Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
EP. 137 - From Promise to Success: Luke Buss on Navigating NCAA Hockey and Overcoming Adversity
Ever wondered what it takes to turn early promise into collegiate success? Join us as we sit down with Luke Buss, a Wisconsin Badger hockey player, who candidly shares his remarkable journey from his formative years at Shattuck St. Mary's to topping the BCHL charts and ultimately playing for his dream school. Luke's story is a compelling blend of resilience, dedication, and the heartwarming importance of being a good teammate, offering deep insights for both aspiring players and their parents.
In our conversation, Luke dives into the often complex reality of NCAA recruitment and the emotional rollercoaster of moving from junior hockey to higher levels of play. He opens up about the highs and lows of his career, including a particularly tough season that tested his fortitude. You'll find out how a crucial mindset shift, spurred by his father's advice and the support of his mindset coach, helped him overcome obstacles. His transparency provides valuable lessons on building confidence, embracing challenges, and viewing setbacks as stepping stones to success.
Finally, we underscore the transformative power of a supportive community and authentic relationships with coaches. Hear Luke recount how maintaining consistency and preparation led to an outstanding season, and how focusing on his teammates' success often fueled his own. This episode celebrates Luke's achievements and unwavering commitment to his dreams, delivering a powerful narrative on the value of grit, resilience, and the profound impact of personal and team growth in the world of hockey. Whether you’re a player, a parent, or a fan, Luke’s journey is sure to inspire.
That's kind of the best advice that I could give somebody is being a good teammate. I mean, that is just so so, so important and it's something that you know. I wasn't a bad teammate or anything, but I wasn't like an excellent teammate.
Speaker 2:That was Vernon Viper, nanaimo Clipper and Wisconsin Badger. Luke Buss and you are listening to the Up my Hockey podcast with Jason Padolan. Welcome to Up my Hockey with Jason Padolan, where we deconstruct the NHL journey, discuss what it takes to make it and have a few laughs along the way. I'm your host, jason Padolan, a 31st overall draft pick who played 41 NHL games but thought he was destined for 1,000. Learn from my story and those of my guests. This is a hockey podcast about reaching your potential. Hello, welcome back, or welcome to the Up my Hockey podcast with Jason Padolan. I am your host, jason Padolan, and you are here for episode 137. And the guest today is Luke Buss. Now Luke Buss happens to be let's call a deep track guest on the Up my Hockey podcast.
Speaker 2:Now what does that mean? That just means that it's probably a name. Luke's probably not a name that you've heard of, he's not a household name, he's not a prospect of an NHL team, but what he is is a Wisconsin Badger right now, and he also happens to be one of my MVP clients, one of my private clients. I beg you to stick around and listen to this interview, because this has been a long time coming and Luke's story is so compelling. There's so much humanity in it and there's so many lessons that you, the listener whether you're a parent or whether you're a player can learn from and take away that. I think this is a must listen. Luke is I don't know what you'd call him an A-plus human being. He is a rock solid dude. He's a rock star. As far as from me being able to work with him, how he was with me as far as his attitude was concerned, uh, his willingness to go deep, his, his want to be a player, his want to be the best that he could be, uh, there are so many qualities about him, uh, that you know that I found out in the last year of working with him and also what he is now recognizing also in himself like these massive attributes that have compelled him and pushed him to develop and to rise from the ashes and to play in a dream school for him now at the NCAA Division I level. That this story is worth listening to Luke.
Speaker 2:We get into his entire story, but I mean he comes from hockey blood. His dad was a Wisconsin Badger back in the day and a prospect, a pro prospect and so he grew up playing hockey. Luke was a brick invitational player, played for Chicago, so was a good player from a young age. He was able to play for Shattuck St Mary's, led the 15U team in scoring the one-season goals and points. So this guy was a player. As most of you know, whether you're in Canada or the States, playing for Shattucks in any capacity, let alone their top team, is a very tough thing to do, and then lead that team in scoring is also a very tough thing to do. So he was an acclaimed player and ended up having a choice to go either to the USHL route or the BCHL route. He chose the BCHL where he led his team there in points as a rookie in his rookie season as an 18 year old and uh, and got committed to Quinnipiac and and things were rolling and then things weren't rolling, and that's where we we talk about it all.
Speaker 2:We talk about the not rolling, we talk about how six months can kind of change your life in a lot of ways as a hockey player, and how the next six months changed his life again as a hockey player and, um and I think Luke is so eloquent and so geez for lack of a better word, and I think it's the right word vulnerable, like in his answers in this interview, like willing to be raw and truthful about where he was at, why he got into those scenarios and also how he got out of them that I think it really inspires those of you listening to be raw and truthful and honest with yourself and hopefully you can hold a mirror up in front of yourself and say, hey, where are these things showing up for me?
Speaker 2:Are they showing up for me right now? Are these areas that are potentially holding me back and could these potentially be things that might be my demise at some point in the future and maybe I can work on them right now? So, yeah, there's a lot there. And so, luke, as I said, I mean I'm a big fan of this young man. Uh, I I mean, he's already a winner. He's been a winner his whole life and the fact that he's he's where he is right now, he's doing awesome, and uh, and I expect nothing more but the same, and and you know.
Speaker 2:But the thing with potential is, where does it end? I mean, it's not for me to say, and I know that luke is now on the path to find out wherever that potential within him will lead. I know he's in a great environment and a great culture there and a great place to get better, and he's dialed right now. So a lot of fun for me to have this interview with him, to be able to celebrate Luke, one of my clients, to be able to celebrate his success and how he got there and the support cast that he developed along the way that aided him in doing that. But just like I say to all my clients and anyone that really is successful in anything with the support of their circle is that it only happens unless they're willing to do the work, unless they're willing to go deep unless they're willing to be keeners and I would describe Luke as a keener.
Speaker 2:He wants to be better, he wanted his team to win, he wants to be in a winning culture. You know all these things that are checkboxes and it's easy to be, they're easy to say, but really the execution of it is where it matters. And Luke was willing to do the execution, he was willing to do the homework, he was willing to put in the reps and uh, and still is putting in the reps, and um, and yeah, can't wait to see what happens for Luke. So for those of you here listening um, stick around, luke bus is somebody that we can all learn from, and uh, and let's celebrate Luke together in episode one 37. So, without further ado, here is Luke Buss of the Wisconsin Badgers. Well, here we are. This has been kind of a long time coming. I've been talking to you about having you on as a guest for a while and you've been receptive from the beginning, but it just seems like we haven't been able to do it. But finally, welcome to the podcast, mr Luke Buss.
Speaker 1:Thank you Super happy to be here, yeah've, we've talked about it for a while and, um, yeah, I'm super excited to be here and, uh, excited to share my story.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I love it. I love it that you're so willing, willing to do that. You know, and that was kind of part of the thing. When we talked a couple times, it was like, you know, kind of before, like you were maybe like last season when you started to get rolling and I'm like maybe we should talk about it and they're like, oh, maybe we should wait, you know, and then hopefully, like a commitment would come, and then we wanted to wait for that and then it happened, and then it was like there was no really good time. So, anyways, I think this is like a great opportunity. You know, as we discussed offline with you know, your new season ncaa division one uh season coming up with the Wisconsin Badgers, like super exciting, you're stepping into a new world there and I thought it'd be a great time to.
Speaker 2:You know, talk about the journey. You know your journey, which is a really important thing here on the podcast, and letting everyone know that there's many different ways to get to where you want to get to, and I think yours is a great example of that. So, yeah, man, like one super proud of you, like I know you know that and I think yours is a great example of that. So, yeah, man, like one super proud of you, like yeah, I know you know that and I know I've said that to you before, but I think like saying that in a public forum is really cool too. Like watching your growth and watching your progress and watching your evolution and your willingness to do the work and your availability with all of it was like really, really awesome man, and like I couldn't be happier for all the, for all the good things that are going on for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I appreciate that a lot, like you're a huge part of that and, um, with all the success that I've had recently, like couldn't have done it alone. I had, you know, coaches and teammates and family that were all a huge part of that. And hockey's just a, you know, a great sport and there's just so many different ways to get where you want to go and for all of us that's that probably the NHL or for most of us, and you know there's many different paths there, like major, junior and NCAA and, you know, even in Europe and stuff like that. But for me it's kind of always been that NCAA route, like being an American kid and value and education as well. So that's kind of I'm going to be talking about that specifically but that's kind of the path that I wanted to always take.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, and maybe we should start there. You know, American kid, where'd you grow up?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I grew up, so it's kind of a long story. I was born in Florida, so I started there and then when I was two or three, I moved to Kansas City, missouri, um played my youth hockey there. Um, my dad was the coach, me and my brother played together and, uh, till when I was about 10 or 11 years old, I moved to Columbus, ohio, uh, played a year for the um AAA Blue Jack whatever the team was around here. And then in seventh and eighth grade me and my dad moved to Detroit and I played for Little Caesars, which was an awesome experience. And then for my high school career I played at Shattuck, st Mary's, which is a prep school which you know there's a lot of popularity around prep schools these days. It's kind of a good stepping stone to get into that junior and NCAA. So I've definitely moved around quite a bit and, yeah, I've been a lot of places and yeah.
Speaker 2:So when were the moves? And if, maybe none of them were, but were any of the moves hockey specific, Like, did you go someplace for hockey with your dad? Was that the?
