Meet Mitchell ice hockey coach Dave Beaudin

PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Coach Dave Beaudin may have only been the Head Hockey Coach for three years at Mitchell High School, but his coaching experience spans nearly four decades. Having been raised by a father who played hockey professionally for 18 years in three different countries (Canada, United States and Europe), it was only natural that he begin playing at a young age. When Dave was seven, he began his hockey career in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He participated in the Provincial Championships and was a Swiss League Champion during his youth, and then played Junior Hockey in Canada, earning a Division 1 college scholarship to The Ohio State University. After a short minor league career and unfortunate injuries, Dave started his first coaching job in 1988. The National Hockey League (NHL) Expansion and his grass roots hockey position led him to the Tampa Bay area in 1992.

At Mitchell High, the team’s success relies on them playing a structured defensive and offensive system.

“Our most memorable moment was winning the 2022 Florida State Championship,” says Coach Beaudin. “The event was played in Orlando, and after winning four games, the team took home the State Title with a 4-1 win over Steinbrenner High School.”

The team is comprised of players from not only Mitchell High School, but also Sunlake High School. Their program has won six State Titles and 1 National Title (2016). One alumnus, Nathan Smith, plays in the Top League in the World (NHL) and another, Lucas Sowder, plays NCAA DIV 1 College hockey. The team plays a 22 game Varsity season in the Tampa Bay area, practicing at TBSA in Oldsmar.

Through all the successes, the team hasn’t gone without a disappointing loss. It is during those times that Coach Beaudin uses the opportunity to encourage the players by reminding them of all the positive takeaways from the game. “It’s about the short-term memory,” he explains. “That is why the rearview mirror is much smaller than the windshield.”

For Coach Beaudin, there have been many remarkable and proud moments throughout his coaching career. However, to that he says, “It is never about the wins or the tournament championships; it’s about bringing young men and women into battle and making sure they enjoyed the moment and the memories made from the competition.”

One of Coach Beaudin’s biggest life lessons he’s gained from being a coach is that there are many types of young adults, and they all learn via different methods. “I have learned to listen and recognize each individual’s behaviors both on and off the ice,” he says. “Then I put them into situations they can be successful at.”

If he could leave behind one legacy to those he has coached it would be that they remember him as a person that stands behind his word, no matter how harsh or easy the situation was. “My passion for this sport is my calling card,” says Coach Beaudin.

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