PVCC Puma Press: December 2006

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	Photo Credit by Kevin McGuire
	Hockey trainer Sean Whyte has played hockey since his childhood. He now shares his passion for hockey with young hockey players in training
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Sean Whyte steps out onto the ice and glances around, noticing the familiar sites of the ice rink. He glides around the face-off circle and behind the net. A puff of air rises as he exhales and begins to think.

Looking around, he recalls when he first learned to skate, his first hockey game, and even his first game in the National Hockey League. He remembers scoring his first goal and winning a championship. He realizes just how much he loves the game of hockey when suddenly he hears the click of the door and out come a few young children eager to begin their lessons with him. A smile creeps across his face as they skate toward him because for the next hour he gets to teach these kids about the game that has meant so much to him his entire life.

Sean Whyte, 36, has been involved in hockey from childhood, playing over 15 years professionally and is currently a coach and trainer at the Ozzie Ice Hockey Training Facility in Phoenix where he displays his other passion for teaching kids about the game he loves so much.

Whyte was born in Sudbury, Ontario Canada. In Canada, hockey is the national sport, bigger than football or baseball is in the U.S. Most kids dream of making it to the NHL, and Whyte was no different. Whyte learned to skate at the age of 7, which is very late in Canada. At 8, he joined a league and his career in hockey began.

Despite his late start, Whyte was able to excel since he had been playing street hockey beforehand. He credits his success to his parents.

“They were amazing, supportive and always there,” says Whyte. “My dad even served as team manager for some of my games.”

On his way to the NHL, Whyte had a few role models. He often looked up to Darryl Sittler, who was the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the late 1970s and early 80s, because he was an “electric type of player.” Like many who play hockey, Whyte also looked up to Wayne Gretzky, arguably the greatest player ever to play in the NHL. His other role model was his father.

Whyte never doubted making the NHL, but never dwelled on it either.

“I can only control the effort I give,” says Whyte. “As long as I give it all that I got, whatever happens, happens.”

Whyte worked his way up and, after playing junior hockey primarily in Owen Sound, was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings with the 165th pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.

Whyte would play with the Kings for 21 regular season games spanning from 1991-1993, registering two assists. One of his fondest memories while playing in the NHL was his first game.

“During the National Anthem, I had chills running down my spine for the entire anthem,” says Whyte. “If you can’t get pumped for a game like that, you have no pulse.”

Whyte also enjoyed the chance to play with players such as future Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille, Tony Granato and one of his role models, Wayne Gretzky. Playing with Gretzky was “awesome” says Whyte. “I was amazed at how down to earth he was even with his success.”

Most of Whyte’s professional career was spent playing in the minors. He experienced great success during his 15 year career, playing in over 1,032 games, registering 339 goals and 530 assists for 869 points.

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	'The pleasure I get out of watching young hockey players learn and develop in a sport that I love is something that can’t be measured...'
	— Sean Whyte, Trainer
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Whyte led the Roadrunners in scoring in the 1991-92 season and was also an IHL All-Star. When the Roadrunner franchise folded following the 1995-96 season, the fans honored Whyte by naming him to the All-Time Roadrunner All-Star Team as top right-winger.

Whyte returned to Phoenix in 1997 with the Phoenix Mustangs. During his four seasons with the Mustangs he also served as the club’s assistant coach, which was something he planned to do in the future.

“It worked out so that I could get into the management side of hockey, which was appealing because I ultimately wanted to be coaching hockey,” says Whyte.

Whyte played for the Mustangs until the 2001 season. He helped them win a championship in the 2000 season. Whyte was forced to retire after the 2001 season due to four major surgeries spanning over the last two years of his career. “My body told me it was time to find a less physically demanding job,” says Whyte.

Aside from playing in the NHL, Whyte also played six years of professional roller hockey. He played with the Phoenix Cobras in 1994-1995 and the Anaheim Bullfrogs from 1996-1999, winning two championships during that span. He also won a Gold medal with Team Canada at the 1998 IIHF In-Line World Championships.

Since he retired, he went back to school and received his Bachelor’s of Science degree from DeVry University. He owns a hockey school in Canada, and coaches youth hockey in the Valley. He also received his Master’s certification in coaching from USA Hockey.

Whyte has been coaching and training for 22 years now. Whyte at this time is coaching a Squirt A team and Peewee A team at Ozzie Ice Hockey Training Facility.

He is an assistant coach for Horizon High School and helps out with a Mite B team. He also runs the youth and adult leagues at Ozzie Ice in addition to various camps and clinics.

“The pleasure I get out of watching young hockey players learn and develop in a sport that I love is something that can’t be measured,” says Whyte. “I would like to turn around and help kids with something that meant so much to me in my life.”

Whyte plans on coaching for as long as possible, saying that “I will coach until I am physically unable to or when it’s no longer fun.” He pauses for a moment, cracks a smile and says, “The latter will never happen, though.”