Imagine holding the puck below the goal line and protecting the puck against a defender…
You cut back to try and create separation with your quick change of direction.
As you turn your back to the wall and come out of the turn, there is a different defender in your face.
Now it’s 1v2. You’re at a disadvantage.
But you listen to your coach and know that if you can play the puck through this pressure, you’ll have created an advantage.
Passing out of a 1v2 creates a 4v3 if you beat the pressure.
Your disadvantage in one area has created an advantage somewhere else.
On the ice, I call this ‘draw 2, play through.’
This is a Timeless Lesson… (not just on the ice)
Every disadvantage has an advantage, you just have to find it.
Every coach I’ve had that I didn’t like has taught me how to coach better. They have shown me what not to do, what doesn’t work, and how to ensure to not get invited to a future wedding.
My lack of professional hockey playing experience has allowed my coaching career to start at 25 years of age. Affording me the opportunity to start failing faster than everyone else. To start coaching earlier and allow the early work to compound.
Because 99% of my college teammates didn’t go on into coaching, my network after leaving my first coaching job was non-existent.
This ‘disadvantage’ afforded me the opportunity to start sharing my thoughts online and pulling/attracting like-minded philosophies and coaches that resonated with my message towards me. The advantage of this sabbatical will prove to be more valuable than had I stayed in coaching and continued to climb.
Find a way or make a way. Be high-agency humans.
Even if you start at Level 1.