Hockey taught me to challenge myself and be the best I can be on and off the ice.
I can't wait for the crowd, the noise, the energy in the building. I can't wait to take that all away from them.
I try to hold it in until I get on the ice, then in front of the net sometimes I'll pass gas.
The biggest challenge was the cost to play the sport, and this is a challenge that my parents faced. They relied on the community and friends and family for support, and I learned to play hockey using second hand equipment.
My dad has always said to me, "where there is a will there is a way" and this is the type of dedication hockey has taught me. Being dedicated to this sport [hockey] has been my will to play.
Most kids start playing hockey at the age of five, I was an earlier bloomer. My parents laced up my first pair of skates and put me on the ice at the young age of 2 ½, basically right after I mastered walking.
For us [hockey] is an opportunity, myself and my brothers have an opportunity to do something special.
