Klepper’s Korner w/Ty Robinson:

This is posted on the Vipers website:

Klepper’s Korner w/Ty Robinson

September 30, 2019

Ty Robinson – Coming On Strong – By Don Klepp

Hockey trainers do a lot more than skate sharpening and laundry. A lot more! The job is multi-faceted and demanding, even for a veteran trainer. So, Ty Robinson faced challenges when he joined the Vipers as a 20-year-old last season.

Ty did know what he was getting into. From age 9 to age 14, he shadowed his father, Colin “Toledo” Robinson, who is in his 15^th season as the head equipment manager and athletic trainer for the Kamloops Blazers WHL team.

Then, for the next four years young Ty worked as the equipment manager for the Kamloops Storm Junior B team. The Storm lacked the resources of a WHL or BCHL squad, so Ty had to improvise a lot. He says, “A little tape and a lot of elbow grease can go a long way!”

Ty’s passion for the job and his upbeat attitude are obvious when he talks about his role with the Vipers. Jason McKee, Viper Head Coach and GM, has noted these traits: “Ty’s a positive guy and he brings energy to the room. These are important traits for a trainer.”

Coach McKee also points to Ty’s development in his fledgling career: “He’s come a long way in a year. He’s on the right trajectory and getting very good at his trade.” Ty acknowledges that Coach McKee has been very helpful in providing direction about the way the team wants things done.

Ty sees himself in a long term career as an equipment manager and trainer. In addition to getting a break when the Vipers took a chance on him, he points to the things he learned at this past summer’s Hockey Canada U-16 camp. “It was a great opportunity,” he says, “where I met a lot of great people, and learned a lot of new skills. I was the only CJHL trainer to be invited, which was an honour for me.”

Ty says that the most interesting and demanding part of his role is how he deals with team members, especially the players. “Learning to manage different personalities has been a big thing for me. Everyone’s different, with diverse kinds of needs, and there are different ways of getting guys to help with the work of moving equipment. No one person can load the bus by himself, so the guys have to help.”

“Luckily, we have a great group of guys, a lot of guys pulling on the rope, the veterans as well as the rookies. We have a good culture already; everybody helps instead of placing the burden on the rookies and me alone.”

When questioned, the players say that they relate well to Ty because he’s roughly their age and because of his personality. Ty says that he likes “to be a glue guy in the room, helping everybody stay loose and happy.” Also he’s often a sounding board for players to express their feelings and frustrations. He explains that “Players can’t always go to the coach with their concerns. I like to be there for players when they’re going through things.”

Ty is bullish on this year’s team. “It’s a young team but they can really skate and they create a lot of chances. It’s just a matter of time before those chances start going in. When the guys gain more confidence around the net, we’re going to be hard to beat.”