As you will read below, I had a pretty sucky day on Tuesday…but then I woke up this morning and had a friend request on FB from Tim Thomas (yes THAT, Tim Thomas – and HE wanted to me my friend), looks like the tide is turning 🙂
…okay on to my story…
I hear it all the time.
You do your best to prepare. The coach has told you he wants you on the team this year. You do all the right things at tryouts…and get cut.
It is heart breaking, you walk away thinking “what else could I have done?”
You are frustrated, you feel a little helpless right?
I know how it feels, I sort of had the same thing happen on Tuesday, except I ended up getting fingerprinted!
Why I Got Fingerprinted…
Let me explain.
As most of you know, I help the Buffalo Sabres out with their goalies at Development Camp. I did it last year and was asked to help out again this year. I was set up to run them through their warm-ups with some specific drills, share my Essential 8 exercises for goalies with them, be there as a resource for them and help out the Head Strength Coach if he needed anything.
As a Canadian, I know that I cannot work south of the border, so I do this on a volunteer basis. It is great to help the goalies, fun to watch the prospects out on the ice and of course educational to hang out with other strength coaches.
I always explain exactly what I am doing when I cross the border – I am a firm believer that honesty is the best policy and I have never had an issue when I am volunteering my services.
…until Tuesday night.
Long story short – sent in for secondary inspection.
Grilled by two customs officers.
Then finger printed, Nexus card taken and sent back on my way to Canada 🙁
Once the customs officer understood that I was not trying to be deceitful and when they saw that I have volunteered in the past without issue, he was very nice and professional – sort of like when the coach says “I really wish we had a spot on the team for you, but you are still getting cut”.
So I don’t fault him, he was just doing his job, but it doesn’t really help me feel better about it.
So What Did I Do?
Just like you, I was pi$$ed. Then I pouted a bit – I gave myself until noon yesterday to pout. I cleaned my office at home, it was therapeutic.
…and then I got back to work. Cleared my email, designed programs, created content for you guys.
I don’t have time to dwell on it.
I don’t have time to worry about being flagged now every time I cross the border.
I don’t have time to fume over the fact that I don’t have the chance to help those goalies get to the NHL
I am full steam ahead and if this door gets slammed shut, I will find another one.
I will spend this time working on the chapter I was asked to write for a new goaltender development book (coming to bookstores near you sometime), I will create more content for you, I will be unstoppable.
And that is exactly what you need to do. Don’t wallow.
Pull up your big boy (or girl) pants and keep charging ahead.
There – – I feel better now.
Cheers,
M
PS – going to try something new – doing weekly themes for my articles – like hip flexibility or lateral speed or injury prevention. What topic would you like me to cover first? Comment below with your idea.