Recently Fehérvár defenceman Márk Szaller spent a week in the Tüskecsarnok as a guest coach with four different age groups in the Hungarian youth development program. Szaller is not the first active player to be invited and to participate as a guest coach under the tutelage of Glen Williamson.
A year ago Donát Szita, who is now playing for the EBEL team in Fehérvár missed a large part of the season last year because of an injury helped out as a guest coach for Glen Williamson. Last year he mentioned it was eye opening to see the other side of the process and what work goes into a mini camp by the coaching staff and to see how the training camp and tournament rosters are selected. This year it was Márk Szaller who took a jump into the deep end of the pool that is coaching.
The 2016-17 season did not end the way he would have liked, Szaller had to have a knee surgery which he rehabbed from all summer and was just cleared to be on the ice as the preseason started in Fehérvár. “Glen Williamson had called me and asked how my rehab is going and if I can skate already and would I be up for doing some coaching. I told him that I am open to this idea. He mention that the U14 is having a two day mini camp and if I would like to be a guest coach for them.” said Szaller when he was asked about how this situation started. “Since I have been through this youth program I am a perfect example as product of this program. After the two days Glen had asked me if I would like to help out the rest of the week for the other age groups that are having a mini camp as well. That of course I could help out, each day after my rehab session in Fehérvár I jumped into the car and drove up to Budapest.”
It just happened to be that the U13, U14, U15 and U16 age groups were all having two day minicamps, this way Márk had a chance to see which age group would fit him the best. “I would say it was easier to work with the older age groups, to be able to pass on the information to the younger age groups I feel you really need to be an excellent teacher and also need to be patient. I felt really comfortable with the U15 and U16 age groups, first off just because of them being closer to me in age. These players are learning things that I had learned not so long ago from Glen. I was very happy to help Glen out where I could.”
Szaller also mentioned what it was like to be a member of the coaching staff and what he experienced. “I was bit cautious in trying this, hockey is hockey but coaching is different from actually playing the game. It was different to see the game through coaches eyes, however it was an excellent experience. I did notice that the U13 kids are much more skilled than we were at this age and there is a larger group of players that are being called into the minicamps. I also had a chance to work with some great people during the camps such as Márton Vas, András Horváth, Péter Mayer and the rest of the coaches along with Glen Williamson. I had a great opportunity to learn a lot. “
If everything goes as planned Szaller should be playing his first game of the season, which will be in the ERSTE Liga with the Fehérvári Titánok.
