Q&A with Bela Coach Doug Johnson

BelaHockey is excited to have Doug Johnson, Head Coach of the Madison Capitols U19 Girls, Tier I team back for our second annual Girls Tune-Up Hockey Camp in San Jose, CA! This special youth girls camp will run from May11-13 at the Sharks Ice Arena.

Doug brings year's of valuable coaching experience to the camp and has developed an expertise in helping girl's reach their potential as opportunities continue to expand for female players. We asked Doug a few questions about himself so camper's could get a better idea of what to expect from Coach Doug at this year's Bela Tune-Up Camp.

How long have you been coaching hockey? What made you decide to start?

I have been coaching since 2004 - 8 years. I started because I wanted to help my brother (Patrick) and my sisters (Mikayla & Megan) have a good experience with the sport while learning valuable life lessons. Looking up to my father as hockey coach also had something to do with it.

Why did you decide to coach girls?

I love the sport and wanted to give back to my community as well as help my sisters.

How do you think the sport is evolving for girls and women?

It's unbelievable where women's hockey has come today, especially in the last 10 years. The intensity of pace at the Division I Collegiate level is extraordinary and exciting to watch. Getting to that level starts with the youth programs and the amount of opportunities for young women now has increased tenfold. I can only see the future of the sport becoming more and more competitive.

Tell us about the bio-board? What was the inspiration for it and how does it work?

I created the Bio-Board to help young athletes improve their balance while having fun. The idea began in my first couple years of coaching when I was inspired by another passion of mine: board sports (skateboarding, snowboarding, long boarding). I still haven't found another tool that can teach the same concepts while keeping the off-ice training exciting and giving great results.

To use the board you place one or both feet on the outside of the board which is on top of a roller. When you are in that position you can roll back and forth. It takes a few minutes just to learn how to stand on the board but once you conquer that aspect, you focus on holding different positions - similar to yoga. I refer to the training as "yoga on a board."

How is the bio-board incorporated into the Bela camps?

We incorporate the Bio-Board in the Bela Camps by teaching these young athletes how to start using the board. Mastering the Bio-Board takes time so we want to give them an opportunity to try this great product by exposing them to it.

What do you think is the most important thing that girls can take away from their experience at the Bela Tune-Up camp in San Jose?

That hockey is a fun and exciting sport. With hard work and a good attitude, any dream is possible.