So many players and parents are wasting time. Not planning properly, not training properly, over thinking everything to a point where they become paralyzed and unable to make the right decisions or create the right plan.
Noise, whether it is someone talking you to death, or the white noise of endless emails to filter through, can leave you completely stranded, and not knowing what to do or when to act. Every day, panic begins to set in around every decision you have to make.
Is this the right camp? But this other camp is happening at the same time and I am invited to both camps, what do I do? What about this showcase? Or that showcase? But the coach says I have to play spring hockey, what if I don’t?
How are we going to be able to afford all of these camps? How can we afford all this travel? Do we take out loans? Max out credit cards?
Did they really scout me last season? Is this a real opportunity? What if I chose the wrong camp? How many openings are there on the team? How many other players will be at the camp?
The list of questions can continue on for days and days. Indecision, paralysis, lost opportunity, missed opportunity and wrong opportunity are all pitfalls of time wasting.
This time of year I get tons of emails and phone calls. Some searching for an adviser, and some searching for free advice. Everyone searching for answers.
The other day I had a call with a family, that had contacted me a year ago. Very nice family, and a player I had seen play the year before who has some talent, and some potential to play NCAA hockey. Average grades, average test scores.
The year before, they contacted me and wanted assistance with placement. They decided not to hire me and go it alone for one more year. They picked their team, and spent a lot of money going to camps and on tuition when the player went to Tier 3. The year in Tier 3 produced no results, and provided little opportunity because the Tier 3 team had 30 players rostered, and this player did not get the playing time he needed.
So this year, after a completely wasted year, we talk again. Only now, it is the last year of junior hockey for this player in the upcoming season. Now things are even more urgent. Yet, still even after a second call, and a week of waiting and indecision, the player and parents are still “thinking”. Meanwhile, a week in the most important off season of his career has passed by without a plan.
Now, a week is normally not a long period of time. But a week of having no noise, and a clear mind being able to focus on a plan, is a priceless tool that brings a calm to everyone involved. Calm, clear, educated decision making would allow this player to avoid the mistakes of the past.
A week gets dozens of contacts made, and crucial information obtained. A week can secure a roster spot or a main camp invite. A week can make dozens of teams aware and interested in a player that may not have known was an option before.
In a week, during recruiting season, roster spots are filled pretty quickly when you are looking at quality organizations. Quality organizations can and will be very selective in their team building process, but if you have not made yourself available and known to them, then you simply don’t get to participate in the process.
In mid April, it is time to start taking advantage of your time, and to stop wasting time. Opportunities can be gone in a matter of hours if you are not in the conversation, you wont even know what you missed.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
