Ron MacLean talks about teamwork at Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada

Across the country, Canadians of all ages are on the ice playing the game they love. Whether it’s shinny on a pond, a recreational game at the local rink or at centre ice in the National Hockey League there’s one element that makes it all come together in hockey--teamwork, .

On January 30, the 10th annual Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada on CBC explores the dynamic of the hockey team and how the lessons of teamwork on the ice shape the very fabric of our country. Award winning host of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, Ron MacLean will be in Stratford, Ontario to host the 13.5 hour broadcast and tell Canadians’ stories from coast to coast to coast.

“Teamwork is the ultimate ‘trump card’ in any game, the one counteraction to talent,” says MacLean. “John Wooden, the legendary UCLA Basketball coach, summed it up best when he said: ‘the main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.’ ”

What makes a great team successful? MacLean attributes a lot of it to role-players.

“Ultimately it is all about identifying the gaps on the team, and filling them with the right people.” he says.

“You can sum up all the clichés around teamwork like, there’s no ‘I’ in team, ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’, the list goes on, but they are all true only to a point. It’s really about putting the whole machine together.”

And while having the smartest coach, tough defence, goal scorers and superior goaltending is the first step to the success of a hockey team, equally important is “the extra man”—the support of the hometown crowd.

“Civic pride can have a terrific influence on a hockey team at any level,” says MacLean. “That’s true for teams in every community--from the Stratford Cullitons Junior B team, where loyalty and traditions are passed on to future generations, to the NHL’s Nashville Predators, whose fan commitment has helped the team flourish after suffering from economic woes and possible franchise re-location.”

The camaraderie of teams extends well beyond the rink. Sharing a memory from his childhood, MacLean recalls an instance where this same sense of team pride and commitment was especially evident.

“When I was 13, playing Bantam hockey in Red Deer for the Sunrise Optimists, our team sold pay-what-you-pull 50/50 tickets and peddled chocolate covered almonds so we could earn enough money to buy a set of team jackets for everyone,” says MacLean.

“I will never forget when that blue jacket arrived with yellow piping and my jersey number (16). To me, that jacket will always represent a special ‘badge of honour’ that made me proud to be part of the team.”

Teams help to shape individuals very early on. “Being part of a team teaches discipline, to be dependable and accountable for your actions and how to win and lose with dignity,” recalls MacLean.

“Beyond life lessons, the memories Canadians have from growing up playing our game are plentiful, the road trips, the dressing rooms, the feeling of sliding into your spot for the opening face-off, the great pass, the sweet finish, the save, the sweat and most of all, the friends.”

Hockey fans can catch Ron MacLean on Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada on CBC Television, January 30, 2009, live from Stratford, Ont. Beginning at 12 noon ET. The 13.5 hour broadcast is headlined by a must-see NHL tripleheader featuring all of Canada’s NHL teams. At 2 p.m. ET, Senators host Montreal, followed by Scotiabank Hockey Tonight, at 6:30 p.m. ET. Vancouver faces off against Toronto at 7 p.m. ET, while Calgary hosts Edmonton at 10 p.m. ET. Broadcast schedules, stories, blogs, special community events, an online auction and more can be found at CBCSports.ca/hockeyday.

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James Lamont
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