Be Prepared - Then Seize Your Opportunity

Succeeding in sports at a high level almost always comes down to two things: (1) dedication to your preparation, and (2) taking advantage of an opportunity.

As legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden was fond of telling his younger players and non-starters "be prepared and then perhaps your chance will come."

Alex Frere and Austin Czarnik were both given last minute opportunities to attend the second round of selects as alternates - finding out a spot was available for them in the Soo only one day before the selects camp began - and both players cashed in their opportunity big time when they became two of only three non-2006 National Selects Festival returnees from district 2-3-4 to make it to the 2007 National Selects Festival.

This same type of scenario plays out on all levels in hockey in many different ways as our players, and all players, at certain times in their careers become subjected to disapointing circumstances that are out of their control.

Another recent example of this is Thomas Greiss a client of my agent firm Eclipse Sports Management and the top minor league goalie prospect for the San Jose Sharks.

Before the 2006-07 season, Thomas was expected to make the jump to the NHL as the Sharks backup goalie as soon as they completed a pending trade of one of their two star goalies Vesa Toskala or Evgeni Nabakov.

Unfortunately for Thomas the Sharks never pulled the trigger on a trade deciding instead to keep both goalies which meant Thomas would spend the entire 2006-07 season with the Sharks AHL minor league affiliate preparing, waiting, and waiting some more for his chance to come.

Yesterday that opportunity arrived when the Sharks traded Toskala to the Toronto Maple Leafs thus clearing a roster spot for Thomas to finally realize his dream of playing in the NHL.

Albeit on much different levels, the above stories are inspirational examples of not allowing disapointing circumstances that are out of your control to interfere with your preparation and your taking advantage of an opportunity when one finally presents itself.