“Don't worry about the cards that everyone else was dealt. Find a way to make an impact with the cards you have.” 

When I first started playing hockey, it didn't take long before I realized that I was at a disadvantage. I was smaller and slower than everyone else and that was going to be my downfall if I didn't figure out a way around it. 

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I mentioned this to my dad, and he introduced me to an old player named Dino Cicarelli. He had a lot of the same attributes as me, but he altered his play style to adapt to the strengths he had that other players didn't. 

With Cicarelli in mind, it no longer mattered that I was shorter or slower. I found a way to have an impact on every game I played in my own unique way. I stopped trying to out-skate everyone, and instead turned to my strengths. Using my lower center of gravity and overall power, I became an immovable force in front of the opponents net causing constant chaos and distracting opponent players from other aspects of the game. 

These were my cards. I just had to find the best way to play them.

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* Originally published on June 13, 2022, by Tyler Traskos