It is the greatest game on earth. Some of us dedicate our entire lives to learning, playing and coaching the game at many levels. We hold its traditions close to the heart and pass them along to our children and those we teach. It is a joy to play and be around, for some it is as close to a religion and the rinks are the temples of worship.
Player have been protecting and standing up for each other on the ice since the game was invented. We do this whether we like the team mate personally or not because it is a matter of honor. The team is like a brotherhood, and we don’t always have to like our brother but we must always stand beside him.
Why then are so many player abandoning their responsibility to their team mate when it come to the off ice behavior?
Do our responsibility end when we leave the rink? No. Do you responsibility to your sibling end when they walk out the front door?
To be sure it is a complicated world and pressure on young people is much different than it was even just a few year ago. Pressure to perform on the ice and in the school is greater when you have high expectation place upon you by yourself and other.
It is easy to succumb to the pressure. It is only natural to find the escape from the pressure some time. No one want to live under a microscope, and no one want to fell like they have weight of world on their shoulder.
Too often these day, player, coaches, friend and even parent are letting each other down. The tragedy are found in the news all the time these day. Player deaths, arrests, and other issues that can ruin lives or in the least complicate life for many year to come.
Is it not our responsibility to talk to each other to keep someone from making a mistake? “Hey Jim, don’t smoke the pot man it not good for you.” “Hey John don’t drink the booze and drive.”
Something as simple as letting the person know you are actually looking out for them may help keep them from making a life altering or life ending mistake.
If we truly care about each other, we cant leave that care at the door when we leave.
Coach