Speaker 1:was that the goal? Yeah, so the first couple of moves when I moved to from Florida to Missouri and Missouri to Ohio, that was for like family, job related stuff. And then, um, well, my brother and my mom were still in Ohio, me and my dad went to Detroit just for hockey related stuff, because that was probably about 10 years ago already and, um, hockey in Ohio wasn't huge, like it wasn't great, and, um, you know, obviously in Michigan it's, it's huge and it's awesome and, um, we just kind of want to do that. I mean, like hockey has been in my blood and it's kind of been my dream to pursue that. And you know, it was a really young age looking back to, to make that move just for hockey, but to get where I'm at now like I wouldn't change it.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and you have a supportive father there, obviously, and maybe we should talk about dad, because dad was a hockey player himself and, like you said, it's in your blood, so maybe share a little bit of his story and why he might be so compelled to support your dreams like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so my dad was a player too. Uh, he grew up in wisconsin. Uh, he played for the wisconsin badgers as well, which makes this um whole story just that much cooler. Like I actually have a picture of that's him up there playing for the badgers, right behind me actually. But he was a player. He played high school hockey in Wisconsin and eventually committed to the Badgers and played. He registered his first year and played four years.
Speaker 1:There was a part of some really good teams, been around some really good players, a lot of NHL players, and he made some lifelong friends there, lifelong memories there, and he's told me so many stories about the place, about how awesome it is and all the nuances of it, and he basically just said you won't understand until you get there, like it's just a special place and you'll meet some special people and the hockey there is really second to none and it'll be some of the best years of your life. So he said to look forward to it, but it's gonna go by so quick. So just you know, embrace it all, enjoy it all. So right.
Speaker 2:Oh, wise words, sage words, sounds like there, and you've already had a little piece of it, as we talked before. You know, with your experience there in the summer, and it seems like it's all. It's all you wanted it to be and more, which is super cool. But yeah, what? What interesting stops? Um, you know, with Columbus and then with Little Caesars. Actually, just ironically, chris Osgood has a place here in town in Vernon and his kid is a 2012 or 2011,.
Speaker 2:One of his boy who's a hockey player, and so Chris coached the coach that team, the U13 team, there at Little Caesars this year and they had a really, really strong team, and so I had a chance to coach Max, who was his younger son, and he had one of his teammates out, zander, and uh, they're, I mean, good hockey players, obviously a really good team, nationally ranked, right they were. They were, uh, solid players on their team and you could tell when they came here that they were. They were good hockey players and all done up in the uh, in the little caesar's garb, they're looking good. And then, you know, for you to go to shattucks, which is like perennial, like almost in every age group, they're like one of the best, if if not the best, um in the nation. Uh, was that? Uh, that in of itself tells me that you obviously were a pretty hell of a good hockey player, uh, at the younger ages, if you were able to make those teams and willing to make those moves.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. Um, you know I wasn't like a superstar or anything. I guess I was just a solid player and try to do my best out there. But Shattuck was kind of like a dream for me to go there when I was that age. You know all those great players that have gone there I mean you can name them off like Crosby, mckinnon, taze, stepon, like all those guys and that was kind of like my dream at that age to go there. And I tried out for the team for my my freshman year, ninth grade year, and uh ended up making it and that was, you know, awesome. I I loved every part of Shattuck. I could talk about that place almost for the full time. But, um, yeah, it was, it was a dream to go there and that was, you know what was best for my development at the time and uh, I loved it all.
Speaker 2:So that's awesome. What makes that place special? Because I don't know anything about it. You mean really at all like what? What makes that such a unique, special place?
Speaker 1:well, you, just you create bonds with, with these players and these coaches, because you're, you're a 14 year old kid, right, and you're living in a dorm with these people and you're, you know your teachers are like your best friends, they're like your dorm parents, whatever, but it's like having a sleepover with your buddies every single night. You know you're staying in the dorms and you're having fun and you're just, I mean, you're, it's like college, but you're just a kid and you know you don't really know and you're just kind of figuring stuff out on your own, which is a cool part about that place Like you're kind of living on your own, like doing your own laundry, like figuring out your schoolwork by yourself, like your parents aren't there to help you with that, and you just create special bonds and, uh, it's just, I've made some of the best friends I've ever had there and, um, aside from that, the hockey development is crazy, like there's always ice there and, uh, they really push you to be the best that you can be and it was awesome I love it.
Speaker 2:So lots of access to ice, you're, you're growing accountability and you know leadership skills and responsibility and all those good things and um, it's in an environment where, like the most formidable years of your life, essentially right yeah it's really competitive there too, like always a lot of high-end players there, and it's just so competitive and everyone's making each other better, which is um another special part about that place so did you go straight from there then to the vipers? Is that where where the vipers drafted you, or I mean yeah, I did.
Speaker 1:I did so. I was um in in high school, I was drafted in the USHL to Tri-City Storm and then by the end of my high school career my rights were somehow with Sioux City Musketeers and I was kind of pondering where am I going to play junior? Obviously I want to pursue NCAA and I got to figure out a place to play junior after my season was over and I had a couple options. I was just trying to figure out which league you know, whether it was the USHL, bchl or the NAHL, and I just didn't really know. So I talked to my coach, who I have a lot of respect for. His name is Tom Ward. He's been at that program for a long time. He's won a lot of national championships and he was even coaching with the Sabres for a little bit and, yeah, I had a lot of respect for him. I just kind of asked him what he thought I should do and he has a lot of respect for the BCHL and thought that that was, you know, a great route for me.
Speaker 1:And obviously the USHL, in my opinion, is one of the best you know junior leagues in the world, if not the best like, with talent from top to bottom, you know, first line to fourth line, and you know I had an opportunity to play there and I just didn't think that it was going to be best for my, for my development. You know I thought I had the best chance to, you know, play top six or top six potential and in Vernon and um, so I thought that was best for my development. My coach and a lot of uh people close to my family kind of thought that that was a good idea as well. So I pursued that option and um, yeah, that was kind of how I made my decision right, so okay, so a USHL draft.
Speaker 2:Um, I saw you played one game in sioux city. There, I mean had kind of some options, so you were you know, opportunities are good things sometimes they can also cause some anxiety, right with what decision to make. We ended up coming here, which is interesting. So, for the listeners, I I assume most of you by now know, but if you're new, I am from vernon.
Speaker 2:Uh, that's where I grew up is vernon, and so we have a team here called the Vernon Vipers that is used to be called the Lakers back when I was growing up and and so Luke ended up deciding to play for Vernon and I guess so that was the year correct me if I'm wrong where you ended up leading that team in points Not super prolific, you mean, to be honest, right, 36, right 36, 16 goals, 36 points in 48 games. But like for that team which was a kind of a you know muck and grind kind of team that played, uh, played a little bit of a you know throwback style a little bit. You mean, you were the top guy and that was where you ended up getting your scholarship as well, correct?
Speaker 1:yes, that's right. Um, yep, I ended up getting commitment to Quinnipiac after that season and you know that season had a ton of ups and downs. Like I came there and like you don't really know what to expect, like it's junior hockey, just a whole different level than prep hockey, like it's just a whole different level. And you know, I get there and I'm playing. I'm playing the preseason, I'm playing my first preseason game and I'm on like the fourth line, left wing, and I was like, well, here we go, like you got to prove yourself now, Like you got to put on the work boots and show what you got. So I ended up having a pretty decent game. I think I had a goal there and played pretty well. And, uh, I ended up finishing the preseason with maybe four or five goals and a couple assists in those games and, uh, it just was really helpful for me to kind of set me up for success and show that I could play.
Speaker 1:And um, yeah, that was a good start for me. And then, uh, after probably I don't know 20 games, I had like 20 points or something like that. I had a really hot start there and um, and then I think I hurt my knee and I, uh, probably came back too early, wasn't playing you know my best hockey and was kind of getting down to myself and win probably the next eight to ten games without you know my best hockey and was kind of getting down to myself and win probably the next eight to 10 games without you know scoring a point. But those are just kind of the ups and downs that come with a game, right, and it's like it's super inevitable. I mean, the train is going to come off the tracks at some point. It's just you know those skills, learning how to manage that and you know how to come back from that stuff is kind of you know stuff that we, we learned this year, is really like sets you up for success and, you know, helps you get back on that horse and keep going.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know for sure. So what was the? Maybe we have a little pause there, as far as there's a lot of players I don't listen to this and they want to be junior players, whether in the WHL or USHL, or I mean, I know there's listeners from all all across North America now and they're setting themselves up what? And I will preface this with with this kind of bridge statement, because one of the things that I know that we talked about, even now that you're going to NCAA, is like how do we prepare ourselves the best we can for a place we've never been to before? Right, like it?
Speaker 2:That's a difficult task to do because you know we haven't been there, we don't know the standards, but the idea is is like how can we try, right, to elevate, whatever it is, the workload, the volume, our, our effort? You know these things that might be difference makers. When you, when you arrive at the scene, what was the biggest change for you strolling into Vernon? Um, you know, trying to earn a spot and and your first experience with junior hockey, but where'd you notice was it was the biggest difference.
