For the fun of the game

Well, young goalies, players with aspirations of NCAA scholarships, Olympic gold medals, and even NHL silverware, here’s what I have to say. First I make no claim to be a know-it-all but I will share some insight into what I have experienced.

I have had the opportunity to share the ice in my youth and junior hockey career with future Stanley Cup champions, Olympic Gold medalists, and some Norris Trophy winners. Now I coach against and with Olympians on the women’s side and I can tell you the dedication is no different.

The first point and this is the most important; set goals. Set goals that are attainable and you can measure your progress towards it. Is it reasonable to set a goal to have a 100% save percentage for the season? Probably not. How about a goal to start in at least 30% of your teams games next season? That is one that is measurable and you can have ‘steps’ to get there. Talk to your coach or goalie coach; ask him/her what you need to improve on to reach your goal. Most of them will tell you it is consistency and work ethic, which leads to my next point.

Every player and goalie, in fact athlete, strives to consistently perform at their best. The best goalies can go into every game and give their team a chance to win no matter how fatigued or sore they are. How do they get to that state of consistency? Simple, they train hard and push themselves harder than any coach or parent could. They don’t need a coach or parent yelling at them to do that extra rep or fight through the exhaustion. No, they are the ones that are the first on the ice and last off. They don’t know what it is to stop improving. After early morning practices, I would always stay out for an extra hour running myself though skating drills if nobody would stay out and shoot on me. Every day I was doing something to improve my game, whether it was stick handling with my blocker and glove on in my garage, or throwing a tennis ball against the wall and not stopping till I caught it 100 times in a row. Creating a consistent work ethic requires a lot of sacrifice of free time. You have to remember that there are kids all over the world doing exactly what you are doing at the very moment; striving for the spot that you want.

Staying positive and surround yourself in a positive environment is very important; especially for mental health. You will come across a lot of negativity in life and it is crucial to block out the negativity to stay on your path towards your goals. Keep filling your head with positive thoughts and visualize success. As corny as it sounds, it works. One of the most powerful phrases I used when I played was “I am a wall. That puck is mine and no one else’s”. Your brain needs exercise just as much as your body, so take the time during the day to visualize yourself playing a whole game. From start to finish, your whole pre-game routine right, to you celebrating with your teammates a victory. It works, trust me.

Lastly, and this is actually the most important part; have fun. Enjoy putting in the endless hours of practice, training, travelling, and sacrificing your free time. Hockey is the greatest sport in the world and you are one of the few that have the ability to play it. That’s right, it’s a sport! It is supposed to be fun. It is a very rewarding sport that will take you on journeys around the world and meet friends that share the same passion and love for it like you.

Again, I make no claim to know the secret to success in hockey. What I do know is that I have never regretted dedicating my life to hockey. It has taken me around the world, and created friendships that I will have a lifetime. It taught me to accept and learn from losses so I could cherish victories. I learned what it meant to be part of a ‘team’ and share the same goals with 20 individuals every season. I hope you too will find the sport as rewarding as I have and enjoy every moment you get to step out on that ice. Feel your skate blade engraving your stride into that frozen sheet, propelling you closer to your goals.

 

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