Hockey naturally develops Character

Quick Shot: Hockey naturally develops Character not just well paid NHL Characters

" Character "

Retired NHL Player, Adam Graves embodied Character, both on and off the ice.  He has served his Team, his Family and continues to serve through several Community-based Foundations.

 “Talent is a gift, but Character is a choice”, John C. Maxwell

Professional hockey players are undoubtedly talented and have been described as larger-than-life “gladiators on ice”.  For generations, many of us have heard Radio and T.V. Broadcasters describe hockey players as super-human; and Games between rival foes, as “legendary” and “historical”.  We grew up hearing our Coaches, parents, grand-parents; siblings and teammates describe allegiance and loyalty to a specific NHL® Team or player, with the kind of passion and reverence generally reserved for loved ones and royalty.  In our youth, some of us had out-loud and living-dreams, about someday wearing the colours of our favourite Team; and of being the lucky player to score the winning goal in a World Championship or in the dying seconds of a Stanley Cup Final.  Remember those days?

The Characters in Hockey we have created grow in fame and fortune in part because we idolize them; some of us in fact aspire to be just like them.  If dreaming BIG is what keeps us reaching, then in the world of Sport, the NHL® Hockey Players provide the Youth of yesterday and today, a giant-sized reach for tomorrow.

Between daydreams in high school, I myself wondered why we were forced to learn half of the material presented to us in the required English and History classes.  My own father, a librarian and English teacher was forever exposing me to funny sayings and stories about historical people, including Socrates.  My father often tricked me into learning by telling me the characters in books and historical figures were big hockey fans.  Socrates of course wasn’t a hockey fan at all, but he did say this about thinking BIG.

Socrates said:

“We cannot live better than in seeking to become better”

If aspiring to do something (anything) is an essential element of success, then dreaming and daydreaming about becoming a pro athlete is an excellent early training exercise for thinking about and reaching far beyond a current position, rank or order in life.  If managed well, I believe the net result of thinking big in our Youth can be a very healthy, and well fed self esteem; which will predictably produce an adult with high self-esteem.  People with high self esteem and confidence in themselves, have a distinct advantage in life because they and we believe we can achieve and accomplish anything in life.  These same people can and do persevere to become the leaders in Communities; Churches; schools; and sporting associations.  In short, these people naturally do things that matter in life.

Terry Orlick, a published Researcher, Professor and Author has conducted thousands of hours of interviews over a 25-year period with successful people and Performers from many different pursuits including astronauts, fighter pilots, surgeons, musicians, business leaders and of course hockey players.  He has identified “seven critical elements of excellence” and found “belief and commitment to be at the hub and heart of excellence”. Belief in oneself and belief in one’s own ability to accomplish a task, or meet a goal is a driver of any process, and in Sport, Terry Orlick has identified “Belief” to be the most important driver, as it fuels Commitment which in turn cranks what he calls an entire “Excellence wheel”. (Source: Zone of Excellence, Terry Orlick) 

In my own experience, I learned to believe in myself when opportunity presented itself in hockey, which I understand to be where I started to really form my own self-esteem, self-image and confidence.   Character-building opportunities come quick and often during the course of a hockey game and even in a practice; the moment can be as simple as completing a drill, or having a good shift; sometimes scoring a goal and other times taking a hit for someone so he or she can advance play. In all cases, being recognized and rewarded with something as simple as a nod from a Coach or a pat on the backside from a teammate, as signs of acknowledgement, are the seeds that nurture our belief in ourselves which I have discovered, naturally feeds our self esteem, confidence and “self-belief”.

The “Characters of Hockey” have changed over the years and in my own past, the cast of Characters included the likes of Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Gordie Howe, and Bobby Orr to name a few. From the memorable 1972 Summit Series many of us remember Ken Dryden vs. Vladimir Tretiak, and from Canada, Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur, Darryl Sittler, and of course Paul Henderson.  Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and the more modern day heroes and NHL Characters, my own kids tell me include the likes of Sidney Crosby, Steve Stamkos, Corey Perry, and Alex Ovechkin. Modern day characters and characters from a different era are all overshadowed however, by one constant throughout the Generations:

One constant of Hockey is it’s ability to develop Character in people and NOT just NHL mythological Characters.

