What Hockey has Taught me
Hockey is more than a game.
Hockey taught me many things I know today about life and overcoming fears and more prominently adversity.
In the game of hockey many would describe a shift as 30 to 45 seconds of hard competition and grit. But not me. A shift is more than hard work and grit it's an opportunity to play the game I grew up loving. These 30 to 45 seconds are apart of life whether the shift is won or lost - it's a way to evaluate how you did and to prepare yourself for the next shift. The outcome of the shift is dependent upon you and your teammates. In just one shift there are 5 other players on the ice to support you - in life this situation happens everyday. You are continously apart of a team who is willing to support you at work or at home - you just don't realize it. In just one shift there may be anywhere from 1 to 15 plus battles and the outcome may not be in your favor, but life doesn't stop. You find a way to win these battles and from there you find another way to create opportunities. The countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears put into the game to play just one shift is pure and utter determination and outside of hockey we call this life. At any given moment, a shift may be taken away from you, but life doesn't stop. This little game of hockey that became my life has taught to take nothing for granted and when you are kicked down; to get back up. The battles, friends, and championships will all fade, but the progress you make as a person sticks. Learning to control what you are capable of controlling has helped me overcome many challenges in a shift and will be applicable to any life setting. Learning to communicate with others during battles and putting my mind to complete one more rep in the gym are steps I take to overcome dissapointment and let downs. Kelly Clarkson says it best, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."