I want this website to be an honest outlet, something for athletes to relate to, so I do think talking about adversity and challenges are not only good for yourself, but for others as well. From the time I started playing hockey until my junior year of high school, I did everything within a 10 mile radius of my house (you’re welcome mom and dad). In my area I knew every kid, team, teacher, coach, you name it. So when when I got drafted into the USHL to the Dubuque Fighting Saints, I didn’t think much of it. My first thought to myself was oh, that’s cool, I don’t know much about junior hockey, let alone living in Iowa, so I’ll probably never go. I’ll stay at the prep school that was 10 minutes from my house and keep doing what I’m doing. Looking back at that time, the only real adversity I had had in my life was the first shoulder surgery that I had after my sophomore year. Although that was hard, it was all physical, and what kid 15/16 years old isn’t going to bounce back from some cuts and bruises.
As a junior in high school, I physically noticed how comfortable I was in my position. It was things like maybe I wasn’t preparing myself enough because I knew what to expect from a team or player. It may also have been a personal situation with my coach, Dana Barbin. I have the outmost respect for him, he is one of the most passionate, outgoing person to walk this Earth. I would do anything for that man to win. But the problem was, I had played baseball for him since I was 9 years old and he was now my high school hockey and baseball coach. We both knew exactly how one coached and played, so it was on cruise control. Sometimes you just need other perspectives on your play to reach your goals and get better. I don’t know exactly what it was, but something in my head clicked and I knew that getting out of my safety net was exactly what I needed.
My senior year of high school I joined the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL (Definitely enough to talk about at another time. In short, it was a great two years and not a biased opinion at all, but the best spot to play junior hockey). I think I'm a little biased. This first year was ultimately the hardest year mentally that I’d ever had to deal with in that point in my life, but it was the most important one to this day. Going into the year I knew maybe two or three guys, I think only one from New England as a whole. It started great you know, playing every game, going to high school in the mornings with hockey right after, being apart of a new place I’d never been, and living with a host family that I really enjoyed.
Fortunately, yes, this year is when I learn the business of hockey. I am blessed to have been showed this earlier than later. At the time, I wasn’t ready for it. I wanted to be, but I think a combination of being away from home and not playing consistently for the first time in my life was a combination I hadn’t foreseen. We had trades, guys come back from college, and just older guys playing really good hockey. That team in 2014-2015 I think to this day was one of the best teams I've been on (go look at the roster somewhere). Not only that, but was one of the closest teams, full of the best guys you could meet.
Sitting in the back seat while all you want to be doing is play and help your teammates is probably the worst feeling you can have, we know, everyone feels it. Not going to lie I definitely had doubts, got down in myself and showed it in poor body language, I just didn’t know how to handle it then. I'd never been exposed to it. However, it’s the single most important message and lesson I’d every received. It put everything In perspective for me. it popped the little bubble I was in, and honestly gave me the ability to develop mental toughness for quite a few more physical and mental bumps in the road to come. Sure I could have stayed at my school with my friends, team and been set. But getting a chance to be challenged and be confronted with adversity at such a young age was the best thing for me, and definitely would not have changed my decision knowing how tough it was at the time. It’s easy to be down on yourself and complain. The physical and mental aspect of your positive body language and attitude is infectious not only to yourself, but your teammates. Learning to stop and look at the bigger picture is a momentous skill, and the earlier you can develop it in your hockey career, or any career honestly, the more prepared and humbled you’ll be moving forward.
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