Well, it definitely wasn't the season I was expecting to have, but I still had a lot of fun. I met so many awesome people, some friends that I will never forget, and I had an all-around unforgettable experience, where I learned so much. I played in three different cities, traveled all across the country from Bismarck to Boise and Albuquerque, to San Diego, Topeka, El Paso, and everywhere in between. It was a wild ride, but, looking back and looking forward, I'm happy I made the decision to play juniors. I've learned about myself as a hockey player and person, and I've learned from other's actions and from my experiences. It has been a valuable journey so far, one that I will be able to draw lessons from for the rest of my life, and I think it will continue to only get better, as long as I keep working hard and keep my positive attitude.
I jumped into this whole process, knowing almost nothing about junior hockey. Now, after 1 season, I can easily say I'm much more knowledgeable about the game of hockey and about myself as a person than I was only a year ago. It's been an unbelievable experience, one that I don't think many people can relate to and one that I don't think many people understand. But playing junior hockey is a decision I made, and I think it's a decision and a journey that will only help me in the future. I will never forget the tumultuous, but still amazingly gratifying season I had this year, and I can't wait to see what next season holds.
I went to Bismarck, North Dakota in August, scared and not really knowing what to expect from the long bus rides and grueling season that is junior hockey. I think it definitely showed that I was inexperienced and not ready to play at that level when I first showed up after main camp. I was the worst one on the ice for a while. But I worked hard and stayed positive and tried to learn, and learn quickly. I think I improved fast, and I made a reputation for myself with hard work on and off the ice. I showed up to the rink early every day, I was on the ice first every day, and the last one off every day. And I went to the gym damn near every day. That showed as well, as I quickly gained 20 pounds. But I still wasn't playing. I was sitting every game, wondering when my chance would come, if ever. I stayed positive, though, and I think I gained a lot of respect from the players and coaches because of my attitude, even when things weren't going my way.
Then, an opportunity opened up for me in New Mexico, where I would get more playing time and a chance to prove myself right away. I knew I needed to play in order to improve, so I hopped in the car the next day and drove myself down to Albuquerque. It was definitely hard to leave Bismarck right when I was beginning to feel comfortable with the guys on the team, but it was something I needed to do, and it was the best option for me. I played 7 games in New Mexico, and I think I played pretty well; I thought I could've very easily been playing more, but I still wasn't playing as much as I needed to or as much as I wanted to. It was a tough situation because I was 2 months behind everyone else on the team, but again, I stayed positive and worked hard. I think the coach in New Mexico really enjoyed having me around because of my attitude, and I really enjoyed my experience in New Mexico as well. But another opportunity opened up for me with the Idaho Junior Steelheads.
To be honest, I was a little disappointed that I was getting sent down to play at the Tier III level at first. But I quickly learned what the Idaho Junior Steelheads had to offer, and I realized it was a first-class team, with amazing coaches and staff, and unmatched facilities. Once I started to play consistently, my confidence and knowledge of the game skyrocketed. I was getting a lot of individual attention from the coaches, something I needed and something I wasn't getting at my previous stops during the year, and it helped me so much. The practices were fast-paced; the coaches didn't accept anything but everyone's hardest work every practice. I'm very happy that I ended up in Boise, and it taught me that sometimes you learn the most and have the best experience where you least expect it.
This whole year went by so fast. I really can't believe it's already over. But it's been an eye-opening experience and an amazing learning experience for me. Sometimes I look back and wish that I had done well enough in Bismarck to stay there the whole year, but then I realize that I wouldn't have learned as much as I did if everything went smoothly. Struggling through this first year of juniors has made me understand better what it takes to play hockey at a high level, or do anything at a high level for that matter; it's a competitive world out there, and nothing ever comes easy. I had to work for all of my accomplishments this year, but I'm proud of the lessons I've learned and the strides I've made in one very short year. Now, I have some decisions to make about next year, and I have a lot of work still to do this summer to give myself the best opportunity to succeed next year.
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