When I was a kid, all I ever dreamed of doing was playing college hockey. My entire childhood revolved around the sport. My favorite thing to do was play on a team with friends and compete in high level tournaments in different cities. There’s no better feeling than scoring a goal and winning games with your best friends. Everything was going great, year after year I was making the same team with all of my close buddies. That was, until I got cut from my 12u team.
I remember feeling embarrassed, upset, and angry at not only myself, but my coaches. I thought to myself, maybe they didn’t help me enough. My dad had a long talk with me about it, and he told me something I’ll never forget. As you get older, the pyramid of elite players gets smaller and smaller. Some people play for fun, and some people play to get to the top. Why does the pyramid get smaller? As time goes on, kids begin to separate themselves from their peers by putting in extra work. That was something I knew I wasn’t doing. He told me that if I truly loved this game and wanted to play division 1 hockey someday, I’d have to eat better, practice harder, train off the ice, watch game film and take school more seriously, starting now. Feeling determined to prove my coaches wrong, I started right away. 
My dad was my first skills coach, he filmed all of my games, broke them down and gave me constructive criticism. We worked out together after school, shot pucks in the garage, and he helped me with my homework. In addition, he would help my mom make nutritious and healthy meals so that I would feel my best. Slowly but surely, I was getting better, and I was building new habits that would help me down the road. I was playing the best hockey I ever have, was in the best shape, and getting really good grades.
Before I knew it, it was tryout season again. I found myself at the rink, seeing my old teammates, knowing I out worked them all year. I blew my old coaches away, and they expressed how much I improved over the span of just one year. After I made the team, I remember my dad telling me that everything I did leading up to this moment can’t stop now just because I’m on the team again. You have to keep the same habits that helped you grow as a player and person. Since then, it’s been 10 years, and I’ve kept the same habits. I watch game film, train hard on and off the ice, eat right, and excel in the classroom. I’m a firm believer that if I hadn’t done those things, there was no chance I’d be playing division 1 hockey at Penn State.
But I stuck with it, and now have achieved my childhood dream of playing at the college level. I started a business to help kids that were in the same boat as I was back then. Goal Line Hockey Mentors offers an all-in-one remote mentorship program for young hockey players. All of our coaches will have division 1 experience and provide game analysis, nutrition/academic advice, and career planning. Our goal is simple, help kids achieve their dreams on and off the ice.
Dylan Lugris – Stats, Contract, Salary & More (eliteprospects.com)