Yesterday we had something interesting happen at practice. After about 1 1/2 drills, our coach said he'd had enough and got off the ice. He said if we were going to waste his time by practicing with that kind of effort--just going through the motions--he didn't feel like he needed to be there. So both our coaches left us on the ice, feeling very confused, but wondering about whether our effort was actually that bad. The coaches then pulled the captains into the locker room and talked with us about what we need to do to change this team's attitude going into playoffs. We're on a 25 game win streak, but for the past month, we haven't played even close to our best hockey. Because we haven't had to. That's how much talent this team has. We can win with not our best effort. And, honestly, I think we've gotten used to that. Our coaches were very blunt with us and said that, as a team, we haven't improved much in the past month. And, as captains, it's our team, so we have to do something about it. They told us that they know we all want to win and we all want to get better, but they've noticed that there's a limit to what we'll do to win because we have it in our heads now that we can win no matter what. We've played one game to our potential this season: against Seattle at the showcase. Since then, we've let teams hang around that we shouldn't let hang around. We've played good hockey in bits and pieces, not in 60 minute stretches.
The meeting was an eye-opener. Our coaches left, we called practice, and we had a team meeting on how we all need to get back to playing IJS hockey and work our balls off for the remainder of the season. I think it was really good for us.
Today, I came to the rink hungry to improve and to make this team better. I think as a team we've gotten complacent in the past month. It's natural for any team on a 25 game win streak like us. But our coaches are fed up with beating a dead horse every week, trying to motivate us to play our best. And I agree. It's frustrating. It's time for us to change, and it starts with our captains. When we work hard and don't accept anything but the best effort from everyone, it becomes contagious. Today was a hard practice. I worked to exhaustion in every drill we did, and I made a conscious effort to lead. I tried to be vocal and lead with my hard work in the drills. After feeling how I felt in practice today, I can honestly say I've gotten away from that in the past few weeks, so it was good to be able to know that I worked hard. In the past few weeks, I might've thought I was working hard, but I think I was subconsciously putting up a block for myself because I knew I didn't have to work too hard in practice. And I think a lot of kids on the team--captains included--can say the same. It's terrible that I can look back at the past few weeks and say that, but I'm really glad we have put it on the table now, when we still have a chance to fix it.
In our meeting, we all agreed that if we don't win the league championship this year--after this kind of season--it would be an extreme disappointment and a classic case of underachievement. It really is time to buckle down now. I'm excited to see what I and this team can do in the next few weeks leading up to playoffs and in playoffs!
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