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Choices

Recently I spent a bit of time with my son who works with the Blues in St. Louis. And, fortunately I was able to take in a couple of NHL games plus spend some time around the rink.

It’s been a few years since I saw a live game and it didn’t disappoint.
  Not surprisingly, today’s game is incredibly fast.  Speed of puck movement, shot speed & accuracy are all at the highest level.  However, what impressed me most was how quickly players & goaltenders make decisions and choose between the available options. 
 
I’m sure some of what I saw is a product of the player’s individual experiences moving up through the hockey system, but you must believe that the majority of what we see is a direct result of an incredible amount of time spent practicing their skills, off season training, hard work and time management.
  And, this applies not only to reaching the NHL but also to staying there.  
 
On the trip back home, I mused about what I had seen and wondered what the impact would be if every goaltender could see what goes into a “day at the office” for a professional goaltender.
  How many would commit, and dedicate the time & resources necessary to become the best they could given any physical limitations.
 
Understand, hockey must and should always be fun and up to the point of a goaltender’s teen age years. Throughout those times, it’s all about developing the basic physical and mental skill requirements of the position. But, at some point after, things need to change (the fun still needs to remain though) for anyone who aspires to play at the highest level they can.
  
 
However, after all my years of working with goaltenders, it totally amazes me the numbers that appear to have absolutely no idea what it takes to be an elite athlete, and, more importantly, who don’t take the initiative to research & understand how to become one. 
 
When you consider we live in the information age, it’s really no ones’ fault but theirs.
  Perhaps they are just among the “want to; would like to; wish I could” group.  Or perhaps they just “follow the crowd” thinking that, if everybody else is doing it, it must be right.  Still, it disturbs me to see the talent wasted needlessly.  

I say, take responsibility for your development! Carve your own path! Lead the way!

 
At about this time I can hear people saying how much you will need to “sacrifice”.  And I remember using that word in my last e-mail.  But on reflection, I now believe this word is totally overused when it comes to explaining what is necessary to become an elite or above average athlete.
  “You need to sacrifice to be the best” is absurd.  It is only a “sacrifice” if you are giving up something and are not completely committed to the task.  There isn’t any “sacrifice” involved if you make a choice about what you want to do and ‘go for it”.
 
At the end of the day, our choices define us and ultimately will determine the level to which we will rise.
  MAKE GOOD CHOICES! 

"Grit" will get you there
Use being cut as motivation to improve

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