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“I’m a realest, and an optimistic,” my phone’s alarm rang at 4:30 in the morning with State Champs’ All You Are is History blaring. I hopped out of my bed and into a cold shower, throw on my work clothes—a dry shirt and joggers—and bundled up to brave the peak of the Vermont winter. It … Continue reading Best of the Gram 2019

[Note: The title is a blink-182 reference. If just one person gets it I’ll be happy.] I just want to relive this night forever. I wish they would play that over and over. Why can’t they come back here more often? Concerts to see your favorite bands are surrounded by weeks, if not months, of … Continue reading On Some Emo Meditation Practice

“Who’s this jacked dude talking about Harry Potter and Star Wars?” I wondered in 2013, when I was an 8th grader in Vermont.  At that time, when I wasn’t lifting or playing hockey, I was exploring Youtube or reading fitness blogs. It was only a matter of time before I came across one of the … Continue reading How to Get an Internship With Your Hero

The difference between playing NCAA Division III and Division I hockey is the difference between pursuing hockey as a passion or a career. Between paying for college, or going on a scholarship. Between having the best resources at your fingertips, and the limited resources of a smaller school. It’s a potentially life altering difference.  Yet, … Continue reading What It Takes to Play NCAA DI Hockey: The Similarities and Differences Between DI and DIII Players

In June 2018 on a Saturday morning, I found myself at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s annual Vermont State Clinic at the University of Vermont.  I was especially excited for one of the morning’s speakers, Devan McConnell. Familiar with him through podcasts and websites like hockeystrengthandconditioning.com, I was drawn to his accumulated hockey wisdom, … Continue reading What I Learned From Devan McConnell

My first visit to Spain was in July of 2017. I was 18, fresh out of high school, and lucky enough to be able to spend one month of the summer living in Barcelona, with my former foreign exchange student and his family. Sure, I went to Spain on the guise of a vacation, but … Continue reading How to Conquer Fear: Developing Courage at the Beaches of Barcelona

Learning a Language is a long process. But, it’s just like learning anything else. Going through the process of learning Spanish over the last two years, I’ve discovered a blueprint to learn anything. I grew up in a bilingual family. My dad was born in Latin America. But, when I was little l didn't speak … Continue reading Three Steps to Learning Anything: My Language Learning Journey

In part one of this series, I talked about the common patterns I saw among the most successful junior hockey players. But hockey is a team sport. At the highest levels, it’s not about individual accolades, it’s about who’s holding the trophy at the end of the season. At the junior level (20 & under), … Continue reading Reflections on a Junior Hockey Career Part 2: Patterns of Successful Teams

Although a lot of people think that power training is reserved for athletes trying to perform at their peak, adults also need to train for power. In our context, power (force over time) is essentially training to be more athletic. An athletic person is able to respond to and absorb fast moving forces more effectively. … Continue reading Power Training for Adults

This March, my fifth and final season of junior hockey with the Vermont Lumberjacks ended. Reflecting on this journey, I’ve thought a lot about a lot about my teammates, numbering in the hundreds. The relationships we shared and the memories made are at top of my mind. But I’ve also thought about the habits and … Continue reading Reflections on a Junior Hockey Career Part 1: Patterns of Successful Players