I’m back in Minnesota for the second time in a week - they love their girls hockey here as much as we do in Toronto. Tomorrow I am going to be doing seminars and watching some great hockey between the US women’s national team and the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Western Women’s Hockey League. The US national team trains at a facility outside of Minneapolis that was created as a result of the vision of one of hockey’s greatest coaches, Herb Brooks. Coach Brooks is the one whose story is told in the movie “Miracle”. And although I love that movie, I know for certain that it was no “miracle on ice”.

The “miracle on ice” was no miracle. It happened for a reason. Brooks had an unbreakable focus and his players had an unstoppable work ethic. Their uncommon skill and success came from doing more than what was expected of them every single day. The so-called “miracle” was born months earlier when the coach and his players committed 100% to being the best in the world.

They didn’t score that game-winning goal against the Russians because of a single lucky shot. That amazing moment happened one shot at a time, practice after practice, day after day.

That team was able to succeed on the biggest stage because of their willingness to do what other woudn’t. After all, if you do what everyone else does, you end up like everyone else.

If you want to separate yourself from the rest of the pack and become the best female hockey player possible, you need to do all the little things that no one else is willing to do. Make every shot, practice, and game count. That’s how you become great. That’s how you get a “miracle on ice”.

What are you going to do to separate yourself from the crowd and create your own miracle on ice?

Work Hard. Dream BIG.

~ Coach Kim