Speaker 1:Well, I think the difference was, like all the other teams that I had been on, like you, you kind of have a spot on the team and it's kind of already set in stone, whereas in junior you have to earn your way, like you have to earn everything that you get, and a lot of the coaches like they're not like your high school coaches, they're not like guaranteed to play you or it's not, they're gonna play their best players and they're gonna play to win, like that's what junior hockey coaches are paid to do, and uh, that's just the biggest difference is like they're gonna play the best players and you're not promised anything and you have to earn your way every single game that you play and continue to earn your ice.
Speaker 1:Like I remember I was probably playing I don't know my the second or first line for the first half of the season and then you know, as soon as you start to play bad, I was playing on the fourth line and that's just how it goes. Like you don't, you just have to continue to earn it every single night and then you know you start playing better and you'll get bumped right back up again. So it's kind of just about overcoming those things and um, yeah, building yourself up for success.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's a great takeaway, uh, because you mean for those that are there, like they are, that are maybe being recruited right now, because that's the thing, right, not that anyone's lying, but like they tell you a lot of good things, right?
Speaker 1:Like because they want you to come.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because they want you to come to the program right. So there, and I know everyone has a different way of doing it and some, some organizations, actually aren't very authentic with it and they will promise the moon and they can't really deliver the moon. And some programs will say, hey, we love you, you know, we do like you, we want you to be a part of this organization, but you're going to have to earn it, you know, and they're like, they're straight up, and I'm not sure how Vernon did it, but just for the listeners out there, right, like when you do arrive at the scene, like these promises that have been said, you know, whether through a handshake or not, like you got to play plain and simple, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean all the problems are thrown out the door, like in my opinion. I mean, of course, if you're like I don't know, a high-end draft pick, like maybe you'll start in the top six, but even if they promise you something and you start in the top six, you you gotta keep, you know producing or playing well, to stay in the top six, like so, yeah, just when you get there, you gotta play and you gotta, you know, strap the work boots on and and go to work. And obviously every level that you go up, it's you know bigger, faster, stronger. And I think the most important thing is the speed at which you make these decisions, because the game is so fast, like decision making is, you know, such an important part of the game you're making, that's just a great part about hockey is you're making these decisions.
Speaker 1:You know every second of. You know where to go, what to do, you know pass, shoot, stuff like that, and as you move up the ladder, those decisions just have to get that much faster and that much better. But you know that's also a huge change as you kind of move up. But yeah, as far as you know getting promised stuff, you know you just gotta, you just gotta earn it. And if you know you do end up going to the fourth line or even getting scratched for a game, then you just get back to practice and you go to work and you earn your way back up yeah, he's much easier said than done.
Speaker 2:I know that was something that we spent some time on, even right like how to how to do that? Um, and the consistency is like one of those words that you kind of haven't used yet specifically, but that's exactly what you're talking about is like the grind of like not even being a junior player but then people wanting to be a pro player is, yeah, how do you, how do you execute at a level worthy of where you're at and your skill level as consistently as you can, because, I mean, that's, that's one of the, that's one of the biggest keys. And overcoming the volume and the amount of practices and the mental strain on like what it is that you have to keep showing up all the time. You know, and on their schedule, their schedule, not your schedule your body might feel like it needs some time off, but you've got an hour and a half practice and a weight and a workout that you have to go to, you know, and it's uh, it's yeah. How do you, how do you manage all that?
Speaker 2:So that first year is always tough. Um, you know, you had some ups and downs. You worked your way in to the lineup and into being a top leaned on player. Talk to me about when people started to call in that first year there in the BCHL in regards to NCAA status and recruitment. How did that go and how did that feel?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that started out probably after about winter, I would say, is when that kind of started to pick up. I talked to some schools in high school and in the past, but obviously you're still a little young and that's kind of just like getting to know you type stuff. But it started to kind of get more real in juniors for sure, and that probably happened during Christmas time, because christmas time because, like I said, I was playing some pretty good hockey and um playing in the top six and putting up some good, some good numbers, and that's kind of when the chatter started to happen. And, uh, I mean, it wasn't until the end of the season that I ended up committing to quinnipiac but um, yeah, that's when this talk started to happen.
Speaker 2:So cool and uh, and just for anyone there who's living that dream like what is that? What does that look like? Like, does the phone ring to you directly? Does somebody call your advisor or your dad or the coach, maybe? Like how does how do those discussions start?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so well for me at the time I didn't have an advisor, so I was just kind of taking these calls by myself.
Speaker 1:But what they'll usually do is, um, they'll call your coach, your junior coach or your even your high school coach, because they're pretty accessible, and they'll get their number, um from them, and then they'll end up giving you a call and, you know, just kind of talk to you about the program, talk to you about yourself, like some of your strengths and weaknesses, you know a lot of similar questions. But they just really want to get to know you and figure out if you're a good fit for them and if you know it's got to go both ways. You know you got to want to be there and they got to want you, and it's definitely a process Like it does not happen overnight, like you know, even if you get one call, two calls, three calls, like you know the deal's not over yet, like it's not over till you basically sign. So, right, um, it's just got to work both ways and, you know, got to be a good fit.
Speaker 1:So was that an exciting time yeah, it is like it's, it's awesome, like that's kind of you know what your your goal is and your dream is to play that ncaa. And when it starts to kind of become a reality not for sure yet, but you're kind of in those talks like it's exciting, you know, you kind of feel that hard work paying off a little bit and yeah, it's fun, especially when you got some options to choose from and you're kind of weighing out the pros and cons of each program and it's definitely a fun process, gotcha.
Speaker 2:That's good that you handled that way. And maybe the whole thing wasn't fun, because I have definitely had players that, like, when that starts to happen, it almost gets to be a little bit nervous, anxious, like it's becoming more real and it's becoming you know, which is a great thing. But then you also know that you're being watched a little more, with a little more scrutiny, and you also understand that, uh, there's another now another layer of whatever distraction might be the wrong word, but you know, I mean, when the phone is ringing, you're having these calls all the time. You're still trying to play hockey. It can be a, it can be a bit much for some players. But yeah, and that's the thing, hopefully you're. It sounds like you did enjoy it and that's kind of the idea of it is like, my goodness, you've been dreaming about this for so long. Now just sit back and enjoy that aspect of it that somebody wants you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, and it's like you kind of got to not let it be a distraction because it's super easy for that to creep in. Like you know you just got to always play like there's no scouts there or whatever and just you know have fun with the game and love the game and play like you've always played. Cause once you start having that creep in your head is you know, obviously when stuff doesn't go right. You know, we've talked about that a little bit and I think the first week that we were talking about you know, like the that redhead, blue head type stuff, and you know when you're in that red area and you're anxious and nervous and frustrated like you're not going to play that well.
Speaker 2:So yeah, got to be able to manage that for sure. I'll take a short break from the conversation with Luke Buss to remind you that, since hockey season is just about to begin and since you are listening to an episode that celebrates the success of somebody who has taken the Peak Potential program before and are starting to see the differences that it can make and can help propel your individual athlete to new highs, to get them out of their own way, whether it be with anxiety or confidence or second guessing and overthinking who knows what it is. Or maybe you are a team manager, maybe you're a team coach, maybe you're an association president and you want to give your team or your competitive teams the gift of mental fitness and a culture of high performance, then Up my Hockey is the place for you. I have the program, I have the coaching, I have the success stories and the testimonials, and this is a can't-miss swing-for-the-fences type of home run decision that'll make a massive decision on either the individual or the team. So check out upmyhockeycom if you want to know more about the Peak Potential program, the thing that we were talking about that Luke took during his BCHL season. It was the backbone of our discussions and things that we continue to talk about as we move forward throughout the season with Luke. This can be the program that your team takes or your athlete takes before the season starts, to start off on the right foot, to develop the habits and the standards and the commitment and the perspective shift required to play your best hockey and to operate with a growth mindset consistently. Then, like I said, upmyhockey is where you want to be.
Speaker 2:Upmyhockeycom U-P-M-Y-H-O-C-K-E-Y is where you can find out more about the program when the next guided mission launches. Whether you want to take a mentored mission, which is a one-on-one program through or sorry, one-on-one mission through the program, with me as your private guide where we go deep on your individual stuff, or whether you want to take it as the team, like I said, and we get on team coaching calls and I'll guide your team through the program, there is an option for you that is the right fit. I look forward to the inquiries and let's get back to the episode with Luke Buss. Okay, so we have this good experience in the BCHL and I want to make sure your story gets told, because we're not even really at the spot where we started working together yet, but I mean, this was like a big piece of the whole of the whole story.
Speaker 2:So you, you made the decision, um, with obviously your support cast at the time, and you know that that the ushl, uh, the move there, would be better for the next season. So we ended up going to muskegon. I don't know how you got there, I'm not sure if it's worthy of of sharing, like from sioux city to muskegon, but then you end up going to muskegon and have a bit of a different experience that you're in the ushl, um, I don't know where you want to start up with that, but, uh, let us know, maybe, about that decision and then like how that all started.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so after my season in Vernon it was, you know, a decent season. Nothing special by any means, but, you know, a solid rookie season, if you will I committed to Quinnipiac. I went on a visit there and you know I kind of fell in love with the place and committed there. And then I was getting calls from USHL teams to come play for them. And in my head, you know, I was really committed to playing for Vernon again. I had such a great experience there and thought, you know, this can only get better. This is going to be great.
