Bison Hockey

In my family, hockey is a defining aspect of who we are. At the age of three, my father laced up our skates for their very first time and we were introduced to hockey. From that moment on, I was hooked. After my very first hockey tryout when I was nine years old, I was disappointed to find out I didn't make the top team. Because of my 'failure', I was determined to never let this happen again. Instead, I devoted the next few years of my life to challenging what I knew about hockey and to modifying my work ethic.

As I moved forth, I dedicated my summers to the sport and found myself in the hockey rink or at its workout facilities rather than on the lake near my house. In addition, my parents increased their demand; I was now required to do 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups per night before bed to pay for my hobby. After a ridiculous amount of commitment to what I loved, I was 'paid-back' for my hard work when I made the varsity hockey team my sophomore year (the first year you are allowed to try-out).

During my second year, I was voted Assistant Captain of the varsity team. We had come off a year of success: a state tournament appearance (the first in the programs history), a record number of wins, and a personal All-State Academic Award win.

In addition to the positive experiences hockey has provided me, it has taught me about how to be successful. It showed me how to be dedicated to whatever I pursued even though it means extra hours and effort. This knowledge has carried over into other aspects of my life. Overall, hockey has played an immense role in my character and my work ethic.