I overachieved during the weekend. People were surprised at the strides I had made over the past few months, and I made myself noticed again with my passing, positioning, and smart, solid play. At times, I made mistakes, but the feedback that I got from coaches was that they were mistakes that were easy to correct. Coach Lutsch, the recruiting guy at Indiana, told me that the coaches of the Ice were shocked at how much I had improved since the last time they saw me. I am a fast learner after all, and once I set my mind to getting better, I get better with hard work and self discipline.
Every time I stepped on the ice, I got better and more comfortable with the speed of play at the camp. The coaches recognized my hard work and my passing ability and they awarded me by giving me a spot in the all-star game on Sunday. I was happy with myself. I had made the cut down to the last 40-45 players and those were good odds to make the final 30 man roster posted on Sunday after the all-star game. I played in the game, but unfortunately did not play very well. We were all in full Indiana Ice gear: jerseys and socks and it felt like an actual game. I had to rotate in with two other defensemen so I didn't get much playing time, and it was hard for me to get into a rhythm throughout the game, but it was good for me to play in that game, as it was the highest level I've ever played at. I had never had to battle like I did in that game, and overall it was a great experience for me. I did not make the 30 man roster, but I felt like I gained some respect throughout the weekend, if nothing else.
The weekend was an awesome experience for me. I played the best hockey I've ever played, and I showed people what I was made of, or at least gave them a hint of the potential I have to become even better. I got better every game, and I know I will only continue to get better as I work on the things I need to work on. There were a lot of college coaches at the camp, and it didn't hurt to have Jason there whispering in the scouts' ears for me, but I think I would've turned heads even if I didn't have someone there talking to people about me. I played well during the weekend, considering that was the first time I had played at such a high level. Even though I did not make the team, it was an awesome weekend for me: I got some good exposure with coaches at schools like Harvard and Yale and others, I gained confidence in the fact that now I know I can play with these kids, if not this year then certainly next year, and I gave a sneak preview of the kind of potential I have to become a hockey player. I turned some heads and now I know that people will be watching me next year in the NAHL, which is probably a better fit for me next year. Playing in the USHL might be a bit of a stretch for me, but I now know that I can excel in the NAHL if I put the work in to make myself better.
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