Taking a Hit To Make A Play

Defencemen are always taught to look over their shoulder while heading back to retrieve a puck in their own zone.

It’s entrenched in the DNA and soul of every defender.

Some D-men are graceful, some are cautious, some are very methodical, some hesitate, some rely on their instincts, while others just don’t care. They all have skills, different tactics and options, but when it all boils down to it, they all have one objective, to get the puck out of the zone.

I’ve been trying to take every approach imaginable the last few years when it comes to the world of journalism and sports reporting. I’ve been plotting my way through, trying to get the story out while always checking over my shoulder.

As a defenceman I was always taught to look over my shoulder and assess the situation.

Sometimes you make the right play, sometimes the intended play was the right play to make, but it simply doesn’t work out and sometimes you just get burned.

When the puck is on your stick the decision is yours, but it drastically effects everyone else on the team or those that are close to you.

To be honest, I’m sick and tired of looking over my shoulder and trying to stick handle through traffic, but I understand my role.

Sometimes I feel like taking the easy way out and firing it high off the glass, but that’s not the right play to make and that’s not what I was taught to do.

As a defenceman the first thing that I was taught, was to make a solid first pass. To move the puck, to tell the truth, to make that pass no matter what.

Whatever you do, you have to make that pass. That’s your job, that’s what we were trained to do.

Right from wrong, right or wrong, making that first pass is the essence of the position, it’s the truth and the great divider of fact and fiction.

When push comes to shove do you have it in you to write what you know is true? When push comes to shove can you take a hit to make a play? Can you handle all the negativity and criticism that comes your way?

Can you handle all the negativity and criticism when you make the first pass, or chose to go up the middle or high off the glass?

I’ve learned a lot as writer and defenceman over the years. I’ve learned you always have options, but you always have to keep checking over your shoulder.

Sometimes you’re the last one back and you have to be careful which decision you chose to make or take.

Sometimes you have to be careful when the puck is on your tape or when you want to hit the publish button and you’re at the mercy of everyone else’s take.

At the end of the day that’s my decision to make.

I don’t want to hurt my team in any way, maybe it’s time to go out off the glass, to always make the easy play.

Maybe I’ve proved my point enough, I can take a hit to make a play.