Just as one hockey season ends – the next begins. All week long, girls hockey tryouts have been running all across Ontario.  It’s a stressful time for players, parents and coaches alike.  So this is a message for all the players who are nervous and excited about the tryouts.

When it comes to tryouts, there is one thing you need more than anything else and that’s…

==>  CONFIDENCE

You aren’t going to drastically change your skills between now and tryouts. But you can dramatically improve your confidence in a short period of time.   Confidence comes from inside you – not from your parents, coaches,  teammates or friends.  You have complete control over it.  So to help to get you ready for the challenges and opportunities  that lay ahead in the next few weeks…

… Here are 8 of my favorite quotes about CONFIDENCE.

::  Confidence is preparation.  Everything else is beyond your control.

::  Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.

(Meaning:  There is no reason anything anyone says or does has to make
you feel bad.  You choose the way you interpret what happens to you.)

::  It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not. 

::  We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily
into the trap of being our own worst enemies.

::  The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.

(Meaning:  If you put yourself down or think you aren’t good enough,
you are opening the door for others to do the same). 

::  Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.

::  Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you are right.

::  Don’t let anyone steal your dream.  It’s your dream, not theirs.

I hope that one of the quotes above really speaks to you and helps you to get ready for the challenges ahead. 

Remember to stay focused on the 2 things you’ve got control over – your attitude and your work ethic.

Good luck!

Your friend and coach,

Kim

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS?Director, Total Female Hockey
Girls’ Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes