Keepin' Myself Honest

OK so this is going to be a quick post because I just got back from a team poker night, and I'm tired.  Poker night didn't go very well for me, by the way.  Haha the cards weren't going my way tonight.

But anyways, yesterday after practice we had a team meeting.  We went around the room and determined who the warriors are on our team.  Our coach singled out everybody and told them what they can do better in the warrior department--no, what they need to do better in that department--for us to be successful this weekend and down the road in playoffs.  When he came to me, he said he thinks I'm a warrior sometimes.  When I'm mad.  He says I am scary when I'm mad, and what I can do when I'm mad is scary.  He said I'm as strong as a horse, but I need to play meaner.  That doesn't mean playing stupid, running around the ice like a deranged chicken.  It just means win every battle to every loose puck, battle in front of the net, make people know that they're not coming out of my corner with the puck ever, etc., etc.  I know what to do.  I know how I can play when I play like a warrior, and it's time for me to do that. My coach told me that I haven't had to play like that all season, and that he wouldn't expect me to play like that every game in a 60 game season like ours.  It would just be too much for him to ask a player as important to the team as I am to do that.  But now it's time.  I'm going to respond and unleash the warrior inside of me this weekend.  It's time to get gritty.

I'm keeping myself honest and writing this stuff down before I forget what my coach told me because I'm the kind of person who likes to know what I want from myself.  If I didn't write this stuff down and tell myself how I want to play or how my coach wants me to play, I think it would be easier for me to say, "Hey, maybe next game."  I'm honest to myself and somehow writing these things down makes me hold myself to the goals I set better than any other way could.  So, if anyone sees me playing this weekend and doesn't think I played like a warrior, TELL ME!  Maybe I'll get mad and punch you in the face.  Just kidding.  But seriously.  I'm going to show everyone I am a warrior.