Speaker 1:And you know Quinnipiac was a school that recruited a lot from the BC. And you know Quinnipiac was a school that recruited a lot from the BC. You know there's a lot of you know, d1 schools that will push players to the USHL and Quinnipiac was not one of them. They had a lot of players from the BCHL and USHL too, of course, but they recruited a lot from the BCHL. That's kind of how they grew their name. They kind of thought outside the box with this league and found out there was actually a lot of good players from that league. But anyway, yeah, they weren't pushing me to go either way, but I started getting a lot of calls from USHL teams, you know, wanting to draft me pretty early in the draft and have me come over there. And I told them all, really, I said, hey, I'm sorry, like I'm committed to Vernon you know, I've told that to you know, my, my coach there in Vernon and, um, yeah, I'm sorry, like I can't, I can't do this. And um, you know the draft's going on and obviously that no one's going to take me, um, but I get a call, like, as the draft's going on and it's super late in the round, and it's from Muskegon. It's like, hey, like if, if you, uh, if we draft you late here, will you at least, you know, come to camp? And I was like sure, yeah, I'll come to camp, that that's fine. And so they ended up drafting me and um, I went to camp and you know I had a really good camp. I, you know, put my best foot forward and, um, they offered me a spot on the team and um, you know, obviously, like we were talking about earlier, kind of promised a lot of stuff, like you know, as a 18 year old kid or 19 year old kid, like stuff that you want to hear. Um, and you know, talking with my family. You know it was.
Speaker 1:It was a decision where we were close to home. I was only six hours away instead of you know, 3000 miles away. This league is obviously like as premier as it gets top to bottom with, you know, really good players. You you won't really find a player in there that's not committed, and a lot of them to really high-end schools.
Speaker 1:So I really wanted to play with the best and showcase myself there and thought if I have a good year here, I have a chance to get drafted in the NHL. That's kind of what I was thinking and it was a really tough decision. But I really wanted to play with the best and I thought I had a good relationship with, uh, with the staff there in Muskegon and I was one of the tougher phone calls I ever had to make to coach McKee and in Vernon, when I tell him told him that I was no longer coming to um to Vernon and like that was really tough. I I hated that phone call but I had to do it and I yeah, I just ended up going to Muskegon. So that's kind of how that all went down.
Speaker 2:Gotcha. So you had, you had uh well, we'll put in air quotes, the promises, but you also had the proof of camp, you know, and your performance there to you know validate your decision. Right, like you thought that you were, you were, you know, one good enough to be there, to probably good enough to be there and even to be a guy there, right, and then and then these other things like would happen in that, in that role. Is that accurate?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean like honestly, um, the promises were like fine, but I personally felt like I was one of the best players there. Like, um, I thought that I could, you know, deliver a lot there and I just wanted to go to camp to see how I would stack up. I felt really good there. That kind of aided my decision, I guess, too.
Speaker 2:Right Things started off good, correct, If I remember correctly there. Right that started the season. What went?
Speaker 1:well, I hurt my knee in training camp actually, which was really tough, so I missed the first. I want to say eight to 10 games, which is always hard right, like starting a season with an injury, because you know that's when chemistry starts to come together, that's when the power play started to come together and you know the penalty kill and all and all this stuff where the team starting to kind of come together and lines are being formed and stuff like that, and and you know not to say that stuff doesn't change all the time it does, but at the beginning of the season it's it's really, you know, important to kind of put your best foot forward and and show what you have and so you can kind of establish yourself as as that kind of player like kind of reminds me of Vernon, whereas that's kind of what I did at the start and it kind of set me up for success, where here I didn't really have that opportunity. So I kind of started probably 10 games late and I did have a really good start. I had a goal and an assist.
Speaker 1:I remember my first game in the league and I was like, wow, like this is, this is awesome. You know, this is, this is going to be, this be, this is gonna be great. Um, but yeah, that was an awesome game. Um, but yeah, to go on assist there. And then I think through my first 10 games I had like five goals and five assists, so like started out really well. Um, you know, kind of thought I was like wow, wow, like I'm going to have like 50, 60 points in this league, like this is going to be great and hopefully I can get drafted like this is going to be awesome. This is, this is a great decision and everything. And at that point that's kind of where things started to really go downhill for me.
Speaker 2:So Well, interesting, right, and so do you think that that was like a little bit of a trigger for it? Well, interesting right, and so do you think that that was like a little bit of a trigger for it, like. So you, it sounds like you're taking some responsibility in the fact of like, like the downward spiral, right, was it? It wasn't just ice time was taken away, it was a little bit of your, your potentially, your results or your performance.
Speaker 1:That was also included in the, in the yeah, like I just, you know, that season was, you know, a huge learning lesson for me. Like you know, I felt that I was, you know, good enough to play in that league and good enough to be a good player in that league, but I just got really complacent and I wasn't working in hard, working hard in practice as I should have been, like not nearly as hard, wasn't as good of a teammate. Like all this stuff started to slip because I got really complacent and, um, you know, I started moving down the lineup and as I moved down the lineup, things just got worse and, um, yeah, like I got to take accountability for that, but it was, you know, it was a great learning lesson for me. And, um, I did not have a great season at all. So, um, after that, you know, good start, and, yeah, it was, it was, it was a struggle for sure, right?
Speaker 2:well one. I appreciate your honesty and I think, if, if you'll allow me to, I want to ask a couple questions just about that, because you're not the only one like for sure, like just just so, can start there, and I think your story is going to be so relatable to so many people listening. When we start with that idea of like complacency and feeling good right, there's a little bit of ego involved in that, right so that the foot comes off the gas pedal and we don't do it like consciously, like at all, but it's just sort of because of the environment that ends up happening. And then you said, like you start moving down the lineup. What do those emotions turn into then? Like you know, just you could think back to Luke bus, like two years ago. Like, was it finger pointing? Was there like some jealousy was? Was there the ownership there that you needed to have? Do you think, uh, or not? You? Can you put yourself back in those skates?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was. I didn't take the ownership at the time, I thought it wasn't me, I thought it was everyone else, you know, as a finger pointing clinic, if you will, and not taking any accountability and not trying to work harder to get back in the lineup, but going the other way. Um and yeah, it was just no accountability and um, yeah, it was a struggle for sure.
Speaker 2:Gotcha.
Speaker 2:Well, super honest, but it isn't that.
Speaker 2:I mean I love the psychology of sports, which is why I mean I really enjoy what I do, you know, and there's there's different triggers and there's different ways for everyone to be their best, and it's and it's so in the moment, right.
Speaker 2:It's like when I talk to players, or even parents, and like some of this stuff that I work with players on is like to try and prepare them for the storm, right, to try to prepare them for the area, because up until that point, like you had this season in Vernon and there was some adversity, for sure, but you hadn't really had the experience that you experienced in Muskegon, right, and so there was all this, like you say these lessons, but they're only lessons if we learn from them at some point, right, which thankfully you're able to, but in that moment, like you weren't really prepared for that and you didn't know yourself well enough to really adapt differently, right, so we kind of took a human approach to it, which many people do, and it's like it's not me, it's not me, it's this, it's that there's some entitlement comes in and we don't get the results that we want now for you, which I think is so powerful, um, and why I just love your story and your rise so much.
Speaker 2:Is that talk about like not only did your game go down and you were I mean, you had all these ideas of what you were supposed to be and where you could have gone but like what happened with the school and what happened with that whole journey and that phone call, let's fit.
Speaker 1:like how that? How did that season end? Yeah, so I didn't end the season very well at all. It just it wasn't great, our team wasn't very good, we didn't make the playoffs and I guess I was just kind of going through the motions out there like it kind of even hurts me to say all this stuff, but it's what really happened.
Speaker 1:Um, but at the end of the season, because I was supposed to go into school that next season, that was supposed to be my last year junior, and even after the first 10 games, like they were like all right, hey, like you're coming in, you're going to be a player for us, like all this, which all kind of aided into all that. You know that stuff that happened. But, um, I was supposed to go in that year and I was calling them about, you know, like, so what's the deal here? And um, essentially they were like, hey, like you need another year junior, like you're just not ready, um, so we're gonna have to push you back another year. And you know that sucked a lot. So I, you know, had to figure out a new place to play junior Because I, you know, I didn't want to go back to that Muskegon, not because it's a bad organization or whatever. Like it's a great organization and I've got nothing bad to say about that place at all, but it just it wasn't a good fit for me and it's kind of I had some bad. You know I had some good memories there as well, like I made a lot of good friends but had some you know, bad or around there. That I just for me personally. So I just kind of had to figure out a new spot to play.
Speaker 1:And they ended up trading me to Waterloo in that league Waterloo Blackhawks, which is also in that league. And I was kind of deciding on, you know, whether to play there or go somewhere else or go back to the BCHL. And I just kind of thought about it and you know I was like wanted to kind of get my confidence back and, you know, play in the top six and you know kind of dominate if you will. And I thought my best chance to do that was in the BCHL. And so I ended up. You know well, jason McKee ended up calling me again. It was like, hey, where are you playing? And I was like, well, I'm thinking I'm going to play for you again. And that's kind of how that all worked out and um, so I ended up going to him and, uh, that's where I started out my final year junior, so, right, so, with Quinnipiac being involved and just from like the inside hockey aspect of it, your season's going on.
Speaker 2:After 10 games they're telling you yeah, yeah, we're ready to bring you in. You know everything's looking great. This is also feeding your ego, right. You're feeling better about yourself. We talked about how that translated into, like you know, work ethic and your practice and all that stuff. But as, as you started to move down the lineup and as your play went down, was what was the communication like with Quinnipiac? Like did they? Was there? Was there advice? Was there any like kind of writing on the wall, warnings kind of? Or did they just leave you alone?
Speaker 1:yeah, I mean there was some warnings for sure. Like I talked to them and they said you know they were still going to bring me in like this was probably 30, 40 games in, but you know you might not, you know, be a top nine player or whatever, be in the lineup, um, and then you know they said a top nine player or whatever be in the lineup. And then you know they said you need to simplify your game, like you know, basically be a grinder if you will like. When you know I kind of started the league, as you know, a point producer type guy and kind of play that role. That's kind of the advice that I was given was to just play harder, which was actually really good advice at the time. To honest, like, just simplify the game and you know, play tougher, play harder, like you know that's what you need to do and um, so there is kind of warnings are along the way and it just kind of went downhill a lot for sure.
Speaker 2:So right and then. So when did you find out you mentioned that you had to play another year junior? They told you that, hey, we're not going to bring you any other year junior. But when did they actually like get the phone call or tell you that, hey, we're, whatever that we're like, we're decommitting from? You like when? When did that conversation happen?
Speaker 1:um, that happened after about my first three preseason games in vernon and um, yeah, so they pushed me back, uh, and then, after my three preseason games in vernon, they this past year they're like, hey, like, um, I don't think this is a good fit and you know, we you should look elsewhere. And yeah, like they're obviously a really good program and have nothing bad to say about them, like obviously just won a national championship, they've got a great staff, great players, great culture, everything, and I just, you know, for to take accountability, like I just wasn't there, like my game wasn't there and my attitude wasn't there, and you know, that's just what happens.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's like so for everyone listening, like I just want you to take a second like and pause in that scenario, right? Like meaning like being so for everyone listening. I just want you to take a second and pause in that scenario, right, meaning being in your shoes. In your head, you had the world by the tail for a moment, right, you were going to this great school, won a national championship, the stars were aligning and in the span of a hockey season not even a whole hockey season we kind of lose sense of who we are. We kind of lose sense of the hockey player that we are. A school now decommits us and now we're heading into our 20 year old year without a scholarship, back to kind of where we started two seasons ago.
Speaker 1:Like that sounds like you could have been pretty lost in that environment yeah, I mean, I was like I was devastated, honestly, like I, honestly, I called my parents crying and I was like I was devastated, honestly, like I, honestly, I called my parents crying and I was like, yeah, that's just what happened.
Speaker 1:And they weren't even I don't know, they were just disappointed and sorry for me. And I remember having this call with my dad, actually, and you know, this was kind of after the dust had settled, maybe a week later, and he was basically like, hey, like you have, there's two ways that this can go at this point now, and it's either one. This is, you know, you go through the motions again and this is your final year of hockey and kind of everything that you know you worked for and dreamed of will be gone and dreamed of will be gone. Or you can, you know, go to work and this can be like a Rocky Balboa movie and you can put in everything extra and you can get this done and make this happen. And he basically said I believe in you. Okay, like you can do it, but you know it's not going to be easy and you just got to go for it.
Speaker 2:So that's awesome. I love that story. No-transcript. So Julian was also a Vernon Viper and so Julian took my course, my Peak Potential Mindset course, when we had never met each other before. So he was living on the East Coast, he was from Toronto, he was going to a prep school in the States, he decided to take my program and at the end of the program he had a lot of success with it. Uh, I was like so where are you going to play this year? And julian's like oh, I'm going to this place called vernon in the bchl. And I'm like are you serious? Like I live in vernon. That's so crazy. So, so julian ended up becoming a private client of mine and julian is now going to start his uh, his ncaa d1 uh scenario in princeton this year. So I'm super excited for julian.
Speaker 2:But again, as the world works, like, you and julian ended up being on the same line right at the start, at the start of the season, or at least, like, started to get pretty friendly with each other, and the season didn't maybe start the way you wanted it to either. Right, like, so we, we got there, you're back in a comfy zone. Right, you're with a coach that you know is familiar with that. You played with you know before and had been a guy for and yeah, it just kind of wasn't the start you wanted. So maybe like bring us up to those first three games, how that maybe conversation with Julian started and then you know how we met.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so, yeah, I didn't have a good preseason. So I, I got there and, um, obviously the summer before coming into this year, um, you know, I knew I was playing another year junior and I didn't know I was, you know, decommitted at that point. But I didn't work as hard as I should have and I wasn't as prepared for this season as I should have been for my final year junior, where I had everything to prove. Uh, I just thought, you know, I could, you know, dominate the league again, no problem, and it was going to be, it was going to be perfect, and I could, you know, be great going into Quinnipiac and, and I was horribly wrong and mistaken, cause that league is just getting better and better by the year and, as the AJ, and that league is going to be super premier, and last year it was really good. But anyway, I came into preseason and I just struggled Like I was behind, I couldn't keep up with the pace and I think I went five games without a point maybe in the preseason and I just like I couldn't grasp it. I just like I mentally wasn't there, I was tired, I was out of condition, I was behind the play, I, my speed wasn't there. I just couldn't find it. Um, and you know, I had many talks with with my coach and he's honest and he was honestly like, hey, if I hadn't known you like from 18 year old, I don't even know if you would have made the team. And, and you know that was like a hard conversation to have and I had many, many more like that, uh, as the, uh, as the season kind of continued and uh, the the next three games. I still haven't registered a point, like as a 20 year old, and it was. It was super tough and, um, yeah, I was struggling a lot. I'm I'm continuing to having these conversations with with my coach, like you really need to figure it out, like I don't know how much more time I can give you and all this stuff. And I, uh, I was just really down to myself, like it's just, I was like dang, why is this happening to me? Right, like all this, I had everything figured out. I was, I was on a great path to like I don't know, play pro hockey for sure. And and now, um, now I, I got decommitted, I'm in this league, I can barely make the team like, like what's going on. And I was really like I was devastated, for sure, and and I, I'm sitting and I was playing on the same line with Julian at the time and I apologized to him because I wasn't doing very good, but I was pretty close with him.
Speaker 1:He was one of my better buddies on the team and I was sitting in the lounge with him. I was like, man, I don't know what's going on here, I'm mentally not there, I'm just out of it. And he's like hey, I got someone you should talk to. And I was like, hey, I got someone you should talk to. And I was like, please, send them my way. So he, uh, he gave me her number and he typed it in his Jason Padolan mindset. It's still in my phone that way. But, uh, that that's what it is.
Speaker 1:And I ended up reaching out to you and I think we went to that, uh, that noodle spot there in Vernon and and we talked for for a bit and, uh, you gave me, I think, three things to just to work on and I, I think it was compete and I honestly forget what they were, but it was something like, something like basically dumb your game down to focus on these three things, like super simple stuff, and it was like, compete hard and uh, I want to say like, stop on the net and speed, if that's yeah, something like that. And I, uh, I played my next game or, I think, yeah, my third game of the season, and uh, we watched it back on tape and you're like, how do you think you did with those? And I was like, oh, all right. And you're like, how do you think you did with those? And I was like, oh, all right. And you're like, no, not very good at all.
Speaker 1:And that was kind of a turning point for me there, because I kind of had some accountability. And that's when I kind of started to feel, you know, not start feeling sorry for myself again and after those three games I still had no points. After those three games and, uh, my fourth game, I just, you know, really focused on those three things. I just wanted to win every battle, like I just wasn't not going to lose a battle, and I think I ended up having two assists that game, um, my first two points this season. And it kind of started to get better from there, but it was, it was getting worse for a while until it got better.
Speaker 2:Well, and I want to just kind of unpack that, that box there of of that moment, so cause for people to think about even what that means, like you write that in the phone, jason Padula, and mindset like you were at a point where you were at a low right, so you were willing to seek something that you hadn't really thought of probably before, or even thought that really existed. Um, can you just walk through like that, like was there a trust? Was it just like kind of bottom of the barrel? Like where were you at mentally with the idea of, hey, I'm going to show up for this, I'm going to make this phone call?
Speaker 1:just wasn't. I wasn't ready to give up yet, I guess, and I really like I was wanting to. At that point after I got decommitted I was like really wanting to better myself and kind of, after I had that conversation with my dad, I was like I was like I need to make this happen, like my parents have worked so hard for me, like to do this and I can't just give it up because I had, you know, a bad six months of my life, Like I can't just throw that all away on just that. And so I always I always thought like and what my dad always said is like your biggest problem, luke, has always been like in between the ears.
Speaker 1:Like you know your, your skills and everything. Like you're so talented but you know you have a problem with consistency and you know positivity and stuff like that. Like you know you need to, you need to talk to someone for sure. And uh, that's kind of when you fell into my lap and I was just talking to Julian, not really looking for anything, but he kind of helped me out a lot and put your number in my phone and I was like all right, let's get this thing rolling, so and so um and I've never asked you this, but like, so was it like when we, when we left that that lunch meeting there, um, like, how did you feel about that?
Speaker 2:was it like, yeah, I'm all in? Were you kind of hesitant on me? Or did you like, how did you feel, going like leaving that?
Speaker 1:no, I was pretty all in after that, like I thought we, I thought it was like a good vibe and I thought you kind of understood me and knew the steps to take, at least to to help me. And uh, no, I was pretty much all in after that and I talked to my parents about it and they were like do it, luke, like for sure cool.
