| One of my favorite things to do with the girls hockey | | | | that she was out there running up the ski hill, by herself, |
| players I train is take our workouts outdoors. There is | | | | on a Monday (a national holiday no less), two days |
| a huge park near to my facility which makes for a | | | | before her tryouts started. |
| new and challenging change of pace for my young | | | | When I said that she came out to run the hill every |
| athletes. The first time we head over to the park, I | | | | weekend, one of the girls said, |
| always have a really tough workout planned, which | | | | "That's probably why she's on the provincial team." |
| finishes off with sprints up a ski hill. | | | | Exactly. Training when no one is watching or cheering |
| I know the hill sprints will be the hardest part of the | | | | you on says a lot about a player. It's one of those |
| workout, but sometimes that hill also provides them | | | | "little" choices that sets you apart. |
| with a really great life lesson. | | | | Sure, the girls I am working with are training as a group |
| At our first outdoor workout this summer, after we | | | | and I am there leading them through the workouts, but |
| had done 8 hard circuits of speed and strength training, | | | | they have made the choice to get better this summer. |
| we headedover to the hill. And just as we were | | | | And I could tell that the fact they were running the |
| walking over, another girl got off her bike and started | | | | same hill as this "elite" player meant a lot. |
| running up the hill too. When we got a little closer, I | | | | But the story gets even better. |
| realized she was one of the players from the | | | | When our training group got together at the gym for |
| Under-18 provincial team this past season. | | | | our next session last night, that same player was there |
| During one of her rests between sprints, we talked | | | | again, doing her fitness testing for the provincial team. |
| about the upcoming provincial team tryouts and I | | | | And as she was doing her final running test, and |
| asked her how often she came out to train in the park. | | | | blowing away the competition, one of the girls in my |
| She said, "I come out and run these hills every | | | | training group said, "That's because she runs that hill |
| weekend", before sprinting up again. | | | | every week". |
| In between our training group's sprints, one of my | | | | Getting to the elite level of women's hockey is no big |
| players asked where she played, and when I said she | | | | mystery. If you want to be great, you have to be |
| plays junior, was on the provincial team and was trying | | | | willing to do the things that others aren't. Like running up |
| out for the team again in two days, they were | | | | a ski hill, by yourself, on a holiday, two days before |
| understandably impressed. | | | | tryouts. Those are the "little" choices that make you |
| While her hockey accomplishments are definitely | | | | great. |
| noteworthy, I'm sure what really impressed them was | | | | |