Saginaw Saturday

THE EXAMPLE
Saginaw Spirit Head Coach, Todd Watson, stepped up to the microphone and started his speech with glowing comments about his stud 1990 birthyear defenseman Adam Comrie who had just finished speaking.

Said Watson, "Watch Adam Comrie Tonight, I mean he BRINGS IT ... BRINGS IT EVERY DAY ... BRINGS IT EVERY SHIFT ... BRINGS IT EVERY PRACTICE ... BRINGS IT IN THE WEIGHTROOM ... HE BRINGS IT ALL THE TIME!"

Comrie slipped out of the conference room and headed to the lockeroom, he dressed in his gear and uniform, went to the ice, and proceded to flat out BRING IT.

Hopefully the players on our team who stayed to watch this future NHL defenseman play in the Saginaw Spirits' 3-2 win over the Ottawa 67's saw exactly what is meant by BRINGING IT.

Comrie might be 6-4 and 200 pounds, a smooth skater with great agility, soft hands and a booming shot. But none of these tools or assets would mean much if Comrie didn't BRING IT.

THE REFLECTION
As most adults around 30 years and older will attest. The moments in your life you remember most and reflect upon most are not the triumphs that you had, or the championships that you won, or the honors you earned ... but unfortunately they are instead the REGRETS you have had.

Regrets about opportunities during your life that you did not take advantage of and regrets about not doing everything within your power necessary to become the best you could be, or could have been, at something important to you.

THE REALITY
Each player on our team has the potential to accomplish great things at several different levels in the sport of hockey, but only the MOST COMMITTED, the MOST FOCUSED ... THE ONES WHO BRING IT will actually accomplish these things, and the rest will regret the fact they didn't BRING IT and will be haunted throughout their life with the wonder of what if.

Unfortunately, reality is that many guys on our team will be sitting somewhere several years from now relecting upon their hockey career and regreting that they did not BRING IT like they needed to BRING IT, the way an Adam Comrie and successful players like him BRING IT.

THE KEY QUESTION
So to the players on our team .... You have all made the choice to play AAA hockey at this age level. You have all said you want to accomplish something great in this sport. But merely saying it and actually doing it are two different things.

Now is the time to take a long, hard look in the mirror and answer this question as honestly as you can. "Do you have what it takes within you to BRING IT ALL THE TIME the way an Adam Comrie and players like him BRING IT ALL THE TIME?"

If you cannot strongly and honestly answer yes to that question, and back up your answer with real action, than expect to be haunted by regret throughout your life if you seek to accomplish great things playing hockey at a high level.