Speaker 2:That's so awesome. You have supportive parents. They've been, they were great and yeah, man, like it was really cool, like and I don't know. So you remember those first three things that I told you and then part of us working together and for anyone listening, if anyone does want to work with me, it's like you. You we start, no matter your age or where you're playing with, with my peak potential mindset program. So it's an online program that you take, and so Luke started taking it, and then we would have discussions about the lessons and the discussions about the assignments and how he was applying it to his practices and to his games, and that first week really made a big difference for you, didn't it?
Speaker 1:yeah, oh, I think that was the mental agility week. Yeah, a huge week for me. Um, so many great concepts in that, um, in that week, for sure, we kind of kind of already touched on it, but that, you know, redhead, bluehead type stuff and um being basically just about trying to stay in that positive head state, like it's a lot easier said than done, but uh, there's definitely some you know strategies to do that and you know we talked about the I think it was, uh, I don't know how it goes like rewind, replay, reset.
Speaker 2:Is that? Is that right? Yeah, that was a mistake, one for sure that you liked. But, yeah, like the idea of and that was one thing with you that there was a lot of mental chatter, right, and there is for a lot of players you know, especially like in your situation, and rightfully so, I mean I've just been decommitted. Why am I not producing? You know why? Why? Why, right. And one of the big concepts there of that week is when you ask house league questions, you're going to get house league results right, right. So like asking those questions about yourself, why am I not? Why does the coach not play me? Why am I not getting points? Guess what your brain is doing it's answering those questions right, right, it's answering those questions that you're asking it.
Speaker 2:So we started to talk to you about, like, the idea of like, what is your powerful state? And for everyone out there, like you, can take this as like a free coaching lesson. Right, like you, you have to figure out what emotions you need to play your best hockey consistently, and I think that was a big trigger for you is like understanding that, yeah, this, this blue head, or this, this powerful state that I need to be in, can be created by how I'm thinking and um, and then with those focus points that we were talking about too, like when you apply to your game, uh, the mental side that applies to actual action steps on the ice uh, there was a big, there was a big shift in, uh, in the loop bus that was showing up on the ice every night yeah, you know, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I think another one of my favorite lessons we talked about was the one about you know the beliefs and being able to choose your own beliefs and you know the idea that you know the universe is friendly and stuff like that was you know the uh, development of learning or something like that. It kind of gives you that, that confidence to try new things, like you're not gonna know how to do something the first time, the second time. It takes that, that repetition, and you know you have to be willing to kind of maybe look like a fool out there on the on the ice and practice every now and then. But it's that development stages of learning, things like that that will really and that just gave me confidence to to try new things and to to work on my game. And you know those 20 minute mantras we talked about, like get on the ice early and after to, to focus on, on those things to. You know there's so many aspects of the game that you can grow on and uh, that was huge for me as well.
Speaker 2:So there's just I love it. We're trying to build confidence, yeah, and like. There's lots of different ways to build confidence. That's what I talk with with people about all the time. Right, it's not just the results on the ice, that's the ones that we focus on all the time. Right, because that's the easiest one, that's the tangible thing, it's right in front of us. How many points did I get? How successful was I on the ice?
Speaker 2:Now, the issue is like one if it's going too well, complacency can happen. Right. If that's I mean, you've experienced that before right, oh, I'm really good. And then, because I'm really good, I just get to enjoy all these benefits of all this performance outcomes that I'm having, and we take our foot maybe off the process pedal right, which is the idea of getting better. There's also the idea of like, when things don't go well with that performance based mentality is like we can feel really shitty about ourselves really quick, right, and it can just be this downward spiral. So, yeah, we were definitely trying to build, build ways for you to feel good about yourself. One, doing extra work to you know, thinking things that are filling your cup instead of taking them away. And I think another one, if I remember correctly, was that I love this one because you were super honest with it and again, you're not alone with it, but the idea of like celebrating success and others, I think was a big shift for you as well that we talked about.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was that's kind of the best advice that I could give somebody is is being a good teammate. I mean, that is just so, so, so important, important and it's something that you know I wasn't a I wasn't a bad teammate like or anything, but I wasn't like an excellent teammate and that's kind of you know where it took off and I remember this there. There was a point after, uh, in my season and I was, it was at the showcase this past season and I had just gotten traded to Nanaimo and it was the second game of the of the showcase and our team won probably eight to three and I didn't play much. I didn't, you know, I was in this new environment and the coach didn't really know me and I didn't. I didn't play much, I didn't play great and I was probably one of the only team only kid in that locker room that didn't like talk to a NCAA school after that and I and my dad was there and he and he came out of the and I came out and I was, you know, I wasn't like sad but I wasn't like exhilarated that our team won or that all my teammates had, you know, some great goals out there, and he basically talked to me.
Speaker 1:He's like you know, luke, this has got to change. Like you got to start, you know, celebrating other success and being a good teammate and that's something that me and you talked about quite a bit, and how Julian was was so good at it. And from that moment forward, I think the next game that I played, I didn't even care like I didn't care how I played, I was just trying to be the best teammate on the bench that I could, and like it always goes hand in hand and I ended up having one of my best games of the season. Like I started to really find my game. I think I had a couple of points that game, but I just was like really focused on being as happy as I could and and there's being a great teammate out there- so that's just some of the best advice that I can give, because the more you give, the more you get.
Speaker 2:It always comes back to you. So, yeah, and I love it when it comes from that place of of authenticity, right, like that we do see the value in this, for, for one and this is the biggest thing when I talk, when I talk to players and you were a part of this is like you're doing it because you want that other person, player, whoever to feel right, like that's the number one reason of why we're doing it. There is definite like residual benefits. Like you're taking the focus off yourself, right From a mental standpoint, like that is a big thing because for a lot of guys that are overthinkers anyone who is overthinkers out there and gets lost in their own head well then, take your thoughts outside of your own head, right, and focus that energy on somebody that needs it, which is a line mate, which is a teammate, which is somebody who scored a great goal, maybe somebody who's not having a great game. Right, that allows us to give our energy outward and take it out of our own head. So, like now you're doing these things, you're focusing on the success of others, wanting to celebrate it. It gives you a different energy, a different aura, and the universe seems to reward that. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:In and of itself, I know that there's a mechanism behind that. That actually is like there's a systematic mechanism of why it works, but there's also just a feel good aspect of why it works too, and I was super proud of you for that, because that's not an easy bridge to connect honestly, like and to do it authentically, because you are in an environment where somebody is getting more ice time than you. You are an environment where you want the minutes of somebody else, you want the, you want the opportunity to score with the with the net empty right, and you want to be the guy that's going on the ice. And there's every human character trait in the world that tells you, oh, I don't want that guy to do well so I can be out there, right. But the real, real fact of it is is that his success or her success has nothing to do with your success.
Speaker 1:Right, right you know, I mean, it's not like, because he plays well, you can't play great yeah, and the another thing about that was, too like, as that started to happen, like I started to like build these bonds with these guys off the ice, too Like when they you know guys like that and I just had some really awesome friends in Nanaimo that I made too Cause now it was just, you know, tried to be the best teammate that I could out there.
Speaker 2:So Take a short break from the conversation with Luke bus to give a shout out to the UMH 68. So that's the Up. My Hockey 68, which is my invitational event that is held in June, so far only in British Columbia, that is, for the U15 and U14 age groups, held on different weekends, which is the major peewee minor bantam age groups. The major peewee minor bantam age groups uh, resounding success last year with the major peewee um proportion of it, and also with the minor bantam again second year for the minor bantams, first year for the major peewees uh, and absolutely a whirlwind. Four days, phenomenal hockey, uh, amazing workshops. The educational component, the develop component and the competitive component of the weekend was not missed by anyone involved, let it be the players, or the, or the parents of those players, and and yeah, it's just growing, you know, I know the name is out there Now there's so many parents that that wrote and said, geez, we really hope we get invited back again next year. This was the best tournament we've ever been involved in, and so on and so forth. So it's really inspired me to want to move and expand this program, this tournament, this idea of providing an experience that just doesn't exist out there for players who want to be hockey players. That is what they want. They want to be hockey players, they want to know how to get there, they want to understand the path better, how to better themselves, whether it be from a mindset or a physical or an emotional side. The workshops that are involved in the UMH 68 have had rave reviews, and not to mention, obviously, the hockey at the end of the day, too, that the boys are playing.
Speaker 2:But with that and with the expansion is right now it's just me and British Columbia. I'm going to need somebody to help me move this thing east. I want to move it into Calgary, I want to move it into Saskatchewan, I want to move it into Manitoba. But I do need boots on the ground there that are excited about what the UMH 68 is ideally excited about, what Up my Hockey is and really the culture around what it is. I'm providing here as the Up my Hockey brand, which is the development of the entire person, to develop the player and to increase the player experience. So if you are into mindset, if you are into mental fitness, if you are networked within your province and understand youth hockey and are excited about offering a premier experience to the athletes in your province. I would like to be the boots on the ground to help with the admin, to help with the launch of the UMH 68 in a new province. By all means, get in touch with me. On my website at the info or contact us button, that's upmyhockeycom. You can email me direct if you can remember the email, which is jason at upmyhockeycom. We want to launch this spring, so ideally in June. Find the right venue, partner with the right person and get this thing rolling, because it does need to move east. So, calling all people interested and if it's not just even in the tournament, like there is potential is the next big move for Up my Hockey is to get a coaching staff with me. You know a person, a dedicated person, who can help with the coaching calls, who can help build the coaching programs that I'm building and can help administering them in their local communities or in their local network. Uh, that, that is the next big thing. So if you are involved in hockey, in skill development, if you are already entrenched in the, in the local network, and you want to expand your own program, um, and offer mental fitness uh, mental fitness training and guidance, you have the potential to be my hockey coach and to work within my programs and, yeah, that would be a great add-on to the UMH 68 opportunity. So that's out there, if you're listening. If that intrigues you, by all means give me an email. We can talk shop and see if it's a good fit and explain more of the details of what would be involved.
