New York Hockey Journal

36 NEW YORK HOCKEY JOURNAL April 2020 Subscribe today at NYHockeyJournal.com/subscribe A s you are well aware, the world has turned upside down since the March is- sue of New York Hockey Journal. At that time, players were immersed in their state hock- ey tournaments, thinking ahead to tryouts and plan- ning for the spring season. Now, we have no need to sharpen skates as most of the rinks are melting and there is no timeline set for return. We are in uncharted territory with school, work, social lives and sports all impacted. In fact, by the time you read this, this situa- tion will have evolved even more. Given the novel coronavirus pandem- ic, it is critical that we adhere to the Cen- ter for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and state government recommendations. Such adherence means continued disruption to our daily lives and plans, which in- clude playing hockey and watching the game on TV. Youth and college play- ers' seasons were canceled. Professional leagues including the NWHL and NHL have suspended play. The suddenness of these changes has left us all in limbo, a place where normal routines have gone out the window with no clear sense of how to proceed. That means players have little control of what will come. But there are things that they can do and control while waiting for life to return more to normalcy. It is important to acknowledge all of the complex emotions athletes are feel- ing in this time of uncertainty. To iden- tify a few: some players may feel angry that they were denied the opportunity to play the final games of their season; others may be confused by the complex nature of the novel virus; others may feel sad not being able to spend time with their teammates; others may be fright- ened for their friends, their families and themselves. Any of these, or all of these emotions, are natural and understand- able, especially given the magnitude of these drastic changes and the uncer- tainty of the when we will return to more familiar ways. Everyone's way of life has been upended in ways not previously experienced. All hockey players and many of their parents had their lives dramatically changed with the cancellation of the hockey season. Were it not for this pandemic, we would cur- rently be watching the Frozen Four, the end of the NHL sea- son and the start of the Stan- ley Cup playoffs. Proactive steps Fortunately, we will have other oppor- tunities in the future. In the meantime, continuing to follow the CDC and WHO protocols, which means no organized hockey, remains most important. Since no one knows how long this situation will last, focusing on what you can con- trol will help offset the uncertainty and related anxiety. While we cannot control the course of the coronavirus or when it will end, within the new parameters we can still manage certain activities that we perform from day to day. As I share with players during the season, there are a number of self-care items that can empower athletes: 1� Sleep 2� Exercise 3� Nutrition 4� Hydration 5� Skill training 6� Attitude 7� Connection with family, friends and teammates If you play hockey at a higher level, one that entails spring training, then continue your routines as best you can, given the circumstances. It may be that you now practice shots in your driveway or stickhandle in your basement rather than at a rink. It may be that you follow a workout routine at home rather than at a gym. I have heard of some people setting up workout areas in their garag- es and other players working out with trainers online. Our town's local Pee Wee team set up a challenge to shoot and score 2,000 pucks at home for their players through the end of April. Go easy Given that these are extenuating cir- cumstances, go easy on yourself. It is more important to focus on your overall well-being than to fret about what you are not doing or would have been do- ing were these circumstances different. If that means shooting a set number of pucks a day or taking your dog on a walk, that is great. This is neither the time to overtrain nor to be hard on yourself. By exercising wisely, and not overtraining, you strengthen your immune system. Even if done loosely, it can be helpful to follow a schedule during this time. My advice is to choose realistic goals. I told my family, much to their amusement, that I am determined to improve my jump- roping skills by practicing three times a week. My goal in doing so is to improve my fitness while also learning something that I have always wanted to learn. With many previously normal rou- tines now out of our control, people can and do feel increased anxiety. Strategiz- ing ways to pursue activities that you can control will help offset these uncom- fortable feelings. Exercise and specific hockey training is something that you can control. In doing so, you create posi- tive routines that support your health, both physical and mental, and maintain your hockey skills. Exercise and training also are help- ful because they divert us from the news media. It is easy to become overwhelmed and frightened by the news with so much negative and confusing information. Finally, it can be empowering to re- alize that we have a choice in how we respond to life situations. Whether that response is on the ice or off, the same principle applies. By viewing an unex- pected situation as an opportunity to do things that you may not have been able to do during the season, you create a pos- itive outlook that can feel empowering. Master a toe drag, a snap shot or some other hockey skill of interest. There are plenty of YouTube hockey instruction videos. A time like this also can provide an opportunity to pursue something that you would not otherwise have time to do during the season. For example, I know of athletes and families who are playing card games that they have always want- ed to learn. While this is not an ideal time for any- one, here are a few suggestions to help you persevere in a more proactive way: Identify and share your emotions Practice self-care Help with household chores Spend time outside daily Maintain optimism Reach out to family, friends and teammates Train as best you can Most of all, take care of yourself. Elite hockey players know the value of getting adequate sleep, healthy nutrition, plenty of hydration and connection with family and friends. Hockey players and families are among the most dedicated and caring people I know. We are all in this together, so let us make the best of it and support one anoth- er during this time off the ice. feedback@nyhockeyjournal�com Be proactive, stay positive during these trying times WARD DR. ELIZABETH TRAIN YOUR BRAIN TRAIN YOUR BRAIN Dr. Elizabeth Ward is a former Harvard hockey player, licensed psychologist and peak performance coach/consultant. Learn more at www.DrElizabethWard.com. "Taking the Guesswork out of Skate Grinding!" "Knowledge Builds Confidence, Confidence Builds Champions!" Edge Specialities Inc. 320-815-3338 www.pro-filer.com pro-filer@charter.net My goal in doing so is to improve my fitness while also learning something that I have always wanted to learn. CUSTOM SKATE FIT CENTER OUR NEW LOCATION : OUR NEW LOCATION : CITY ICE PAVILION 47-32 32ND Place LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 212 - 228 - 8400 WESTSIDESKATE.COM WE'VE MOVED! WE'VE MOVED! NYHJ-BP_Aug17.qxp_Layout 1 2/16/19 7:31 PM Page 1

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