Product of Environment
Versus
Product of Effort and Experiences
I read in so many cases where we are products of our environment. Our job with people who struggle because of their environment is to make them a product of this camp, hockey and real life experiences. The environment should not be part of the equation if we are doing what we need to do. There are too many examples out there of young people realizing their dreams out of the worst settings one could possibly have. I know young people who are well off, from great homes, and still a product of an environment that failed to teach them, “Smart and hard work is what works if you have a dream, but none of this happens without opportunity”. There are many times when I feel this urge to give a young person some type of reward with the hope that it is incentive to do more. More often than not, it is a huge mistake on my part. I should have put it aside and let them work for it. Take some time and count the number of times this has happened to you. The numbers will grow fast, yet we all know rewards can just as easily translate in to incentive when executed properly.
If one person out of all of those rewarded grows sophisticated and complacent in their approach to everyday life, it is a mistake. Mistakes made with young people are close to being criminal.
How do we keep young people on track to catch and pass those picked to move ahead of them; whether draft picks or young people selected for special teams in USA / Canada hockey or even each team in their home area? Our first responsibility is to create an awareness of how life works. There is a history of people catching up and passing the “chosen ones” if they get the right help and develop a “chip on their shoulder” mentality. I see so many players left out of the mix because of money, numbers, physical maturity and wrong decisions. This is evidence that those “chosen” better acquire and maintain a “chip on their shoulder” mentality.
The questions will always remain. How do we change a child fm the product of their environment to the product of their effort and experiences in life? Young people can choose to work out with people who are driven or can choose to go fishing. Hard work is the only spring board I know when it comes to launching a career. I’ve been in a position where I’ve given young people more than enough opportunity to “run with it” and make something out of the situation. Once presented, they find out they only “thought” that wanted it. Think of all those you know that are a product of their environment versus a product of their effort and experiences. Is opportunity staring you in the face; are you capable of recognizing it when it’s all there?
If you want to be happy for an hour, sleep in or shirk a duty that you don’t like. If you want to be happy for a day, skip dryland, weights and classroom; and go fishing. If you want to be happy for a month, inherit a fortune. If you want to be happy for a year, win a major award or championship of some kind. If you want to be happy for a life time, be a detail person, help others before any personal gains, and get it done in the process. Give some thought about all those responsible for your opportunity in life; then be one who looks to give opportunities to others.
These things continue to haunt me as I make myself available to young people while owning this camp. It gets awful tiring and even more tiring when it’s your own involved, whether family or others who are part of your life through the camp, draft, free agency or trades. My idea of a great life is doing what I am doing. I have worked hard to make myself a product of everything I do in my life. Some people are satisfied being accepted as a product of their environment. My wish is that gets transformed in to effort and experiences; experiences handed out by those in a position to grant opportunities.
I am one of those average guys who had the benefit of being around great people. When I think of my teaching and coaching experience, I am one who put in the effort but was the beneficiary of some great athletes, parents and fellow staff members. When I got in to pro hockey, I’ve been the beneficiary of some great athletes as draft picks, free agents and trades as well as being a part of teams with Craig Patrick, George Gund and Mario Lemieux @ the controls. Our camp in Minnesota has been a God send starting with Herb Brooks and moving on through all the staff members and great young people who have gone on to be productive citizens and quality athletes both in and out of hockey.
Success story I’ve been a part of are a tribute to all the great people I’ve had the good fortune to work with. I have lived five occupational dreams; Marine Corps, teaching, coaching, pro hockey and Minnesota Hockey Camps. All of them are very high reward occupations and most of my experiences will be with me forever because I was able to have an impact on others who in turn impacted my life.
-Ole Gringo-
ã copyright 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
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I really enjoy reading what you have to say and try to absorb it the best i can, thanks for the words- Michael
ReplyDeleteMichael. Thanks for taking the time to read.
ReplyDelete“Reading other’s emails and reports are “the next great panacea”. It is the access to knowledge that is the key to progress in the real world, both socially and mentally. The benefits of dialogue cannot be overstated. Dialogue has some magical moments that makes issues clearer, stimulates growth and is the solution to many problems; but not all of them.
While not the remedy for success, it is one more important tool. Reading what others believe is second only to the technology that consumes us daily.”