Speaker 2:Now let's get back to the conversation with Mr Luke Boss. We didn't even talk about you. You brought up the trade, but it's really yeah, so we start working together. You're there Geez, I'm not even sure how many games maybe eight to 10, I think and you ended up getting like a point of game, a point of game in Vernon after the 0-3 start, right. So you had the no points in preseason. You had no points your first three games. You ended up starting to get rolling. You weren't really scoring yet, but you were getting some assists along the way and you kind of battled up to a point of game player and then boom, like either right or wrong, and I'm glad that we were working together at that point. But like you're traded right, like the last thing you would have probably expected. Um, you know, more storms, a little bit more chaos, you mean, who knows what could have happened there, but I think, like you went into that environment with an amazing headspace, I thought, at least like your mindset about going there, um was strong.
Speaker 1:Maybe talk about that, you mean, and how that's a decision as a player, when you do go someplace, new, right, like there's an approach to that that can lead to success or otherwise yeah, trades are an interesting thing and really unique to hockey, like in the, you know, the junior center, like the youth, you know, under 20, you know obviously it's big in the pros, but it's really unique to hockey in in that sense. I, I believe and, um, I'd always I'd been a part of teams where a lot of trades were happening, but I had never been, I had never been, uh, traded. And it's such a it's so odd. Like you, you come into a new, a new team with new coaches, new facilities, new, new 20 guys that you have to to bond with, and um, you know, I kind of had a, a bit of a warning that I was going to be traded, but, um, cause they brought in this other 20 year old kid, um, and you can only have a certain amount of 20 year olds and I was like, well, I'm kind of the odd one out here, so I kind of had this idea that I was getting traded.
Speaker 1:And and then, uh, I played two more games under that precept and I think I had like four points or something like that, and, uh, I got traded, like the next next day and, um, I'm actually happy that I was working with you at the time, because I came into this like I wasn't really like that upset about it at all, like I was really excited for this opportunity to kind of have a a clean slate again and and uh, and yeah it was, it was great. Like the first couple days were weird. Like I moved in and, uh, my roommate was super awesome. Uh, william Gendron was a time. I think he's playing a sacred heart now, but we kind of bonded really well off the start. I had a great billet family, which is, which always helps, and uh, yeah, the trade was was great.
Speaker 2:So right, and you mentioned earlier, like the universe is friendly belief system, that that I, that I teach and we and we talked about, like that is a prime example of cause. I've been on that side as a player, right Like it's. Either there's either an opportunity in front of you, right Like that, this trade is happening for you, there's a purpose for it that's going to serve you and going to serve your career, or there could be the mindset of, like I just started getting it going, I'm in a comfortable environment. You know why is this happening to me now? Why am I going to Vancouver Island? Why am I going to this place called Nanaimo? I mean, why is this happening to me again? You know what I mean. Like, why is this?
Speaker 2:But the choice was yours to make. You were in an enthusiastic, positive, opportunistic headspace, right, excited to go in there and excited to make new bonds, make new relationships and have a great season. And, lo and behold, you went in there, you made new relationships, you saw the opportunities and you had a great season. Right like it's. It's not rocket science when we actually break it down that way. Right, but like, but like. You have to be able to play the part and I think you played the part like astoundingly well, and one of the things that I know that we were speaking about at the time was not only the teammate aspect, but was also like how do we build those relationships with the coach in an authentic, honest way?
Speaker 1:Right, maybe we can talk about that a little bit and the importance of you know finding some you about that a little bit and the importance of you know finding some, you know, some trust in that coach early and some belief in him from him and you. Yeah, I think having that relationship with a coach is so substantial and I think the thing that kind of gave me confidence to go to him was he said from the start that he believed in me and that he traded for me, which you know was really great. And, um, I just learning from my, my past mistakes of not doing this. I I ended up going to his office every day just to talk to him and, uh, just to kind of like be friends with him, and I I know this might not be like uh a lot, maybe some junior coaches it wouldn't work with, but some will, and maybe it's not every day, but maybe it's twice a week or whatever but I'd go up there and talk to him like, hey, like how was my practice today? Like how, what do you think? Like how was my game last weekend? Like what can I get better at? And and he helped me a lot.
Speaker 1:And then he started to help me with schools, reaching out to schools, and and we talked about schools for a long time and he advised me on that. But, um, it was just such a genuine connection and you know we still talk to this day. He was one of my favorite coaches that I've ever had and, uh, just, you know, building that relationship, whether it's going up and, you know, asking him how you played or how his practice or anything, is just so substantial for that connection and him having belief in you and and you having belief in him, because you know, at the end of the day he's making the decisions of who's going over the boards and the guy that he's got that most belief in and that most confidence in is going to be the guy.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and for those listening at home and I keep saying that word, authentic, like when, when I was talking with Luke about you know, in trying to cultivate that relationship, like some of the precursors and the foundation elements that I was speaking, uh, with you about luke was like showing up on time early, right, doing the extra, being the great teammate when you get feedback, make sure that you are delivering on that, on that feedback, right like so, when those things are happening, right, that, like you as a player, are taking control of you, taking control of your control, whereas you're being the ultimate leader for yourself. There's no holes like in your game. There's no inauthenticity, there's no credibility issues, right, like it's no. Well, for lack of a better word, brown nosing You're not in there, brown nosing the coach, to try and fabricate some type of relationship.
Speaker 2:You have the team first mentality, right, you want to win, you. You have the team first mentality, right, you want to win. You want to be the best player you can for him and you have your own personal goal, of course of like to go to NCAA. But you're in there with real, objective ears, you're asking questions that you want answers to so you can go deliver on whatever feedback he's giving you, like that scenario. I want to make sure that everyone understands like that's, when the connections happen, like the player has to be able to play ball in a real way. That is helping the team and it's not an individual first thing. And I think you did amazing at that, which I'm sure is why the trust was built in you and why your coach wanted to have those conversations and allowed them to happen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely Like it was a genuine connection and, like you said, it wasn't't inauthentic or whatever. I was just trying to gain that belief in him and have it in me. Yeah, it worked out great.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's talk about the season. Things started to roll really well for you from a slow start, even from a goal standpoint. I know you love to contribute, who doesn't love to contribute? But I think you've always identified yourself from a goal standpoint. I know you, you know you love to contribute, who doesn't love to contribute, right? But I think you've always kind of identified yourself as a goal scorer.
Speaker 2:And then the goal started to come and they came, they came in bunches and you ended up with 27, which was, I think, third or maybe fifth in the league. I think it was fifth in the league in points, which was not sorry. Fifth in the league and goals, which was really like a fantastic, fantastic finish, uh, and seventh in the league in points, I think last year. So maybe walk us through that, because then you I want to just talk about the mindset side of that one you ended up, I mean, going from kind of your bottom pushing up from the bottom of the pool and now you're having this success in this really good league, like elite status type of success which you could have fallen into the habit of being complacent again, like potentially right, like thinking, oh, now I got it again, it's back. But like talk about that, like how did you handle your success last season? As you were handling it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, the thing that separated my past season, which was probably my best season of hockey ever, was just consistency. I was just like a robot, honestly. I would never get too high, never get too low. Every game was the same. It was almost like I was a professional player, like just going into every game with that, with that same mindset. I was like so dialed in.
Speaker 1:My preparation was was really, you know, perfect, and you know we were kind of talking bi-weekly, which, which I loved. It was kind of part of my you know routine, everything and kind of got me like in that like go time mode. But you know, I'd go through practice and get done what I needed to get done and have that deliberate practice, kind of what we talked about, of focusing on things in the week, that maybe my last game last weekend I needed to work on and focus on those things in practice. And then I'd go into the game and I'd play and I wasn't like looking at the league, league stats or whatever, like I was just playing and and I was just I looked one day and I was like all of a sudden I was in the top 20 in points and I didn't even realize it Like I my I think my mom actually texted me like wow, way to go, like.
Speaker 1:And I was like I didn't even realize I was just playing every game and just going through it and trying to get better and better and better. And you know, I had so much support from my teammates. I was playing with some really good players, like playing with awesome players had a great coach and a great environment, great billet, parents and everything really aligned for me and that trade was, you know, the best thing that ever happened to me. But yeah, I was playing with some good players and I think, you know, things just really started to come together. I had a great attitude. I was, you know, treating these games like I was a professional in preparing the right way. And you know, I started started scoring like goal, a lot of goals, like just bang, bang, bang, and it was like it was crazy, actually, like I don't even understand it, but yeah, it was awesome.
