What’s the deal with the Website name Score100goals.com?
A short time ago there used to be small talk before the start of every season. This could be the year we see a player score "100" goals. Names such as Brett Hull, Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemiuex and a few others where thrown into the mix. That small talk has been replaced with I hope we have a 50 goal scorer talk. Wouldn't it be cool if the next time you wen to the Hall of Fame there was a picture of a player holding a puck that said 100 on it?
As the son of an NHL coach, it’s not surprising that I spilled my first blood on the ice after catching an edge at the ripe old age of two. We followed his career around North America- moving at least six times- with each new team. I spent a few "sick" days each year hanging out in the locker room before and after practice. All the players were great. They never got tired of my questions (at least they hide it well if they did) and stayed after bag skates to give me pointers on how to shoot and pass.
Being born in 1980, I spent my formative years watching the most explosive team in NHL history, the Edmonton Oilers, and idolized Wayne Gretzky. I was a little young when the “Great One” scored 92 goals in one season and 50 in 39 games, but to think of this today is absolutely mind blowing. I grew up bombing around the ice dreaming of one day playing with him.
In my playing days I was fortunate enough to compete internationally, while playing hockey for the Inaugural USA Hockey Development Team-traveling to Russia, Sweden, and Finland. Then I played under Coach Dave Poulin for the University of Notre Dame. I didn’t find my name on the stat sheet as much as I would have liked, but the times I did score were the most unbelievable experiences that I have ever felt - NO EXAGGERATION. The inability to find the back of the net wasn’t for lack of trying. I worked long and hard after practice on any area that could possibly help me light the lamp. (Maybe I couldn’t figure out why shooting at the goalie’s chest didn’t get the job done) But all joking aside, it just didn’t make sense back then. During my Junior season I had an unfortunate injury that ended my career. I can laugh about it now and even forgive the buddy pass from my roommate (joking buddy), but it was pretty eye opening at the time. All I ever wanted and dreamed about was hockey. NOW WHAT?
I traveled as far away from the game of hockey as geographically possible-Australia-and learned to surf. I never stopped following hockey (You don’t attend every Home Ice Mighty Ducks game by yourself to enjoy 8 dollar beers), but as I joined “the real world” and met different people from every walk of life I came to an amazing conclusion. Thousands of people achieve their dreams every single day in every walk of life. The best part about it is that they accomplished these dreams while everyone around them told them it was impossible.
4 Minute Mile
I’m always reminded of the famous sub 4 minute mile that Roger Bannister ran in 1954. For 90 years since records were kept no one had broken the 4 minute barrier. It was believed physically impossible.
Within two years after Roger Bannister broke the record 10 other people had accomplished the same feat. Was there a massive increase in performance enhancing drugs during this era. Nope, not around during the 1950’s. It was purely a matter of believing it could be done.
It took some time to stop dreaming about the NHL (lifting the Stanley Cup above your head is a hard dream to kill) and setting other goals- believe me I’m still working on it. But as I began to examine life after hockey (still can’t figure out girls) I realized that everything I wanted to do involved hockey. With that came the idea of Score100goals.
As I write this, scoring in the NHL is at a 40-year low. People wonder if a player will score in an entire season what Gretzky did in a mere 39 games. The entire hockey world seems to have come to the same conclusion. “The league is different now and the goalies are a lot better” or “the game will never have the scoring it did in the 80’s. It’s impossible.” All of this negative talk reminded me of my friends achieving their dreams despite the barriers people put up. Even the Great One himself said that “records are meant to be broken.” So the question is: Why can’t a player score 100 goals this season? Think of this as hockey’s four-minute mile or Mt. Everest. How great would that be to watch and be a part of? My new goal is to help players, parents, coaches, fans, etc. believe that not only scoring 100 goals, but any dream you set, is possible. I know, I know. I sound kind of like Oprah right now, but I’m okay with it. Just think “Everything in life was impossible until someone made it possible.” So Why Not You?
I truly believe the Score100goals teaching aid will bring a new perspective on goal scoring to players and a renewed confidence around the net. As I said before it’s the greatest feeling in the world to raise your hands after scoring a goal.
Now you can do it more often