It’s that time of year, again. Inevitably, some of you didn’t make the team you had hoped. Some of you may have been cut. And even some of you have seemingly run out of options and now you’re wondering what the heck are you going to do next season.
Last year, I wrote an article called No,Really: It’s Never Too Late. I know many of you read it and took it to heart. Some have worked incredibly hard and reached a pivotal goal this year. Some worked hard and still haven’t gotten to where they want to be, and some have decided that where they ended up after cuts last year is where they really want to be after all.
So here we are again. Some of you are experiencing the heartbreak for the first time. If you still have high aspirations, I encourage you to read my article from last year. Because wanting to commit to becoming a high-level hockey player and actually committing are two very different things. But aside from the basics discussed there, I am going to touch on some controversial topics and give some kind of guidance based on my work with hundreds of hockey players, coaches, GMs and others in the industry.
Don’t Panic
It sounds like common sense, but really. There is absolutely no reason to panic. As one wise hockey mom with an 18U said to me a couple of weeks ago “Too many people are in too much of a hurry.” She’s right. I have bantams experiencing cuts for the first time. Even if there hadn’t been cuts, it’s the age where a kid’s motivation often takes off and everyone is anxious about where to play next season.
It may surprise you, but it doesn’t matter. Really. Where you play when you’re a bantam is inconsequential to your hockey career. First year or two of midget? It doesn’t really matter that much either. You may be down one level than you were last year, and that’s ok.
Now, your option may not be where you want to play. It may not be with your friends. It may be lower than you’ve ever played before. But in the long run, it just doesn’t matter. As I sat down to write this, I started thinking of examples of kids who took unconventional routes, and I realized that there isn’t a “conventional” route. Of all the players I’ve coached that are currently playing NCAA D1 or D3, almost all played more AA/High School than AAA, and some only Tier 3 Juniors. These aren’t exceptions to the rule – in fact the rule is that most kids who play AAA quit hockey after youth hockey, and if not then, after Juniors.
Ask any NHL player, current or past, and they will tell you they were cut at some point in their life. Many were undersized and played bantam “b” level at 13 or 14. It doesn’t mean your career is over, and it doesn’t mean you can’t play college hockey if that’s your goal.
So, What Next?
In the words of former Denver Hockey and current Air Force head coach Frank Serratori “Play where you’re wanted and play where you’re going to play.” It’s that simple. I’ll add one more suggestion, and say you want to be the best person on your team. That is what will get you noticed, and that will give you your pick of teams the following year.
I know many people will say you need to be challenged, and I agree to an extent. But nothing will get you noticed and raise your confidence like getting 100 or even 200 points in a season. The kids who stick around AA to have one killer year are the ones that fare the best in the end and quickly get to the same level in AAA. In other words, don’t worry about how good you think a team will or won’t be. Prioritize where the coach loves you, the ice time and hence, your development and performance.
Don’t get hung up on the letters.
This is another one not everyone will agree with me on, but it’s true. AA here may be like AAA somewhere else. And if you can dominate at AA, gain more power play and penalty kill experience, you’re far better off than sitting on the bench most of the game because you’re a fourth liner with no role on a AAA team. Development happens on the ice, not on the bench.
Don’t forget, although it’s much tougher you can still go through the high school ranks and get to Juniors and college. Being a top player on a varsity team in a top program gives you a good chance at a junior career and at least an NCAA DIII career. In fact, I know a kid who never played a day of AAA in his life, played only high school in Colorado and after Juniors got a full scholarship to a Division I program.
Don’t leave home until you’re ready.
This one is hard, but honestly, you’re only young once. Take the time to grow and mature at home before leaving. Moving away before you’re ready could be a disaster for some players and end your hockey career.
My one bit of advice before you commit to move far from home is do your homework. I mean, don’t just listen to employees of the organization, or go strictly by the coach’s playing resume. Talk to other players and their families. Ask people you trust if they know about the organization or their coaches. And don’t make an emotionally based decision because you’re feeling bad about yourself, and someone pays you some attention (this could be said about all facets of one’s life.)
Yes, each situation is different, and each kid is unique. But moving away should be based on the needs of the individual player, not how good the team is or where the coach played hockey.
Don’t burn bridges
I know you’re upset, and maybe angry. But don’t go into your exit interview with guns a blazing. Swallow your pride and get through it. Make sure you follow up with your exit interview and if something isn’t clear or you don’t understand, make them give you specific examples on how you can improve.
Going around complaining to every coach and family you know won’t get you anywhere. You know who you can vent to, and who can give you support, but in the end you have to suck it up and put a smile on your face. Every coach that is contacted doesn’t just want to know if you’re good. The one question all coaches are asked is if you’re a good kid. And that may be it.
It may not be fair. You may genuinely been a victim of politics. You may feel like a coach did a bait and switch on you. That all may be true but you have to grit your teeth and move forward. That’s the way the world works.
No one can get you there but you
I had a discussion with someone today who was wondering why some organizations were better at advancing players than others. They were really worried about what opportunities they might have had if they had chosen a different route.
The cold, hard truth is no one can advance you but you. Someone might be able to get your a tryout, or an invite or maybe even a draft pick but the only way you will make a team is if you’re good. If more kids are having success out of one organization it’s because the players in that organization are better, and would advance no matter where they played. It’s cliche, but if you take one thing away from this remember: You don’t need favors, and you don’t need exposure. If you are a great player, you will be found wherever you are. It’s honestly that simple.
Yes, there are injustices, but if you’re good, another door will open. And the only way to become that good is to want it so badly you’re willing to put hockey number one in your life. You have to make sure your level of commitment really matches up with your goals and you don’t go off the tracks every time something doesn’t go your way. Stay the course. Don’t worry about failure. Don’t hold back on commitment because you’re worried about “what ifs.” There is nothing that builds character and teaches us the lesson of hard work than learning to sacrifice for a chance at success.
So there you have it. I know it’s a lot to process, but hopefully your panic is at least lessened a little bit after reading. And if you got to the end of this article, you’ve already shown you’re ready for the work.
