Life Lessons That I Learned From Playing Hockey
Start writing a post
Sports

Life Lessons That I Learned From Playing Hockey

The important lessons weren't always just about the game.

3070
Life Lessons That I Learned From Playing Hockey
Manchester Ice and Event Center

There are many lessons that we learn while we grow up. We learn how to do things in life like how to buy what we want, drive, and tie our shoes. But we also learn things that begin to shape our personalities.

We are taught to be trustworthy, to be kind, and to be helpful. All of these things help us become the people that we are today and show us how to get along in the world. But the way that we learn those things is often varied.

Some people learn these things from their parents or their teachers or even celebrities. But I think you can also learn a lot by being in a team sport. I was in ice hockey for fourteen years as I was growing up, and I believe that I learned a lot of life lessons in those fourteen years.

Responsibility

Throughout the years I had to be responsible for making sure I had all of the gear that I needed in order to play. If I didn't have something important, that meant I couldn't be on the ice and that I would let my team down. I also had to learn that I was responsible for the things that I do during a game. If I made a mistake, it was my fault and not anyone else's. This, especially, can be a really hard lesson to learn for a lot of people, but I'm glad I learned it so that I can go through life working to fix my mistakes rather than trying to find blame in someone else.

Working With Others

This is one of the bigger lessons that you learn in any team sport. Every adult or young adult knows that there are going to be difficult people to work with in the world, and there are going to be people you don't like. But sometimes you will still have to deal with those people and try to work around it. Being on a team teaches you the important skills of how to deal with other people and understand their side of things. You also learn that they might have some great ideas and certain skills that you don't or couldn't come up with on your own. Working with others is a great asset because sometimes you simply can't do things on your own, like play an entire game of hockey.

Time Management

This is a lesson that some people might not immediately think of when they think of what a team sport can teach you, but it's one of the biggest things that I learned throughout high school while I was playing hockey. Playing hockey takes up a lot of time. We would have practice every night and it usually took about two hours, including driving there and getting dressed. Games would be every weekend almost every night. We would most likely have to travel to different towns to play the games so sometimes my whole weekend was booked as well. I was also going to school which was eight hours a day. So this didn't leave me much time for homework and socializing. I had to learn how to manage my free time or I wouldn't have graduated high school.

Following Directions

Hockey, or any sport really, is all about listening to your coaches and doing what they tell you to do. You have to listen to them if you want to learn anything about how to play the game and how to better yourself. And in order to do that, you have to follow their directions in practice as well as during a game. The team only works well if everyone is on the same page and if one person doesn't listen then you will have consequences for the entire team. So following directions was something that I learned very quickly, and now is something that I can do in any setting as I am trying to learn, either in class or on the job.

Communication

Like I said earlier, in a team sport, you have to learn how to work with other people, which also consists of communicating with other people. But speaking to people wasn't the only form of communication that we needed to learn in hockey. We also needed to learn how to communicate through body language. There are a lot of points in a game that you have to look at a person's body in order to know what they plan on doing. Goalies do this the most often so that they can know where the shooter is going to send the puck. But you also have to be aware of your own teammates while you're playing. You have to know who they are going to pass to and if they intend to pass to you or not so that you can be ready. This is something that you learn about a person as you get to know them, but it is always a good thing to know the basics as well.

Supportiveness

Being in a team sport isn't always just about playing the game and practicing. There are a lot of emotions going into it as well. So we had to learn how to support each other and cheer each other up. We had to know when someone was upset if we were losing and how to work so that didn't affect the entire team. We had to learn how to help those who needed it and how to give them positive feedback as well as criticisms. We leaned on each other and this lesson comes in handy when you are dealing with relationships and friendships throughout your life.

Know yourself

Finally, you had to learn how to analyze yourself. You had to know your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as your teammates', so that you could step back when you knew that you weren't as good at something as someone else was. And, likewise, you could step up into something that is your strong suit. This game really showed me things about myself that I would have never known if I hadn't played hockey. Now I know that I have a more defensive personality rather than offensive. I know that I'm a listener rather than a talker. Learning these things about myself really help me interact with the world around me and understand what I can and cannot do.


I am so thankful for all of the memories this game and my teammates have given me, but I am the most thankful for the things that I have learned throughout the years. I think hockey has been something that has shaped me and allowed me to be a capable young adult as I try to find my place in the world.

I know that I have learned these skills and that I can transfer them into the jobs that I work, and eventually the careers that I have, and hopefully become an adult who is responsibly engaged in the world.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

53800
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

34633
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

957055
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181736
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments