Sometimes as I lay in bed the thought about life after hockey picks apart my brain and it scares the hell out of me.
Ever since the day I stepped on the ice I fell in love with the game and it has been such a huge part of my life since. It’s all I’ve ever known for the last 16 years. I think about how one day I’m eventually going to have to step away from the game and to be completely honest I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to make that change. I’ve been around a team atmosphere for as long as I can remember.
I’ve dreamed about playing professionally since I played street hockey in my cul-de-sac for the very first time. I know I have a lot of hockey left in me and I’m not sure where it’s going to take me these next few years, but when it comes time to unlace my skates and move on to a different chapter of my life, I have no idea how I’m going to handle it.
Waking up and knowing that I won’t be going to the rink to see the boys or I won’t be going to the gym to work on my game anymore,
that part freaks me out.
Even though I’m not playing professionally right now, hockey is a full time job for me. As soon as my hockey season ends, my off season begins, and that’s where I make the most changes with my body and game. I know I will always have the urge to workout, but hockey gives me something to workout for. I’m motivated to be healthier and motivated get stronger and faster. I’m lucky that I will have a business degree to back on to if hockey doesn’t work out, but I’m completely unsure of what kind of job I want to work.
But for now I will enjoy every moment playing the game that I love and the game that has given me unforgettable memories and laughs, because I know that I won’t be able to play forever.
Jeff Smith, Goalie For St. Cloud State University.
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Photo by Maddie MacFarlane Photography.