Kacey Walker with a hockey player.
Photo courtey Kacey Walker
SNOHOMISH — For the past five years, local ex-hockey player Kacey Walker has coached players aged 16 to 20, focusing on improving their skating abilities as a power skating coach and enhancing their puck handling, shooting and passing skills.
Walker got into coaching after retiring as a player, spending time coaching the Everett Silvertips youth teams. Now he’s a private lessons coach.
“I attribute my opportunity to being in the right place at the right time, coupled with my background as a player,” he said.
Walker played junior hockey with the Seattle Totems (Edmonds) and Bellingham Blazers, and stayed connected as a referee in the Western Hockey League (WHL) and other junior leagues.
Jaxon Jara, a local prospect from Everett, has been coached by Walker over the years.
“I couldn’t think of a better coach for me when I am home. He is a great guy, on and off the ice,” Jara said. Jara played AAA hockey last season at a high level and hopes to sign with a junior team this year.
Walker’s seen an accelerated pace of player development compared to a decade ago.
“I have seen players developing at a much more rapid pace than even when I was playing 10-plus years ago. I believe the influence of the Seattle Kraken and the National Hockey League, along with the abundance of WHL teams in our region, including the Everett Silvertips, certainly helps players have something to see and replicate,” Walker said. “There is a huge emphasis on skill, speed and agility in today’s game, maybe more so than ever.”
He’s observed players placing greater emphasis on becoming exceptional skaters.
“The biggest development I see as a coach, however, is the physical fitness of these players. Gone are the days of just moving heavy weights in the gym. You see these players off the ice, and they are built like gymnasts. They perform anaerobic movements off the ice that translate to on-ice performance,” Walker
explained. “You would be hard-pressed to find a high-level minor, junior, or pro player who is not in exceptional physical shape. It’s impressive.”
Walker credits his experience as a former player with enhancing his coaching abilities. “I was a defenseman, so I see the game from both sides of the puck — offensive and defensive. I worked
tirelessly on my skating over the years to perfect it, and I would say it has really propelled me in both coaching players and officiating,” Walker said.
His role as a referee also contributes to his coaching insights. “Being an official helps me as a coach because I have a close connection to any nuance or shift in the game in real-time. I try to get to know these players and pick their brains to convey information to my students about what it takes to reach higher levels of hockey,” Walker added. “As a referee, I have a front-row
seat night after night to watch some of the world’s best junior players. I take mental notes of what works — movements, dekes, passes, shots, skating lanes — and I do my best to bring this information into my coaching.”
