Recipe for success is to
simply enjoy the game
By STEPHEN HEISLER
Florida Hockey Life
If ’ve learned anything over the last four years it has been to
move forward one day at a me while making the most of
every single day. That happens with age, or maybe it’s just the
fact that the maturaon process took a complete half century.
So maybe the thought that something ’m going to try and
say will actually sink into the young impressionable minds of today’s
hockey players is ludicrous. t amaes my own children that
so many hockey players do actually care about some of the things
that are said. That just tells me that maybe more of these kids
can take advantage of the eperience of the old fella now and
then.
unior hockey prospects and players have a tendency to
always be looking ahead, and that’s not a bad thing. t’s good
to have dreams, plans, and epectaons. Without them, what
would be the point
With that said, they should also appreciate, and make the
most of, every day of their career. A lot of players get distracted
from their primary goal of development, that’s to be epected
with young men in this age group, but they should also remember
to absorb and enjoy the process. These are the days that
create memories that will last a lifeme. Prospects should avoid
geng caught up with the scoresheet and learn to make the
most of every opportunity to hit the ice.
unior and college scouts and coaches look for players that
enjoy the game. Players that have a dicult me maintaining
emoonal control tend to get overlooked. Mistakes happen and
no player is absolutely perfect. The smart player is able to ush a
mistake and connue through the shi, period, and game. thers
have a dicult me overcoming a mistake and end up being
all but worthless for the rest of the shi and even period.
Each of the players’ body language is evident to every set of
eyes in the rink. t’s easy to idenfy the boys having a good me
because their body language tells the story.
Then there are those that foolishly try to tough it out and
play at less than 100.
Nobody is invincible. We all know the temptaon to try and
play through injuries. Pain is the body’s way of telling us to stop.
know guys want to play, but mortgaging the future to play at
less than 100 is simply foolish. There is not a single game at the
youth or junior level that is worth that risk.
There is also no such thing as accelerang the healing process.
No amount of magic cream, wishful thinking, and pain medica
on is going to get the player to 100 without conseuences.
There are no free rides when it comes to the body of world class
athletes. Let yourself get beer and avoid the oen catastrophic
temptaon to come back from
an injury too early.
can’t stand the concept
of the healthy scratch. Forget
that. get why there may be a
line of etra players at the pinnacle
of the sport, but there is
no reason players need to sit
at any lower levels of the developmental
system. Simply
said, healthy scratches are not
happy hockey players.
f geng scratched happens
to a player every fourth
game, get that. f it happens
to the same player two and
three games in a row, it’s me
to reuest a trade to a team
that needs the help. This is a
problem that does plague both
the youth and junior levels of
play. Meanwhile, teams are
folding le and right because
there is a lack of players. n