See ya at the rink,
 Jody Anderson

@DoctorJody
#Hockey MATTERS

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The Character of a Person

 

QUICK SHOT: At the professional level, Scouts and Coaches often look for “Players with Character”.  Teams that succeed in any sport are reported to have a bench “deep in talent, character and heart”.  It has been said that hockey breeds “character” into the DNA of the people who play, and those who have played it long enough understand what that might mean to them.  Those who are new to the Game or who have never played the Game, may know amateur and professional hockey players, who are known to possess a strong work ethic and if they have been well-coached and they invested in the learning process, they will likely possess an obvious “character”.

Long Version: One of my own favourite intangible things about hockey is its ability to naturally develop “character” in its participants, and the type of character that best-selling author James A. Michener describes:

“Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries”

I met with Todd Warriner, a retired NHL player and former 1st Round Jr. A prospect recently, who says this:

“In the pool of highly-skilled and talented players, it is grit that is often the singular factor that stands out to the Scouts, Coaches and Organizations at the Junior and Professional levels”.

Todd Warriner

Hockey is sometimes pretty and always gritty; and it is grit, I believe that helps us keep our chins up through life’s adversity.  Grit, perseverance and stick-with-it-ness, as Don Cherry calls it, are enough to accomplish almost anything in life, and without any of those ingredients, it is fair to estimate failure to be the more likely outcome.

I believe the Hockey Playing Nations around the world, are special in part because the societies built around Sports like hockey, create “hockey people” who possess a special kind of “heart”, and character; and a unique grit that supports, promotes and ensures their survival and success because of related undeniable, palpable inner strength.

Professional Hockey Players are human, which, by definition means they are flawed like all humans.  Character development in all people, including rising sports stars must be nurtured, monitored, and managed.  Behaviour regulation strategies throughout any young person’s development are key components that help hockey players retain composure and level headed-ness, on and off the ice.  This one skill is vital in hockey for its absence, results in very negative on-ice consequence.  This skill of composure developed by all hockey players who play a type of game that enables them to play for any length of time, converts naturally to success in life, and well outside the arena of hockey.

It is vital that leadership on Teams and in Sport Organizations at the Youth Levels, be aware they are often the early, and primary source of good, and bad behaviour role models.  It is clear from volumes and decades of research that humans, especially impressionable children and young adults learn by example; in fact scientists have determined that our brains become programmed through its “mirror neurons” which have influence on our behaviour. Monkey see. Monkey Do! 

Our early Coaches and Teams have a significant influence on our future, both on and off the ice.  In my own case I can honestly say that I learned important life lessons simply by playing The Game; and sometimes because of what the Coaches said to me and more often, what they didn’t have to say because of what I believed was expected of me by the Standards they set early.  Standards of excellence and, of character are naturally engrained into hockey players and it is in these types of intangible hockey traits, many players would agree, we (hockey players) have a distinct advantage in life; in the classroom; at our place of employment; when raising kids; and within our Communities.
 
Message to our Hockey Leaders and Parents: If we, the leaders live with “good character”, then our Youth athletes will inherit the same behaviour patterns.  The opposite is also true.  Your players and players within your entire Organizations are watching your every move.  You are a big reason I committed to schooling; because you told me to believe in myself when I was a Youth Hockey player, and you told me, and I believed you, that I could do anything I put my mind to.   You are the reason this book is possible.  Thank you Coaches, Volunteers and Parents of Hockey.

Message to all Players of all ages:  We the Leaders and Parents care about you and your future. We promise to do our best and to lead by good example. Believe in yourself and you will become the leaders of tomorrow.  The character you develop as a hockey player will become the biggest Award you earn from hockey and it is this one prestigious Award that you will all carry for the rest of your life.  Be proud of being a hard worker; be proud of who you are; understand that hockey players have an advantage in life because we are hard workers; Play hard; Play fair and always believe that you can do anything you put your mind to and invest enough energy into.

See ya at the rink,
Jody Anderson

@DoctorJody
#HockeyMATTERS

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