Often enough, we are told by our coaches to ‘‘quit fooling around and focus’’ or told ‘‘relax and lighten up a bit!’’. How do we know which one to stick to? The answer is simple; it’s all about finding a balance between the two. Coaches do not say these things to confuse you, nor want you to choose between the two, but the messages they’re trying to send are that they want you to be serious, but not take the fun out of the sport you love. This can sound rather confusing to some people, so let me try to explain it as best as I can.
First of all, it’s all about finding a balance. What I mean by balance is that you have to have the proper timing when it comes to being serious hockey professionals or silly goons. Even with the proper timing, it’s always important to let both sides come out. Of course, one side will be more dominant depending on the situation, but you have to be able to judge how much of the other side to let out. To find that balance on when to let your goofy side out or to remain an intensely focused individual, you can ask yourself a few short questions:
- What should I be focusing on at the present moment?
- What situation am I in, in order to judge what side to let out?
- Is this the right time to be silly or to be serious?
Just by asking yourself these few short questions, you can easily judge the type of situation you’re in and act accordingly to it.
Here are a few examples I am going to use, by asking the three questions, to help you understand the concept more:
- During a hockey game:
- What should I be focusing on at the present moment?
- It should be leaning much more towards the serious side. You should be focusing on your game. You should be focusing on your next shift, on what you’re going to do that shift, on trying something new, on applying an adjustment your coach wants from you. You should not be thinking of the mini games you and your teammates are going to be playing on the bus ride home after. You should not cracking all kinds of jokes on the bench (this can seriously distract your teammates). You should not be laughing at something that happened over the weekend.
- What situation am I in, in order to judge what side to let out?
- You are at a hockey game, and the reason you play this sport is because you love to compete. It is a competitive environment and requires a lot of focus in order to get the job done. Jokes can come later, but smiles are always welcome during the game. This proves you love to play a competitive sport!
- Is this the right time to be silly or to be serious?
- If you act silly, your fun side has taken over your focus of your game to be played. If you are running around the dressing room screaming and play-fighting with some of your teammates, you are wasting energy, wasting their energy, and have forgotten why you are there. To remain serious means you are ready for war as soon as you step out on that ice and if you do so, your teammates will see your intensity and want to do the same. Be a leader!
- On a bus ride home from an away game.
- What should I be focusing on at the present moment?
- Your game is done, and win or lose now is the time to let loose! Your only concern should be whether or not your teammate is going to beat you at one of the games you play on the bus. The game is over, so let the laughs run free. Some people remain serious after a game whether it was because they had a bad performance or they are dwelling on a mistake, so don’t be afraid to let them in on the laughter!
- What situation am I in, in order to judge what side to let out?
- You are currently on your way home, and this is where you make your most cherished memories as a team. You are in a bus ride with no more stress or hockey for the day, so don’t be afraid to crack a joke or two!
- Is this the right time to be silly or to be serious?
- The laughs and jokes you guys make on the ride home are going to be the ones you remember for a long time to come! If you would all sit in your seats quietly, it means there is a discomfort or unease amongst you. Bring out your fun side and I guarantee it will be worth it! It’s the time to be silly.
I hope these examples helped give you an idea of being able to find your balance. It really all depends on timing, location, and the time of day. There are so many different situations female hockey athletes are put in, and we must find a routine as to how to act and when. A few more examples of a situation to be judged would be before, during or after games, practices or trainings. Even at team video sessions, overnight hotel trips and team activities are all things we must find a balance between. It’s all about understanding the situation and using your better judgement.
If there is too much fun and lack of seriousness, this can actually hurt your team rather than help. Too much fun can mean lack of focus, not enough effort during practices, games or trainings, and not to mention it can get a little out of control sometimes. Someone could want to do something really funny without harm, but it could seriously hurt someone’s feelings. Too much fun can lead to disrespect towards your teammates and your coach. It makes you out to be someone who is not willing to pay the price, and if that’s the case your coach will see this lack of focus as a waste of his time.
However, if there is lack of fun and too much seriousness, it can even lead to us no longer loving the sport we are so passionate about. We all have a love-hate relationship when it comes to our hockey, but we continue to play because we love paying the price. To be too focused can actually lead to taking away our love of the game. To be focused means willing to put the team first and sacrifice some things in our lives. We consider it our profession, but if we are too serious, who wants a job they don’t even smile at? It takes hard work to be on a team, but we do it because we love it. Never take it too seriously.
If you are able to know when to let the silly side out and when to be professional, you’re already on the right path to greatness. Being a good player isn’t always about being the team superstar, the body checking defensemen, or having wicked hands. If you ask any coach, attitude plays a huge role on a team.
If you are strictly all fun and games, or take your hockey so seriously to the point where you can’t even take a joke, you need to rethink as to why you are there and what you want to accomplish. Hockey takes hard work, but there’s nothing wrong with blowing off a little bit of steam at the properly timed moments.
