Kelly Clymer

Kelly Clymer returns to The Face Off Spot for a candid conversation about the responsibility, pressure, and emotional complexity of coaching hockey.

Kelly and host Adam Larson discuss USA Hockey’s coaching education program, the challenges facing volunteer coaches, difficult decisions involving goalies and tryouts, relationships with officials, and the loneliness that can accompany being a head coach. They also examine the financial pressures surrounding youth hockey and why some experienced coaches choose private lessons and travel programs over traditional collegiate coaching paths.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as Adam and Kelly explore what happens when hockey becomes someone’s entire identity. They discuss the pressure placed on young athletes and families, the struggle players experience when their careers end, and the importance of developing a life outside the rink. Kelly closes with an emotional tribute to his son, while Adam shares his own experience with addiction, accountability, recovery, and the people who refused to give up on him.

00:00:13 | Introduction and Kelly Clymer’s Return
Adam welcomes Kelly Clymer back to the show and introduces his USA Hockey coaching recognition.

00:03:25 | USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program
Kelly discusses the history of his coaching award, the evolution of coach certification, and the responsibility coaches accept when families entrust them with their children.

00:07:55 | The Challenges Facing Volunteer Coaches
Adam and Kelly examine the difficulties inexperienced parent-coaches face, especially in hockey, where skating ability and playing knowledge are immediately visible.

00:09:36 | Coaching with Humility
Kelly explains how aging affected his on-ice abilities and why laughing at yourself can strengthen your relationship with players.

00:11:43 | Criticism, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement
The conversation covers the financial and emotional investment volunteer coaches make, along with the importance of seeking feedback from players and assistant coaches.

00:14:40 | Mental Health Pressures on Coaches
Kelly reflects on the emotional weight of coaching, the hockey community’s losses to suicide and substance abuse, and the importance of maintaining perspective outside the rink.

00:17:14 | The Loneliness of Being a Head Coach
Adam describes how head coaches must carry difficult decisions, parent complaints, and team standards even when they have no obvious person to share that burden with.

00:21:18 | Difficult Decisions That Affect Young Players
Kelly discusses pulling goalies, cutting players, limiting playing time, and the fear that a coaching decision could negatively affect a young person’s future.

00:24:00 | Coaching in Front of Cameras
Coaches now operate under constant observation, making emotional control and professional behavior more important than ever.

00:25:30 | Officials, Game Management, and Respect
Adam and Kelly discuss game management, the integrity of NHL officials, referee shortages, and why constant abuse drives many new officials away.

00:33:10 | Why Coaches Should Not Blame Referees
They explain how blaming officials gives players an excuse to avoid responsibility and can undermine a team’s performance.

00:36:52 | When Hockey Becomes Your Entire Identity
Adam introduces the episode’s central mental-health theme: players, parents, coaches, and officials can struggle when too much of their self-worth depends on hockey.

00:40:12 | Parents, Pressure, and Unrealistic Expectations
Kelly explains how parents can unintentionally build a child’s identity around hockey through constant analysis, expectations, and discussions about advancement.

00:43:28 | The Family Cost of Competitive Hockey
The conversation explores the money, travel, time, and emotional pressure families accept, particularly those driving long distances for practices and games.

00:46:02 | Life After Playing Hockey
Adam discusses the challenges players face when their hockey careers end and they have not developed interests, routines, or career plans outside the sport.

00:49:02 | Diversification and Playing Multiple Sports
Kelly encourages young athletes to develop broader interests and explains how playing other sports can support both personal growth and hockey development.

00:50:28 | Honesty During Tryouts
Kelly argues that coaches owe players and parents clear, truthful evaluations, even when delivering that truth is uncomfortable.

00:54:12 | Turning Rejection into Opportunity
A player who missed a higher-level team later became a captain and enjoyed a successful college career, illustrating how an apparent setback can become a better development opportunity.

00:56:46 | Maintaining Boundaries with Parents
Kelly and Adam discuss avoiding alcohol and overly social relationships with parents during the season so coaching conversations remain professional.

01:00:10 | The Economics of Coaching
They examine why experienced coaches may choose well-paid youth hockey positions and private lessons instead of lower-paid NCAA assistant coaching opportunities.

01:07:37 | Kelly’s Shout-Out to His Son
Kelly gives an emotional tribute to his son, reflecting on the difficulties of coaching your own child and his son’s battles with lymphoma and addiction.

01:15:13 | Adam’s Personal Experience with Addiction
Adam shares how losing hockey as a central part of his identity contributed to addiction and how honesty, accountability, family, and close friends helped him recover.

01:20:19 | Celebrating the Hughes Brothers
Kelly recognizes the Hughes brothers and their contribution to American hockey.

01:23:31 | Gratitude and Closing Thoughts
Kelly thanks the players, parents, coaches, and hockey friends who shaped his life, while Adam recognizes Kelly’s lasting impact on the community.