"Reading, watching and just helping out when I could," he said of his start.

Fortunately for other new coaches, help is coming.

USA Hockey InLine National Team coach Dan Brennan will be in Hawai'i next week to hold coaching clinics.

Brennan, who coached the USA National team to a gold medal in the 2004 International Ice Hockey Federation InLine Hockey World Championships in July, is here for his second clinic this year.

"He's a very good instructor, a very good person," said Kelly, who attended Brennan's clinic in March. "It's very important that we get folks like him, because we're limited as to what we start with."

Mites (age 8-under) and Squirts (10-under) are Oct. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Pee Wee (12-under) and Bantam (14-under) are Oct. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. Midgets (17-under) and Adults are Oct. 24 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. All sessions are at the Kamiloiki Rink in Hawai'i Kai.

Coaches, players, parents from any inline league and anyone interested are invited.

Kyle Kelly, 14, said he saw major improvements in his father's coaching style after the March clinic.

"He ran better drills; he's conditioning us better," Kyle said.

Brennan said this time he will concentrate on skill development, offensive play, how to floor check properly, how to transition in the neutral zone and how to kill penalties effectively.

"A little bit of strategy and skill," he said. "The skill part is so crucial; coaches need to understand that 60 percent (of practices) needs to be on skill."

He said with younger groups, the focus should be on skating and learning how to handle to puck, and only as players reach 10 or older should coaches teach systems of play.

Brennan said that when Hawai'i teams went to the USA Inline Hockey Championships, they saw a much higher skill level from their Mainland counterparts. But with effective coaching, Brennan said, Hawai'i's inline players can catch up.

"They have some good players (in Hawai'i), and once you develop good players, that's when you develop depth," Brennan said. "And that's when the talent grows."

Kyle Kelly saw first-hand the impact coaching has on players. His team, the Kane'ohe Midgets, went to the national tournament, but didn't win a game.

"We live in Hawai'i," Kyle said. "Coaches are OK, but when we went to nationals, coaches are a lot better there."

But he said the Hawai'i teams are improving, especially since Brennan's clinic in March.

"People have been passing to each other. They're not puck hogs," he said. "The skill level is way better."

Brennan said the clinics are not only for coaches and players, but for parents as well.

"Parents can come and ask me any questions they want," he said, "how to outfit their kids, where the development of their child is, why it is so important to not be in such a hurry to see your kids move up until they're emotionally and physically ready for it."

"I feel that with his experience and his background and that recent gold medal win in the world championships, I'm hoping the coaches will come to the clinic with an open mind," said Merl Yoshimoto, OIHL director. "He has the ability to communicate very well and I feel he will make a difference."

Note: The OIHL fall season is under way, but the spring season starts in January.