What Youth Sports Quietly Teach Us About Leadership

Some places hold more than memories. They hold lessons — about leadership, community, and who helped shape us along the way.

Over the summer, the owners of Penobscot Ice Arena reached out to let us know they wanted to honor my dad.

Walking into the rink for Brewer Youth Hockey’s kickoff, I tried to prepare myself. I didn’t do a great job.

Before I even made it through the doors, I saw a little boy — maybe four years old — bouncing on his toes, helmet too big, eyes wide. He was telling anyone who would listen that he was going to be a hockey player.

And just like that, I was undone.

It felt like yesterday that Dorian and my dad were right here — lacing up skates for the first time, wobbling, falling, getting back up. The rink smelled the same. The sounds were the same. The feeling was the same.

Then I saw it.

Coach Lib’s Corner.

A simple space. A powerful one. A tribute to a man who gave so much of himself to this program, this rink, and these kids. I stood there quietly, letting it wash over me.

My dad believed youth sports were about so much more than the game.

Yes, he loved hockey — the speed, the grit, the teamwork. But what he really cared about were the lessons learned off the ice. Responsibility. Kindness. Showing up. Being part of something bigger than yourself.

Years ago, he started the Coach Lib Scholarship to help more kids get on the ice — kids who dreamed of playing but might not otherwise have the chance. Because to him, access mattered. Belonging mattered.

Every week, he printed out a newsletter. Not of schedules and stats — but life advice. Encouragement. Little reminders about effort, attitude, and falling in love with the game and the community around it.

At the time, I don’t think I realized how much of that leadership was sinking into me.

But standing there now, watching a new generation lace up skates, I do.

My dad taught me how to build community. How to lead without ego. How to make people feel seen. How to create spaces where kids — and adults — feel like they belong.

I carry him with me into every room I walk into. Every program I help build. Every conversation about leadership, youth, and impact.

Coach Lib’s Corner isn’t just a tribute.

It’s a reminder that leadership lives on — in quiet moments, in shared spaces, and in the people who choose to keep showing up for others.

And every time a kid steps onto that ice for the first time, I know he’s still there. ❤️