USA Hockey Nationals going on this weekend and I wanted to throw this out there to the players, coaches, and parents participating in this exciting weekend.
1 - WIN LIKE YOU’D WANT THE OTHER TEAM TO WIN - win or lose, how you handle the result says a lot about who you are … so I always tell my team and parents to win like you’d want the other team to win … win with class, be excited but humble … remember how it feels to be on the other side so while you’re celebrating, remember to handle yourself like the pro that you are
2 - TAKE TIME TO RECOVER - I know most all of you will go right from playoffs to tryouts, but remember that recovery as an elite athlete is just as important as effort … so make sure to take some downtime before tryouts so that you are refreshed and ready to be your best
3 - AUDIT YOUR SEASON - at some point during the summer, take time to audit your season … the things you liked, the things you didn’t .. what was working, and what wasn’t … and be open to looking for new and better ways to train (hint hint .. mental toughness training .. hint hint) … :)
4 - BE GRATEFUL - finally, take the time to appreciate and be grateful for the incredible opportunities you had throughout the season. Take time to thank mom and dad and your coaches and everybody that went out of their way to make the season what it was … this is a special time and it goes by fast, so take time to be grateful for all that you have.
That’s it for now
Coach Kevin
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Kevin L. Willis, PhD
Sport Psychologist
Level 5 USA Hockey Coach