Becoming a hockey player was not the easiest thing I had done in my life but it was surely the most rewarding one. The journey began in 2002 when my parents enrolled me in a “Can Skate” program. I ended up on my A#S more than on my feet but in the end it all paid off. It taught me something earlier on at a young age: never to give up. … More Late Bloomer by Angelos Tsalafos
I know, this all sucks. Everyone, in some way shape or form, has been affected by recent events. For the next few minutes, I want to help. I can’t do much, this I know. But what I can do- what sport can do- is distract. For the next couple of minutes, I’d like to distract you by telling a story- a story of how a hockey championship was won in the year 2020. But the story is about more than just a playoff run, more than even a season. It is about climbing the mountain of hockey- the joy, elation, bliss, sadness, anger and frustration that comes with it. About how I’ve always strived to Stop the Puck and, perhaps more importantly, about how I Love the Game. … More “Stop The Puck. Love The Game.” by Andrew Masters
As a little girl I always was into sports and playing with the boys. It was something that I was good at and it was fun. The only difference between boys and girls back then was the boys could dream of playing in the NHL, where little girls, like me, could only dream to play … More The Ups and Downs of a Dual Sport Female Athlete by Jessica Convery
As far back as I can remember, my parents always preached the importance of education to my siblings and me. No matter how good each of us was in our respective sports growing up, our schoolwork was never allowed to take a backseat to our athletic endeavours. At the time, I figured my parents were only pushing school first because they realized how slim the chances were for any of us to actually make it to the professional ranks. While that may have been the reasoning behind their emphasis on education, and I am grateful that it was, I now realize how much more value there is to this kind of upbringing, rather than merely serving as a back-up plan. By growing up in an environment that promotes academic achievement, you develop skills that can actually benefit you outside of the classroom. Furthermore, by striving for academic excellence and pushing yourself in the classroom, you can open up many doors for your athletic career and you can build and prepare for a life outside of sports more easily as well. … More The Importance of Education by Patrick Spano
You may not know it or may not think it but, everything truly does happen for a reason. The people that get put in your life at certain times, the teams you make, the teams you get cut from and the memories you have (which last a lifetime) are all apart of a plan that we do not know the ending to… … More Everything Happens For A Reason by Justin Evenson
At 15 years old, I was blessed with the opportunity to move away from home and play for the Boston Bandits out of Massachusetts. It was during this where I started to excel, and would see how all my hard work and practice finally started to pay off. I spent two seasons in Boston creating some of the craziest memories… … More The End of An Era by Justin Boff
I am Liam Herbst, a 21 year old Western University student and recently retired hockey player. My hockey journey is a very interesting one. I have truly seen the absolute highs and lows of both sides and am fortunate to be able to reflect on them in a way that will help propel me for the rest of my life. … More Adversity: How It Shaped My Career And Perspective by Liam Herbst
Dear Charlie,
Some things never change. After transferring to Tabor Academy to repeat of my freshman year, I felt like I had the same conversation with a thousand people at these annoying mandatory orientation activities. Any Prep School kid knows exactly what I’m talking about. The conversation would go something like this: … More Dear Charlie by Brett Dineen
Guess what I did today?Here I’ll save you some time and just tell you.
I walked across a stage in front of a thousand people, accepted my diploma, smiled for the camera, and walked off the stage signalling the end of a long and incredible high school career.
Now, you’re probably reading this like, “Yeah, that’s how graduation works; you have to walk to receive the diploma. What’s so special about that?”
Let me tell you why. … More Be Patient, Things Could Be Worse by William Everett
“Hey. Today is a hard day for you, I’m sure. I just wanted to tell you I’m proud of you. All the adversity you’ve overcome, the early practices, leg days, game days, all of it over the past 4 years have made you the person you are today. I’m blessed to have met such a person like you. I know now that no matter what, we will have each other’s backs through anything and I believe that. Our friendship is special…Cherish today. These years have made you, you. Hockey is a game like no other. Honor it and go out like you went in: with an open mind and an open heart. God bless.” … More “A Game Like No Other” by Drew Goldberg
My grin reached the end of both cheeks as my mom pulled my snow pants up and zipped my coat. She slid my mittens on, wrapped my scarf, and strapped my helmet. My dad came over and laced up my skates nice and tight. I looked like the Michelin Man, but I didn’t care. I was brimming with energy; this was the moment I had been waiting for, for what seemed like forever. I stumbled over to the door and stood there inspecting the ice surface before me. I took a deep breath and stepped out. It took me a while, but I conquered the art of skating that day with fluid, uninterrupted laps around the rink. In that moment, I fell head over heels in love with the beauty of the game. … More “Never Settle” by Abby Ellis
The Players' Cave 