The Year of Uncertainty

Don’t let the season of uncertainty define you and your path in the game. Control what you can control. Your compete level, self-confidence will define you more than you might think in the year of uncertainty. 

Don’t worry about your skill, it will be on full display, just remember to play to your identity, work hard and don’t try to do too much.

In the year of uncertainty your character, pride and other intangibles will become more evident than ever, a matter of fact it has already jumped off the page. 

I realize the pressure and expectations are astronomical, I realize that, but that’s all out of your control. As the pressure and expectations mount your passion and love for the game will deepen. Things happen for a reason and unfortunately, we had no control over what has happened this season. Don’t let this season define you as a player or person, if anything this year has and will continue to define your resiliency and character. 

Even if you don’t think you have, you have grown as a player and person more this year than probably ever before. The game means more to you now than you ever thought imaginable. 

Trust the process, trust yourself and your feelings. 

By now you understand the things that matter most in your life. 

All the sacrifices you have made and hours of practice will pay off. 

Don’t let the pressure to perform erode your passion and love for the game. 

The hours of thought, anticipation and reflection may have taken a toll on your psyche, but through it all you have done your best to persevere. You’re more persistent than you think.

You have grown in so many ways. You have probably dealt with a rollercoaster of emotions and that’s ok. It’s ok, not be ok, with everything that has gone on. 

It’s ok to talk about it, it’s ok to ask questions and seek help. The uncertainty and the unknown have been hard for everyone to come to terms with. Hockey is on the horizon. Normalcy is on the horizon. 

Remember you are not alone in all of this. Reach out and talk to someone, reach out and talk to your teammates, friends and family. Reach out to those that know you best. Don’t let this season define you. 

The feelings of doubt and apprehension you might be experiencing are perfectly normal, but you are ready, you are more prepared than you think to confront the challenge, pressure and high expectations. 

You will face adversity upon your return to the game, it’s inevitable, no one is perfect, you can’t play perfect and mistakes will happen, it’s how you handle and deal with those minor temporary setbacks that will ultimately tell this chapter of the story. Every shift counts, every practice counts, every game counts. Don’t let your negative thoughts sabotage your path. 

Don’t let the season of uncertainty define you as a player or person. Trust the process, trust yourself your feelings and skill. 

Hockey is on the horizon in the year of uncertainty.