DECEMBER 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM
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ATRICK KANE DID NOT wake up one
day and say, "Hey, I am going to perfect
my spin-o-rama move today." He tried
and failed, and then failed again and then
some more. But he kept at it until one day
it became an important asset in his offen-
sive arsenal.
The Buffalo, N.Y., native didn't make
excuses every time the puck slipped off
his stick or he was knocked on his breezers. Instead,
he saw his failures as an opportunity to learn, and to
grow. And, eventually, he became a champion.
THE RIGHT STUFF
Real winners are not perfect players. But for some
reason, this sentiment is often hard to grasp when it
comes to hockey. This is especially true after you've
practiced something over and over again and you just
can't seem to get it.
It's normal to want to scrutinize your game and
learn the "right way" to do things. But, what you
should be doing is asking yourself, "How can I grow
from my experience today?"
OPPORTUNITY TO GROW
There are two ways to look at failure. One way is to see
it as something to fear. This is a common perception.
No one wants to be labeled a "loser." It is uncomfort-
able, and it makes you feel frustrated, inadequate and
even angry. These emotions can quickly lead you to
beat yourself up, point fingers or make excuses.
Dan Saferstein, team psychologist for USA Hockey's
National Team Development Program, cautions that
it's a myth that you can punish yourself or others into
becoming a better player.
"You can't pick and choose those experiences that
come easily for you," he said. "You can't always be
comfortable. You can't always win, no matter how tal-
ented you are."
Saferstein encourages athletes to view failure as an
opportunity for personal growth. If you acknowledge
where you are failing to live up to your expectations,
you create opportunities that will allow you to bring
creativity to your game. That creativity is what sepa-
rates the solid players from the truly special ones.
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