Hockey is not just a game; it’s a passion, an opportunity. It’s a chance to step out on the ice and for the next three periods, nothing else in the world matters. For me, there's something intrinsic about the game, the smell, the sound, and the feel of the ice. HSE hockey is not just a team; it’s a fraternity, a brotherhood, where the members can form a lifelong bond that will help us grow and develop into young men.
I love the game of hockey, I love playing hockey, I love talking hockey, and I love thinking hockey. I truly eat, sleep and breathe the game. Growing up, hockey was just a game I played because I was good at it. I enjoyed it, and I was typically able to be one of the better players on the ice. I began to take it for granted that I could show up to the rink and be one of the best in the game. When I arrived at HSE and skated for Coach Berger for the first time, this feeling immediately changed. I quickly turned from the AAA Checkers star, to the young sophomore who had to battle for every minute of ice time I received. This game that I loved had changed from a past time to a privilege. This couldn’t have been better for me; it completely changed my attitude towards the sport and my life. Often time people would ask me what I would be doing for the weekend and my typical response would always be, “I have hockey this weekend.” Normally they would follow up with, “Oh that sucks,” or “Have fun with that”, and I would just think to myself, “Why,” and “Actually I will.” I look forward to the weekends, not to go out and party and make bad decisions, but to play the sport I love.
Over the past three years HSE hockey has been a home, not only to me but to my family as well. The program has helped us through much adversity, and in times of need they’ve stepped up and given us the support we needed that aided us in getting through it. The way they’ve looked out for the families and players in the program has taught me that everything is not always about me, it’s about a team, and we’re all in this together. I’ve seen many players skate through this program and all of them have influenced me in various aspects of life. No matter what the effect, they have all taught me an extremely valuable lesson. I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated. Players often think that they are, as coach would say, “Bigger than the logo,” and I’ve learned that this can be a fatal mistake. In watching all the mistakes made by myself and others, I’ve learned that the consequences just aren’t worth it. You can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life, and at this age, why bring that upon yourself?
Last season our program took a hit like nothing I’ve ever felt before. This hit has changed me forever, and has completely altered my point of view towards life. Next to my bed doesn’t sit an alarm clock or a reading lamp, but instead rests party pants, a lighter, necklaces, t-shirts, and other memorabilia that I’ve collected that remind me of a friend that I cherished dearly. We lost not only a teammate, but a very special person who had high expectations of himself and of others; someone that I will never forget. All of the accolades and honors you win cannot replace a special life cut so short. I am blessed to have learned from and have had a friend such as Steve. He taught me humility and integrity which will never be lost. When I go to bed at night after a good game or bad, it doesn’t matter because I can always look over and see I have a friend right by my side. No matter what the situation, he will always be there to lift me up.
The last three years both on and off the ice have been some of the most influential years of my life. I’ve have developed a lifelong bond with so many different people which have taught me how to become a better man. As I look across the locker room and the names run through my mind, I think of all the memories of both successes and failures that we have shared. These moments have written a chapter of my life that’s almost over, and I know I will never feel like this again.
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