Experience is the teacher of all things...

When I was a little kid, I had a very bad temper. The truth is, as I can recall today, I rarely, if ever, didn’t get what I wanted from my parents. In fact, I dare say that I was indeed “spoiled” as they occasionally asserted. Nevertheless, on that rare occurrence that my desires were not fulfilled and I doth protested too much, I would be ordered to my room. Once there, I would stomp my feet over and over in anger. Call it a need for attention or a flare for the dramatic; I wanted the world to know that I was unhappy. Even today, if you walked into the house where I grew up, and looked up to the ceiling in the kitchen, you will see cracks aplenty – evidence of my transgression.

At this point in the school year – and the season – there is a phenomenon that exists in sports that is unavoidable. As William Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, “Cry Havoc! And let slip the dogs of war.” College acceptances, crazy weather, new classes, ending club seasons, date dances, proms and just about every other conceivable distraction comes flooding in like a hoard of invaders ready to sack our focus and attention. Add to this the distinctive never-ending culture of posturing in the ice hockey rink and what once seemed like a mighty train pushing forward can quickly lead to a sad tragedy of what ifs and what should have beens.

Certainly even I am not exempt. “O conspiracy, Shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow by night.” As Brutus says in the play, criticism sometimes reveals itself by way of declared plots of conspiracy. I don’t even have a kid that plays hockey – or a kid at all – what possible motivation could I have for promoting a prejudice? It would be a lie for me to say this questioning of character has not prompted me to consider the tender of my retirement. It absolutely kills me when one of our players does something unique or is recognized for something they’ve done, and the response from the rink rapper is to search for a flaw and make sure that blemish is exclaimed louder than the achievement. The relentless need to destroy often takes on epic proportions and the destructive force becomes the great migration from rink to rink and team to team. Too many demand the drama and when none exists, it is created. As Julius Caesar said himself, “Men are quick to believe that which they wish to be true.” No matter how hard I try to be honest and positive, it is assumed that I have an ulterior motive to make money, cheat the rules or maneuver to earn praise I don’t deserve; and sure enough someone out there believes it’s their job to expose my conceited path. Could it actually be possible I have no self promoting reasons for being involved? (Sarcasm intended)

There is no question that Holy Ghost Prep is a tough place to go to school. Teachers are more demanding, good grades are harder to earn and good time management skills reap more reward than anything else. I am often told that kids don’t come to school here because they are afraid it’ll be too hard or that they can get much easier A’s by going someplace else. In some circles this level of difficulty might be heralded, but in the banter of the warm room, it seems rarely a compliment.

As Mark Twain (my favorite writer) said, “Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered - either by themselves or by others.” I believe it is my job to remind our players that taking the tougher path often reveals a much greater scene…that what you never thought you could do, suddenly becomes that thing that sets you apart from everyone else because you can. There is an unqualified confidence that comes from knowing that you earned something not because you just showed up, but because you made it happen. Today is the day to be the game changer – the role model – the leader others want to follow.


Friends, parents, players, lend me your ears! Let’s all call ourselves to action. Cast aside thoughts of negativity and release yourself from the burdens of the drama. Step aside and let the torrent of tall tales pass you by. Yes, people will trash you. Yes, people will trash Holy Ghost. Yes, people will claim to know great truths and yes, people will most certainly be blinded by promises from other places of great things that only they can provide. We can’t stop this…it is the circle of sport. What we can do is be willing to fill our neighbors with truth and stand as role models for what is good and positive. If they still decide to stab us...if they still embrace riot over conversation…if they still decide that characters are more important than people…then wish them well and surely move on. Our energy must be devoted to celebrating our accomplishments and cheering our successes.

Lastly, “it is not that I loved Caesar less, but I loved Rome more.” Ice hockey for me has almost nothing to do with the game. Don’t get me wrong, I like to win and I hate to lose. It takes an enormous amount of energy for me to hide that little boy stomping his feet when I don’t see what I want on the ice or when I am confronted with an injustice that impacts our players. At the same time, what never leaves my mind is my devotion to always doing what I believe is right for our boys…my boys. What is not public, does not translate into what is not happening. What we see is not always the whole picture. At the heart of believing in our spirit is the willingness to say “we are in this as one no matter where the road takes us…because no matter what the end looks like, it is what it is because we were willing to travel together.”