When I got to my computer on Monday morning, I opened up an email
that included this quote and it has inspired my whole week:

We do not rise to the level of our expectations.
We fall to the level of our training.

Now that we’re about 7 weeks away from the start of training camp here in Toronto,
this is certainly a message that I will share with all the players I work with on and
off the ice.  Off-ice off-season training is the foundation for success on-ice in-season.
If we don’t take summer training seriously and simply wait until training camp to get
into shape, we’re doomed to fail.  Sure, you might be able to get through the first
few weeks of the season without having committed to getting better all summer long,
but sooner or later, you’ll find that your lack of training puts a ceiling on how well you
can perform for the long haul. You’ll find yourself a step behind or injured before too
long.

But you’ve heard me talk about the importance of off-ice training, especially
in the off-season, time and time again.  Those of you who have been members
of the Total Female Hockey for a while know that off-ice training is where true
athletes are built.  It’s the hard work off the ice doing the “not so sexy” stuff
that will allow you to crush your competition all season long.

This quote is about far more than just pushups and sprints.

Sure, every time I’ve worked out this week, I’ve thought about how it’s
going to allow me to perform at a higher level as a coach and business owner.
I don’t compete on the ice anymore, but I know how critical keeping
myself fit and healthy is to my performance on a daily basis.  Just like a
player can’t afford to be on a downward slide in performance halfway through
the season, I can’t afford to be less than my best once my teams get into the
playoff run and my business gets really busy from November to February.
So even though the heart of the hockey season seems very far away right now,
I know that all the time and effort I put into keeping myself at my best physically
in July will pay off big time during crunch time.

This isn’t just about hockey either.  We’re all in the same boat whether we’re
players, coaches or parents.  When the going gets tough, those of us who
have built a strong foundation through training are the ones who will rise
to the top.  Training means eating well, sleeping enough and staying physically
fit no matter what your day throws at you.  Training means studying for exams
weeks before they start, instead of starting two nights beforehand. Training means
doing all the repetitive tasks at work such as responding to emails, making
phone calls and tracking progress.

Trust me, I know that none of that stuff is particularly exciting.  We’d all
rather be playing in a big game instead of practicing. We’d all rather be
working on something we’re excited about that doing the repetitive tasks
that can fill our workday or school day.

The exciting moments of life are what we all live for.

But we won’t be in a position to enjoy them if we don’t take care
of the “not so sexy” details behind the scenes.

We have to have our foundation of training in place to put
ourselves in a position to succeed.

Take a moment to think about the quote at the top of this email
and ask yourself,

“Am I at risk of falling to the level of subpar training?”

OR

“Have I done the training necessary to build my foundation
for success?”

Work Hard. Dream BIG.

Your friend and coach,

Kim

PS – If you’d like a specific plan to take your training off the
ice to the next level this summer, you’ve still got 7 weeks to
take action. We’ve got programs to take your strength, speed
and conditioning to the next level, as well as your stickhandling,
shooting, nutrition and mental game, over at our website.
Click on the link below to see how we can help you get started
on getting to the next level today:

https://totalfemalehockey.com/products/
Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Director, Total Female Hockey
Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes