March 21, 2010
Dear Ryan and Family
I just received an email fm Ron Pyette stating that your father, and my special friend, passed away this morning. I feel a need to write how I feel about Lou, one who welcomed me in to the scouting fraternity with open arms in 1980-81 with the New York Rangers and one who immediately showered me with unconditional love and respect. I've met a lot of great people throughout my career and consider myself fortunate. I treasure the relationship we enjoyed over the years. My only regret is we never got to spend some time together during his retirement years. I actually wished @ some point we could have spent some time during spring baseball training in Florida; similar to the days when he took his young son to visit the ball parks during the summer months.
My first meeting, @ my first training camp, I was sitting in a meeting after a training session between Lou and Dan Summers with Fred Shero conducting the meeting. Three great men, three people with an unbelievable passion for life and the game and three I love. I am proud to say I was in this meeting with these men and will remember them forever.
Lou paid his dues beyond imagination @ a time when scouting was only for the passionate who lived this game. The game has been a way of life for so many of us. He was an inspiration and extremely loyal to his colleagues and so many others. His passion for the game can only be equaled; not surpassed. We go through life and consider ourselves fortunate when we have the opportunity to meet and develop a relationship with special and unique human beings. Lou had one of those old-fashioned value systems found only in those old timers with a solid upbringing and he took the time to pass it on to Ryan Jankowski and others.
I am convinced your positive approach to everyday life was passed on by Lou and this will get you, your family, and your Mom through this tough time. The record shows that Lou performed and was successful in whatever he chose to do and his relationships with everyone in the game is evidence of his professionalism. He always made me feel good when I was in his presence and I've never forgotten this. Our latest relationship, if only by an occasional hello, was special. We have a relationship the late Vince Lombardi called LOVE!
The world of hockey has been the beneficiary because of Lou’s involvement. His attitude, skills, boldness, swagger in his walk and competitive instincts are time tested with me. He was a very special and unique individual; something we all strive for. I am fortunate to be part of a scouting fraternity with Lou, Dan Summers and their peers. Lou’s Curiosity, Compassion, Caring, Composure, Confidence, Courage, Charisma, Character and Class of a Champion, who Competed in a Critical moment, is well documented. All the great leaders seem to surround themselves with the letter, “C”.
No one can ever prepare you for the day you lose anyone in your life. The only thing that gets you through the moment is all the love and caring that comes from those around you plus the fact you know he knows we all loved him during his time on earth.
Sports, like life, are a true test of a person's intangibles. Lifetime relationships are developed over a short period of time because of the dynamics of the sport, demands of the job and the people we have the opportunity to meet through our travels. Lou was one of those special ones.
The game of hockey, like life, is full of people in all capacities who know the value of validating and anointing themselves beyond other's beliefs, words, feelings and evaluations. We learn early on that we control our own destiny by acquiring the skill to express our skills.
Others do not validate our worth and success and Lou lived by this unwritten rule.
We all recognize the need for support systems in every person's life, but it still comes down to each of us just "getting it done". This process has a way of separating the strong from the Wannabe; people who believe they can make a difference versus people who only “think” they can be something. The strong will survive and Lou was very strong!
Keep supporting each other as one big family and the results will be dynamic. We are all part of something much bigger than all of us combined; namely each person's life and career. Today is a day to celebrate the life and career of Lou Jankowski. Shower him with all the accolades and memories he earned. Make sure hockeydb.com adds his Oshawa Generals stats.
Lou embodies the role unconditional love and respect plays in our lives. Our relationship with Lou remains one of the highlights in our lives.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Chuck and Clairene Grillo
MHC Family
Monday, March 22, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Skating Tips
I asked my Grandpa, Chuck Grillo, his best skating advice.
This is what he told me...
Learning how to skate is kind of a given. Players learn two ways. One, they emulate those who have great form and technique. Two, there is instruction on the basics of skating and that stays with you every time you step on the ice. How many times have you heard, "They skate just like their father or mother."
Bret Hedican's children will have to choose between Bret and Kristi. We know which one we would emulate. The techniques you learn can be, and should be, incorporated in to the warm-up prior to each ice session.
The tip is: Ultimately off-ice training is the difference maker. Professional mentors and scouts have known this for years. Once the technique fits your body physiologically, your goal should be to get bigger, quicker, stronger and faster. Technique should be repeated in warm up drills.
This is a simple, but not easy process. Jump, sprint, lift and skate on the same day and you have four different muscle groups, with four different ranges of motion, working and growing together. Over speed drills on the ice cause you to skate out of your comfort zone. The end result is a bigger, quicker, stronger, faster skater capable of acquiring all of the agility and mobility skills incorporated in to the drills required for success. Practice @ the tempo you play and your chances of succeeding are greatly enhanced.
This also gives you a psychological advantage on your opponent in life knowing you paid a bigger price to succeed. Injuries sustained during competition heal quicker.
The next order of business is thinking and believing big. All children ask the same questions:
"(Fun)damentals, skills in the drills and synergy beyond imagination. We want to know where we are going, how we are going to get there and who is going along with us for the ride?"
Sincerely,
Monique Rondeau
Age 11
Ole Gringo's Granddaughter
Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.comAll rights reserved.No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
This is what he told me...
Learning how to skate is kind of a given. Players learn two ways. One, they emulate those who have great form and technique. Two, there is instruction on the basics of skating and that stays with you every time you step on the ice. How many times have you heard, "They skate just like their father or mother."
Bret Hedican's children will have to choose between Bret and Kristi. We know which one we would emulate. The techniques you learn can be, and should be, incorporated in to the warm-up prior to each ice session.
The tip is: Ultimately off-ice training is the difference maker. Professional mentors and scouts have known this for years. Once the technique fits your body physiologically, your goal should be to get bigger, quicker, stronger and faster. Technique should be repeated in warm up drills.
This is a simple, but not easy process. Jump, sprint, lift and skate on the same day and you have four different muscle groups, with four different ranges of motion, working and growing together. Over speed drills on the ice cause you to skate out of your comfort zone. The end result is a bigger, quicker, stronger, faster skater capable of acquiring all of the agility and mobility skills incorporated in to the drills required for success. Practice @ the tempo you play and your chances of succeeding are greatly enhanced.
This also gives you a psychological advantage on your opponent in life knowing you paid a bigger price to succeed. Injuries sustained during competition heal quicker.
The next order of business is thinking and believing big. All children ask the same questions:
"(Fun)damentals, skills in the drills and synergy beyond imagination. We want to know where we are going, how we are going to get there and who is going along with us for the ride?"
Sincerely,
Monique Rondeau
Age 11
Ole Gringo's Granddaughter
Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.comAll rights reserved.No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
Monday, March 8, 2010
Got It Made vs No Respect
Got It Made versus No Respect
I write and say a lot of things, some of it to learn myself, and some of it to send to others. I am witness to successful moments and successful seasons most every day of my career. My first warning would be to,
“Treasure the moment and use it as incentive to maximize your potential.”
There are basically two types of athletes in this business [“no respect" and "got it made”]. "No respect" and "got it made" people have to have the same mind set if they are to continue on the path to become what they, and others, believe they can be. One of them has a little tougher journey.Never forget your time on the bench or the wait to see if you will be recruited or finally be drafted by some NHL team.
Don't forget where you come from and how you feel about yourself, and your ability, as well as how others feel about you as a person and player. The most successful people in this game stay close and believe in those who care and believe in them.What type of confidence does it take to overcome a coach, scout or GM sitting you on the bench, failing to recognize your worth, failing to recognize your achievements or putting you on a fourth line when you know you are better? What type of confidence does it take to over come any situation you encounter that is similar to this? What happens when they shower you with praise or pile the negatives on your game? You will benefit from both experiences, but I would let the "no respect" mode handle both scenarios. Bottom line is your success in any setting comes down to "they believe in you and you believe in them". If every mentor could get this across to their players, there would be a lot more success stories in life and athletics.
“We are put on this earth to validate and anoint ourselves regardless what people believe, say, write or report.” Reaction requires an attitude, swagger, boldness and competitive instinct with a willingness to keep learning.Feeding off of “no respect" is an easy thing to do when you have talent. Anxiety disappears when you prepare in life, so difficult situations are easy to over come and you welcome critical moment opportunities to excel. People who have to deal with "no respect" have to continue to prove they belong. They have to prioritize and simplify the process by listing all assets and liabilities. They have to train year around and their game goes to unexpected levels because they are always trying to prove something to themselves and others.
This type of person is rarely satisfied because they know that with just one slip people who make decisions will say "I told you so." Why wouldn't a "got it made person" do the same?
Coming from where I come from, I believe I've always got something to prove. I've reached levels I never imagined and I want to keep reaching. My biggest reach is "Peace of Mind" knowing I did the best with the talents that the Good Lord gave me to function on this earth. Have I done anything great? No! I've just gone beyond what others believed I was going to be. I will do this by believing we never arrive.
When I think about young people with a talent, those who are fortunate to have things going for themselves, I think back to all of those who let complacency and sophistication creep in to their lives and game because everything was going right. In most cases it is a sub-conscious thing that we don't even recognize is happening to us. We need to learn to sort out the different levels of praise.
How many times will you hear; "They were at the top of their game and they let it slip?" For this reason, I believe that those who have it going have to have the same mind set as those who have "no respect". They have to wake up every morning knowing that one slip and they could be in the "no respect" category, simply because life has a way of doing this to people. They have to wake up every morning to be what they can be, and they have to guard against complacency.
People in charge have their own style of managing and judging you. Once they make that judgment, they are no different than the next person. They will try and prove their assessment of you is correct. Now the road to success becomes more complicated, however, it is possible to prove people wrong. An announcer choosing one player over another for an all star team will do anything to prove he is right; conversely a coach or GM playing one player over another to make their team or a line will do anything to prove they are right.Most athletes have to "pay a heck of a price" to be what they can be in life. Very few are born to be there. Why would they risk losing what they worked so hard to achieve? Recognizing and appreciating how they got there is one sure way to ensure that things will continue to go well for them. Paying a price in the off season is the other way to ensure success.
I could be pretty well satisfied with my life right now, and I could elect to take some form of retirement. I don't know that I will ever be satisfied with my life or my situation. Sometimes I wish I could change that part of me to make a better life for those around me. This is me and I have to enjoy being me before I can "help others help themselves" enjoy being what and who they are.The key words are "helping others help themselves". This means that no one is giving others a hand out in life or the game, no one is going to do it for them!
Live it and get it done!
I think back to Super Bowl Sunday. If you read all the clippings, there were super stars and great players on both teams, and both teams had a chance to win. I said before the game that there will be a best and the worst player on each team. Will the best be the one projected? Will the worst be the one projected? There will be a winner and a loser. Will the winner be the favorite to win? Bottom line, I would take pride in being the parent of the worst player on either team.There were two quarterbacks. One just happens to continue to approach life as a "no respect" guy even though he got rid of that label long ago. Who would guess that his eyes alone would be the difference between two great athletes? Who would guess that his ability to "look off and deceive" would be the difference in a victory and out playing one of his peers? This is just another reminder that sometimes tragedy creeps in with both success and failure. Keep the guard up and watch the outcome in future big games and then your career. It will play out!
Eyes tell a story. Maurice "Rocket" Richard comes to mind when I think about a pair of eyes that burns right though you. He embodies the word focus and concentration. You only need to look in his eyes once, photo or in person, to see the tenacity and burning desire to compete. Eyes have a way of telling others that you are a deep thinker, fierce competitor or always thinking. The eye concept lends credibility to maintaining your focus in life. Jackie Robinson is another athlete who comes to mind. His eyes, along with other assets, were full of determination, life and focus that allowed him to break the color barrier in baseball. You will always be able to learn from their eyes. There were enough pictures taken.
The other facet of eye training has to do with peripheral vision. You have, or will, hear the expression "eyes behind his head". All the great players have it. Their heads are always swiveling and they know what's happening all around them. "They see the ice" and they make the game seem easy. This type of head moment also improves "reaction time" in transition situations. They have a way of knowing everything that is going on around them without dictating their move.
You can improve peripheral vision by observing people in a crowd or players on the ice. This is a fun exercise; a way to pass the time of day constructively. Your awareness in all situations improves. You actually know what's going on around you while carrying on a conversation. This carries over to your on ice performance. All the great ones know what’s going on around them; on and off the playing surface.The eyes [ look offs ], hand drops, head and shoulder moves, ability to "freeze" the other players on the ice give you a better chance to complete a pass, get a puck to net, get pucks through shin pads and sticks, as well as gain space to give your teammates time to get to open ice. It takes energy to do all this. Lazy people do not add this to their arsenal.
Looking in to a person's eyes will also tell you the level of "life" they have in their work and game.
You are blessed with assets people can't teach. You are either born with these skills or acquire them from observing people and players on and off ice; then emulating them. Use your assets to maximize what you already have earned in life and continue to approach life as a "no respect" guy, one who has to get up every morning to prove he belongs where a select few don't want you to be.
This is the foundation for completing a good book on life a chapter at a time.
ã Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
I write and say a lot of things, some of it to learn myself, and some of it to send to others. I am witness to successful moments and successful seasons most every day of my career. My first warning would be to,
“Treasure the moment and use it as incentive to maximize your potential.”
There are basically two types of athletes in this business [“no respect" and "got it made”]. "No respect" and "got it made" people have to have the same mind set if they are to continue on the path to become what they, and others, believe they can be. One of them has a little tougher journey.Never forget your time on the bench or the wait to see if you will be recruited or finally be drafted by some NHL team.
Don't forget where you come from and how you feel about yourself, and your ability, as well as how others feel about you as a person and player. The most successful people in this game stay close and believe in those who care and believe in them.What type of confidence does it take to overcome a coach, scout or GM sitting you on the bench, failing to recognize your worth, failing to recognize your achievements or putting you on a fourth line when you know you are better? What type of confidence does it take to over come any situation you encounter that is similar to this? What happens when they shower you with praise or pile the negatives on your game? You will benefit from both experiences, but I would let the "no respect" mode handle both scenarios. Bottom line is your success in any setting comes down to "they believe in you and you believe in them". If every mentor could get this across to their players, there would be a lot more success stories in life and athletics.
“We are put on this earth to validate and anoint ourselves regardless what people believe, say, write or report.” Reaction requires an attitude, swagger, boldness and competitive instinct with a willingness to keep learning.Feeding off of “no respect" is an easy thing to do when you have talent. Anxiety disappears when you prepare in life, so difficult situations are easy to over come and you welcome critical moment opportunities to excel. People who have to deal with "no respect" have to continue to prove they belong. They have to prioritize and simplify the process by listing all assets and liabilities. They have to train year around and their game goes to unexpected levels because they are always trying to prove something to themselves and others.
This type of person is rarely satisfied because they know that with just one slip people who make decisions will say "I told you so." Why wouldn't a "got it made person" do the same?
Coming from where I come from, I believe I've always got something to prove. I've reached levels I never imagined and I want to keep reaching. My biggest reach is "Peace of Mind" knowing I did the best with the talents that the Good Lord gave me to function on this earth. Have I done anything great? No! I've just gone beyond what others believed I was going to be. I will do this by believing we never arrive.
When I think about young people with a talent, those who are fortunate to have things going for themselves, I think back to all of those who let complacency and sophistication creep in to their lives and game because everything was going right. In most cases it is a sub-conscious thing that we don't even recognize is happening to us. We need to learn to sort out the different levels of praise.
How many times will you hear; "They were at the top of their game and they let it slip?" For this reason, I believe that those who have it going have to have the same mind set as those who have "no respect". They have to wake up every morning knowing that one slip and they could be in the "no respect" category, simply because life has a way of doing this to people. They have to wake up every morning to be what they can be, and they have to guard against complacency.
People in charge have their own style of managing and judging you. Once they make that judgment, they are no different than the next person. They will try and prove their assessment of you is correct. Now the road to success becomes more complicated, however, it is possible to prove people wrong. An announcer choosing one player over another for an all star team will do anything to prove he is right; conversely a coach or GM playing one player over another to make their team or a line will do anything to prove they are right.Most athletes have to "pay a heck of a price" to be what they can be in life. Very few are born to be there. Why would they risk losing what they worked so hard to achieve? Recognizing and appreciating how they got there is one sure way to ensure that things will continue to go well for them. Paying a price in the off season is the other way to ensure success.
I could be pretty well satisfied with my life right now, and I could elect to take some form of retirement. I don't know that I will ever be satisfied with my life or my situation. Sometimes I wish I could change that part of me to make a better life for those around me. This is me and I have to enjoy being me before I can "help others help themselves" enjoy being what and who they are.The key words are "helping others help themselves". This means that no one is giving others a hand out in life or the game, no one is going to do it for them!
Live it and get it done!
I think back to Super Bowl Sunday. If you read all the clippings, there were super stars and great players on both teams, and both teams had a chance to win. I said before the game that there will be a best and the worst player on each team. Will the best be the one projected? Will the worst be the one projected? There will be a winner and a loser. Will the winner be the favorite to win? Bottom line, I would take pride in being the parent of the worst player on either team.There were two quarterbacks. One just happens to continue to approach life as a "no respect" guy even though he got rid of that label long ago. Who would guess that his eyes alone would be the difference between two great athletes? Who would guess that his ability to "look off and deceive" would be the difference in a victory and out playing one of his peers? This is just another reminder that sometimes tragedy creeps in with both success and failure. Keep the guard up and watch the outcome in future big games and then your career. It will play out!
Eyes tell a story. Maurice "Rocket" Richard comes to mind when I think about a pair of eyes that burns right though you. He embodies the word focus and concentration. You only need to look in his eyes once, photo or in person, to see the tenacity and burning desire to compete. Eyes have a way of telling others that you are a deep thinker, fierce competitor or always thinking. The eye concept lends credibility to maintaining your focus in life. Jackie Robinson is another athlete who comes to mind. His eyes, along with other assets, were full of determination, life and focus that allowed him to break the color barrier in baseball. You will always be able to learn from their eyes. There were enough pictures taken.
The other facet of eye training has to do with peripheral vision. You have, or will, hear the expression "eyes behind his head". All the great players have it. Their heads are always swiveling and they know what's happening all around them. "They see the ice" and they make the game seem easy. This type of head moment also improves "reaction time" in transition situations. They have a way of knowing everything that is going on around them without dictating their move.
You can improve peripheral vision by observing people in a crowd or players on the ice. This is a fun exercise; a way to pass the time of day constructively. Your awareness in all situations improves. You actually know what's going on around you while carrying on a conversation. This carries over to your on ice performance. All the great ones know what’s going on around them; on and off the playing surface.The eyes [ look offs ], hand drops, head and shoulder moves, ability to "freeze" the other players on the ice give you a better chance to complete a pass, get a puck to net, get pucks through shin pads and sticks, as well as gain space to give your teammates time to get to open ice. It takes energy to do all this. Lazy people do not add this to their arsenal.
Looking in to a person's eyes will also tell you the level of "life" they have in their work and game.
You are blessed with assets people can't teach. You are either born with these skills or acquire them from observing people and players on and off ice; then emulating them. Use your assets to maximize what you already have earned in life and continue to approach life as a "no respect" guy, one who has to get up every morning to prove he belongs where a select few don't want you to be.
This is the foundation for completing a good book on life a chapter at a time.
ã Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
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