Playing youth sports as a kid growing up is often the best years of one’s young life. The friends you make, the lessons you learn and the competition you endure are all part of it.

If you’re lucky enough in the process, you’ll come across a coach or two that will really make an impact on your life. Sometimes that coach might be even be your parent.

Sure, it’s happened before in the ranks of college and even the pros, but as you get older and move higher up in the chain of sports, your less likely to come across a scenario where a player is coached by their parent.

But that scenario has come to fruition after the Jets announced Monday that they’ve added former pro Dave Lowry to their coaching staff for the 2020-21 season.

Dave is the father to Jets forward Adam Lowry.

But before the elder Lowry could sign on the dotted line and formally accept his new role, he needed one stamp of approval.

"We had to have Adam's blessing on it. I'd totally understand if he wasn't comfortable with me coming in and being part of the staff, this wouldn't have been something I continued to pursue,” Dave said Monday on a call with the media. “With Adam's blessing, I recognize that he's an established player in the National Hockey League, and it should be an easy transition."

Lowry is no stranger to the NHL as he’s appeared in 1084 NHL games across 19 seasons. He also spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Flames and two with the Kings.

While the opportunity to coach his son surely played a factor in Lowry’s decision, getting the opportunity to coach alongside some hockey minds he really respects was important to him.

"It’s a great opportunity, I look at the staff that’s in place and an opportunity to come in and work with Paul Maurice, I look at his resume, his pedigree, along with Jamie Kompon, Charlie Huddy and Wade Flaherty and this is a great opportunity,” Lowry said.

“I think I’m no different than any other coaches. When you get an opportunity to come in and be a part of a staff where you can continue to learn, that’s something that is really exciting and that drew me closer to this opportunity.”

Lowry last coached his son during the NHL lockout in the 2004-05 season. Although it’s been 15 years since he last coached Adam, Lowry doesn’t see this go-around being an issue at the NHL level.

“I look at it that we’re both professionals. I’m a coach, he’s a player and that’s the way this works,” Dave said. “I know that early on there might some different looks he might give me and whatever, but this is something we’ve talked about and are both comfortable doing. It’s something we’re gonna enjoy.”

The potential for some uncomfortable moments on and off the ice are certainly there. Adam has just one year remaining on his current contract and how much of a factor his father being behind the bench plays into his pending free agency remains to be seen.

“I don’t think me being on the bench, or his contract status, I don’t think I have anything to do with it,” Dave said. “Adam’s gotta go out and be the best player that he can be. Our expectation is you need him to be good to win, and that is a challenge that will present to him on a daily basis.”

Lowry spent last season as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings and was planning on returning for the upcoming WHL season which is set to begin in January. But a simple phone call from Maurice changed everything for him.

“This came right out of the blue. I got a phone call from Paul wondering if I would have interest in coming in and talking to him and seeing if this would be a fit,” Lowry said.

“Paul and I had talked I think it was four years ago when the NHL Draft was in Buffalo and he had approached me and asked if I would have any interest. We mutually agreed at that point in time that this wasn’t the right fit. I felt and Paul felt that Adam wasn’t an established player in the NHL and he was still finding his way. We left it at that. Four years later, he’s a solid NHL player, he’s established himself in the NHL and that’s what allowed this opportunity to come to fruition.”

Both Lowry’s hope to bring the Jets much success in the upcoming season, a season that remains without a start date.

Join the Discussion: » 115 Comments » Post New Comment

» Jets sign Neal Pionk and Andrew Copp

» Jets re-sign Logan Stanley

» Free Agency Day Live Blog

» Jets re-sign Paul Stastny, trade for Capitals' Brenden Dillon

» Jets draft Chaz Lucius with 18th overall pick