As the hockey season winds down in Rhode Island, I've had the great opportunity to be able to catch a few of my clients' games here and there over the (never-ending) winter. The best game I got to see was Game 2 of the Division I State Championship between Hendricken and LaSalle last Saturday evening. I sat with the Father of one of the kids I train and got more into the game than I thought I would. I love to see my clients succeed, but I was right there on the edge of my seat with the teen's father.
It was do or die for Hendricken, which is the team I so desperately wanted to see succeed for my friend/client. It was a huge game, as they needed to win to push it to the final game in a best of 3 series. The game went into Overtime, and every time number 7 stepped onto the ice, I felt the excitement and energy from his dad, who was sitting right next to me. And when he assisted on the Game Winning Goal in overtime, both of us erupted, and I felt the joy emulate throughout our entire section for the comeback win this desperate team had just fought to accomplish.
You see, this boy's father knows how hard his son has worked on the ice with his team, off the ice with me, and all those times shooting the puck around with his younger brother and his dad in the driveway. In that moment my exact thoughts were "This is why I do my job. This is why I love what I do." You see the effort put out in by these athletes in all of those different scenarios, but to see it come to life in a moment like that is just indescribable.
Working with these kids in my Hockey Program is not just a great experience for them, but for me as well. I get to know these kids on a personal level and they get to know me. We talk about life, their futures, their goals, and then we get to work. Ask any one of these athletes why they have so much success in my programs, and the answer is simple: They want to work hard for me while they're here! Nobody is forcing them (in most cases) to show up and work with me. These athletes know I care, they know I want them to succeed as badly as they want to, so they trust in my processes and programs. The majority of the time it gets them to where they want to be and we have fun doing it. If you want to know a little more about this program, check out this quick informational link here:
The Way HPI's Hockey Performance Program
Those moments inspire me to be a better trainer for my clients. I'm only a small part of the help they get along the way to get to those moments. They have Hockey Coaches, Skills Trainers, practice at home by themselves, and most importantly, have full support from their families. I give them the tools they need to succeed, but it's the athletes who put in all the real work, and the parents who put in the time to get them to practice and games. But the better I can be at working with my athletes and getting them into peak physical condition, the easier it becomes for them to outperform their competition. Seeing their success due to my help drives me to want to continue to help in the best ways that I know how. Here's to more success stories and indescribable moments like number 7's on Saturday night. They might've lost the series on Monday evening, but nobody can take away that feeling of elation from Saturday. That's something you carry with you for the rest of your life.
Cheers,
Eric Fish, B.S., CSCS
Strength Coach at The Way HPI
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