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Forums :: Blog World :: Brad Marsh: A Former NHL Captain's View: What Makes for a Good Dressing Room?
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Brad Marsh
Joined: 10.15.2013

Nov 13 @ 12:01 PM ET
Brad Marsh: A Former NHL Captain's View: What Makes for a Good Dressing Room?
Bill Meltzer
Editor
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 07.13.2006

Nov 13 @ 12:12 PM ET
Tremendous job on this from the perspective of someone who would really know. Thank you!
funmaster18
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz and I'm fine.
Joined: 03.15.2009

Nov 13 @ 12:22 PM ET
Great blog, Brad. Really enjoy the player perspective. Too much of that stuff is speculated so it's great having a voice from the inside.
Bearintheforest
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 03.12.2013

Nov 13 @ 12:28 PM ET
Brad Marsh: A Former NHL Captain's View: What Makes for a Good Dressing Room?
- Brad Marsh


This was a great look into the off-ice hockey. A truly good read!
JustFred236
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Hockessin, DE
Joined: 11.13.2013

Nov 13 @ 12:52 PM ET
I've really enjoyed all your previous articles, and this one is no exception. Well done.
Nucker101
Vancouver Canucks
Location: Vancouver, BC
Joined: 09.26.2010

Nov 13 @ 1:05 PM ET
Haven't commented yet, but really enjoying your work.
FlyersGrace
Season Ticket Holder
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Pronger "Play the game puffnuts!" , DE
Joined: 07.02.2012

Nov 13 @ 1:10 PM ET
This blog is bound to resonate with any athlete who played high school on up and in almost every sport.

I played women's soccer in high school and we were the best team for a 6 hour drive in any direction in Texas. And I hated the dressing room. It was full of girls who went out of their way to make me feel unwelcome. It was a change as fast as you could and get out on the field without seeing anyone if possible. The clique who controled the room had been from a rival team I had competed against my whole life. And I was the only one from my old team on the high school one. So I got to be the scape goat. I wasn't the most talented (also not the least) - and I was one smart defensewoman. Which is why I made the team each year. When I blew out my knee late in my junior season I walked away still enjoying the game but disgusted with my own experiences. My coach always said I had the highest level of pain tolerance she had ever seen. She meant physical pain tolerance but I knew dealing with that dressing room made me mentally tough too.

Hockey wasn't an option back then - no rink.

It's nice to hear good stories are out there - so I really do apprecitae your blogs!
mcefalu
Location: I never back-read, IL
Joined: 07.11.2008

Nov 13 @ 1:36 PM ET
Great stuff, Brad! Love the insight!
madirish
Joined: 10.21.2013

Nov 13 @ 1:54 PM ET
Brad could not agree more.. As I was reading your article brought back memories.
Keep them coming.
Scoop Cooper
Season Ticket Holder
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Ardmore, PA
Joined: 06.29.2006

Nov 13 @ 2:09 PM ET
Another terrific piece Chuck. While I never played the game myself, in my 40+ years working in the game in various capacities I spent many hours in hockey dressing rooms especially those at the Spectrum in Philadelphia (NHL Flyers and AHL Phantoms), Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, PA (AHL Hershey Bears), and Philadelphia Civic Center Convention Hall (NAHL and AHL Firebirds). All three of them also held fond memories for me especially being in each after the teams had won a playoff championship.

I was in the Spectrum's room both when the Flyers won their first Stanley Cup in 1974 and the AHL Phantoms won their first Calder Cup in 1998 (I was also in the Phantoms room at the then Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) Center when they won their second Calder Cup in 2005), the Bears' room at HPA for their 1980 Calder Cup win, and in the Civic Center's room when the Firebirds won the NAHL Lockhart Cup in 1976. Unfortunately, however, all three of these rooms are now "gone". Both the Spectrum and Convention Hall were demolished in the last several years.

The last vestige of the Flyers'/Phantoms' Spectrum locker room during demolition in 2011.

While still standing, Hersheypark Arena has not been home to the Bears since 2002 (they now play in the nearby GIANT Center) after sixty-six seasons (1936-2002) in the venerable domed roofed Arena. (For more on that see http://hockeyscoop.net/hpa/) Each of these three rooms were of the intimate type that promoted team bonding and accountability as you can see from this picture I took of the Bears' room in the Arena during the 2001-02 season, their last campaign at HPA.


The Hershey Bears dressing room at Hersheypark Arena
Barx
Joined: 02.06.2007

Nov 13 @ 4:25 PM ET
The room was a place for the team only. This detail is one of the problems in minor hockey today, if you ask me.


absolutely.
BOSS_TWEED
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: S. Jersey
Joined: 11.07.2006

Nov 13 @ 5:10 PM ET
Fantastic bog, Marshy! We are truly privileged to have you on here. Both you and Stewy are providing a window into a part of the NHL that we just wouldn't normally get to experience. I have enjoyed your blogs immensely!
kcady
Joined: 11.11.2013

Nov 14 @ 9:35 PM ET
Chuck! I'm honored that I could share the Flyer's experience with you! My job was to make those two dressing rooms look professional from the moment you walked in for practice or games. Again, what an honor! Kevin Cady