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Making the Midget AAA - What it Took |
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Minor hockey - that political labyrinth where every parent believes that their child might actually be the next Sidney Crosby with the potential to make it all the way - if they can just make it through the 60 tryouts to make the cut. It is a joy to watch for non-parents and so tough on the kids.
But my hat goes off this month to my godson, Will Bluteau. Last year, he made a goal to make the Midget AAA team. This was going to be a stretch for him and he asked his father, David, what he needed to do to be able to make the team.
Will was born in December so the odds are against him as he is competing against kids who can be two to three years older than him. David was honest and told Will he would need to commit his summer to training, skills camps, and working out - early in the morning, in the night, at times when his buddies were up to something fun and not make excuses. Will needed to focus and commit.
Will did. He worked all summer and grew amazingly in not only his physical size and abilities but in his skills. He didn't whine and complain; instead he got up at 5.00am and put the effort in.
He did this all summer and then spent September in the try-outs. Will is 14 right now (he will be 15 in December) and David lamented that some of the guys Will was trying out against were actually driving to the rink.
Will just did his job - he took the coaching, didn't take offense, and absorbed everything he needed to get selected and worked it.
I have to say my heart was troubled this weekend. The cut was Sunday and you want it so badly for him but then you recognize that life doesn't always work that way and some older and better kid might take the prize.
At 10.00pm on Sunday night I got the greatest text message from Will ..."Guess who made the Midget AAA team - yup, you're right - it's me".
I am so proud of him and know that this will actually be pivotal for him in moving him to a higher level of play both on the ice and off in terms of his confidence.
The story revolves around a simple concept that we forget sometimes in business and building our career. You have to put the effort in first to get the reward. Ask what is needed, understand the commitment, and make the investment. Don't make excuses - hard work and determination will be recognized and rewarded. Time and again I see promising young professionals give up because a promotion or project didn't happen and they become frustrated and disillusioned. But did they clarify up front what was needed and just commit to putting in the effort to doing it? When I look back and think about things I didn't get that I thought I deserved, it really wasn't politics or who someone else knew - it was more that I didn't do enough of what I needed to do.
My hat is off to Will - I will be at his games and I know that after making the cut, he is even more committed to being the best defenseman. It wasn't just making the team for him, it was the process of what got him there and will get him further.
Just my thinking...
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I too share that goal of making midget AAA as a 15 year old, ive been training 2-3 hours a day and working on my puckhandling 1-2 hours a day but i dont know how i will be compared to the 16 and 17 year olds