional life, it’s Mike Pilon, the owner of Endeavour Sport Group, a mentoring company where Holmes is employed.

“He is so knowledgeable about the game and stays humble every day,” she said. “When we first met, I could tell that our vision and perception of the game aligned perfectly. We have been working together for 11 years now and have travelled the world because of the game of hockey.”

Perhaps a mentor herself to young females, Holmes said, “The cool thing about the hockey world that we live in now is that a female can continue to be involved in the game as long as she wants – be that playing, coaching, the managerial side, as an entrepreneur, etc.”

When she was growing up there was no visibility of women in the game, she said, and staying involved wasn’t an option.

“I am happy that I don’t have to have the same conversation with my daughter and female clients that my parents had to have with me when I told them that I was going to play in the NHL when I grew up.”

The Jr. Canadians kicked off their EOJHL pre-season on Sept. 10 in Ottawa, with their first home game against the Ottawa Canadians on Sept. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15, they’re in Athens to take on the Aeros in an afternoon match up starting at 2:30 p.m.

“We were looking to add some support to our Junior B program, and anyone who hangs around the Carleton Place arena lately sees that Sami is here all the time working on player development,” Sullivan said. “I felt with our goal of being the #1 development program in the area, adding a good local hockey person in Sami was an easy decision.”