Every year about this time, my phone starts ringing and emails start coming in. Players and parents wondering what to do for next season. This year its a little more crazy than in years past because of COVID, so there is a little more strategic and time sensitive planning involved.
But there are always a few things that never change. One of those critical things is what I believe is the most obvious, but the most ignored.
If you want to get to the next level, you have to act like you are already there.
What do I mean by that? I mean its time to get serious, and put all the stupid stuff aside. Its time to either become a hockey player or continue to be a guy that just plays hockey. There are big differences between those to players.
If you are a AAA player looking to play junior, then do what the top junior players do. Eat right. Train right. Sleep.
If you are a Tier III player hopping to make the jump to Tier II, then you better do what the top Tier II and Tier I players are doing. Clearly what you have been doing has not worked, so why would you repeat what you have done?
You do not see the top players walking around dressed like homeless people. You do not see them dressing like wanna be rappers. You do not hear them talking like high school dropouts in public. You do not see them using tobacco in public. You do not see them using alcohol and drugs.
You don’t see top players skipping gym times. You do not see top players putting garbage into their body’s when they are eating. You do not see them staying out all night.
Great players have great habits. This is a fact.
Great players eat properly, sleep properly, and spend twice as much time in the gym as they do on the ice.
Great players dress professionally, speak professionally, and spend extra time studying and watching film to improve their game.
Players who want to become the best player they can possibly be, do what the great players do. They don’t have to be told to do it.
If you want to become the best player you can possibly be, develop great habits. If you want to get to the “next level”, act like you belong there.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