Speaker 2:So you know what, though, like I'm going to stop you on the don't understand, understand it, because there is a little bit of the mystery was taken away right and I love it. Like, even as you're speaking right now and for those that are listening, like you didn't know, you were in the top 20, like we. I already talked about like how so much is result focused for players, like whether they're 12 or whether they're 20 or whether they're in the nhl right, they're looking at, looking at that game sheet, they're looking at it, they're focused on it. It drains energy. You got into the process of believing, in, the process of falling in love with the process of being the best Luke Buss could be. That is where the mystery becomes unsolved, right there. Right, like you talked about deliberate practice. You talked about your approach to practice practice. You talked about your approach to practice. You talked about your approach to your teammates. You talked about you know your approach to games. All that stuff gave you some pretty awesome results, right?
Speaker 1:yeah it was. It was awesome. I uh, I had this goal of getting to, uh, 30 goals and I came up one short at 29,. But I was like I don't know, I think I had maybe 10 or 12 games left and I was at 20 goals and I was like told my billet parents like I'm going to get to 30 goals, and they're like, no, you're not, like there's no, no chance. And I was like, all right, I was like maybe 25. And uh, they're like, no, you're not, like there's no chance. And I was like, all right, I was like maybe 25. And they're like, no, you got to go for 30 now. And so I think I went on a nine or I went on, I think, a nine-game goal streak.
Speaker 1:I was just scoring every game and one of my best hockey memories of all time I was playing our last two games of the season at home and my dad he lives in Ohio and he came out. It was his first or, I guess, his second game because he came to the showcase, but first kind of two games where I was kind of in my groove and playing well, and he came to these games and we were playing Langley and we were down, oh, three to Langley and my dad's sitting up top with his brother and my uncle, and I'm, of course, like when my parents were in the stands, but, good or bad, like I'm always like looking at them, like you know, it kind of comforts me a little bit. I'm I'm kind of scanning seeing where they are, like you know, are they taking a piss or like whatever. I'm seeing my dad up and my dad and my brother up in the top, and then I see him come down to the glass, like kind of right by, right by the net, and I was like all right, like how cool would it be, like kind of fantasizing a little bit right, like how cool would it be to score right here and and be able to, you know, go right to my dad and my uncle and celebrate.
Speaker 1:And the next shift, uh, it's four on four and I get my number called to go over the boards and there's kind of I kind of get this like partial break. I catch the puck on my backhand and and I shoot it bottom right and I ended up scoring and I went right up to them and I like jumped into the glass right next to him and it was. It was one of the coolest things. It was like kind of what all that work is for. Like it was I'm never.
Speaker 1:It was like the high of all highs. It was electric. We were down three, oh, and then I made it three, one and our team ended up rallying back and tying it and then we wanted it in overtime. Our captain scored a super cool goal. But that was a cool hockey memory and ended the season super well, like I think, yeah, I was like top five in goals to end the season, which was great, and but yeah, it was a crazy season and, um, just super grateful for everything, for all the support from everybody and uh, yeah, it was great.
Speaker 2:What an amazing like, and that's kind of like when you can unpack and and you know, one of the things I know that you know we do together is this is the reflection aspect. I think is super important, right, like understanding you know why, why we've had success or why we haven't. You know what has gone well, the journey that we've been on and the person and player that we're becoming, and and and how that, how that's all transpired. And I mean, if you take that geez, what would it be now? Well, now it, I guess it's well it is. It's like 12 months, right, like well, like it's like 12 months right, like well, like it's only 12 months, dude, like that's crazy. So 12 months ago you were still with Quinnipiac, right, had a bad year, weren't feeling great, showed up at Vernon and all that stuff, the decommit, and then like. And then then the breakthrough and like the evolution of the becoming, and now at Wisconsin, like, could you imagine? Like at 12 months, with more stuff that could happen?
Speaker 1:No, absolutely not. And like my journey is is very unique but at the same time, like there's so many stories like it and it's just it's crazy to see like what, what you can overcome, and stuff like that. And you know, I went from, you know, highest to highs down to the lowest of lows and and just somehow found a way with the support of so many people, and, uh, I just couldn't be more grateful to be a Wisconsin Badger. It's, it's the best feeling in the world.
Speaker 2:And I know the work is just starting now and I've got a kind of a good base and I know we're going to continue to work together and everything but uh, yeah, I going to continue to work together and everything, but uh, yeah, I just couldn't be more stoked for this season and and put on those, uh, those colors and and get rolling, so, so fun. I think that's great and I love that, uh, well, there's a few things that I think they're great about about your story. Well, one, you know, I mean we, we can't do it alone. You keep saying, like the people out there and I mean the coach that supported you, the, the team, your teammates that wanted your success, right, like your mom and dad that were, that were there for you you know that, like the fact that I, I was in your life, you know, I mean, and then we were part of, I was part of that team and and like we, we can't do it alone. That was one thing for me as a player that I I don't know if, like, I chose it, but like I kind of seemed to isolate myself and I really wish, if I was to go back, that that'd be something that I would have done differently.
Speaker 2:Include more people, right, include more people. You don't have to figure it out on your own. In fact, it's like folly to try and figure it out on your own, like, I mean it's. It's really hard when you're in the fight to know you know what it is that you need. You need to find somebody that you know. That is a big lesson, I think, that I hear from you and the other one is, though, for you, buddy that you were willing to do the stuff right. You were willing to be honest, you were willing to be raw, you were willing to be open and even to share your. Your story.
Speaker 2:Now, I think, is so super impressive, because there is a path forward, like there's always a path forward, and there is a lot of grit in you, man, my man, like a lot of grit, uh, good stuff doesn't happen without it, and, and you know, now you have that power to look back on that, on those moments right, like that moment of the, of the decommit, of the oh, oh, no points in seven games, and to know that you know what you freaking. Not only did you get through it, but you came out stronger and better. You, you know, like there's some confidence in that that I don't want you to ever forget, because there's going to be more bumps, as you know, and for everyone out there. There's going to be more bumps, but it's like you continue to build that belief in yourself and that resolve, uh that you have what it takes the resilience to make sure you move forward. And uh, I think you've proven that in spades partner and couldn't be prouder of the of of the path you're on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank you, and I hope my my stories, if anyone listened to the whole thing, is an inspiration to to people out there, like I just went from a a kid that was a 20 year old in the league on uncommitted and couldn't you know tie his skates, to um you know figuring it out and and overcoming so much stuff and um going to, you know, a dream school for me, the no place that I'd rather be in the country and, uh, continue to play the sport that I love and and do it at a high level.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, you made it come through and it was all on the line too as your last kick at the cat there to kind of get through. So, so fantastic. I love the headspace you're in right now. As we know, we had a little mini coaching call the other day. I think you're you're ready to go there with Wisconsin a new chapter, right, a new, a new, a whole new everything, and I'm so excited for you it. I really appreciate everything that you shared today. You did say, like the one lesson, you've given one lesson. Is there one other thing that you would say to anyone out there as far as a piece of advice from Luke Buss on how to make your dreams come true? I know I'm putting you on the spot.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I think we kind of talked about it a little bit. But finding a support group is super huge and you're going to have to be the one that's going to have to reach out, like a lot of times there's a great coach for you. That's not going to necessarily come to you, you know. Like you know, I'm sure that you know some you know advertise or whatever. But like I came to you and like you probably weren't going to go on the Vipers and say like, hey, anyone you know want to work with you know.
Speaker 1:So you know, find that support group. Like you can't do it alone. And and find those people that are going to, you know, believe in you and surround yourself with good people. Like, be that, surround your kids on your team who are the hardest workers and want to go against them in practice and want to battle against them and, you know, eat dinner with them and find out what they're like and surround yourself with the people that you want to be. Like would be another piece of great advice. Like, don't be with those guys that are just saying, oh, I don't like hockey, like I don't like I can't wait until practice is over. No, be with those, those that that love the game and want to better themselves, because if you surround yourself with those guys, I guarantee you that you're going to get better.
Speaker 2:So that's awesome. I love that great advice. Uh, the one thing I would ask you too, like, so now, just with the fact of like, like, getting the help, um, one thing I try to say and it's really hard to do for players when they're not going through something rough is like to think about how can I be my best. You know, like, so we found each other when you were at your lowest right. If you could redo it again, like, like, what if and I'm not saying me, but what if there was some, specifically me, but what if there was some support cast when you were going well in Muskegon and you had somebody there working with you? You know what I mean. Like, you think that it has to get to a low, or is this something you would have started potentially earlier, um, had you known about it?
Speaker 1:uh, I, I don't know, I, I think that all the the lessons that I learned were, like, uh, essential for my Like, it's just such a hard, hard to say because, um, you have to live it and you, like, you don't learn it until you, until you actually live it. And I lived it and I went through some really brutal times, some hard times, and that's what made me who I am today. But, at the the same time, like, if you can get ahead of the game, uh, I think that'd be great too yeah, what a great response.
Speaker 2:I think that's amazing that you said that, because, like, that perspective is like I would have just like, essentially, that would have robbed you of the opportunity to find out about yourself. You know what I mean, like in a way. So like there is that aspect that once you've come out of the ashes, like you appreciate the ashes that you were in, um, but you're probably now in the mindset too of like, well, if I don't have to get there again, I would prefer not to right, like I would definitely try and try and stay out of that if at all possible. So, yeah, definitely great. Two, two perspectives on that. So, um, luke, you know, I wish you nothing but the best. I look forward to working with you this year. I really appreciate sharing your story and, uh, we will, we will cut out. I know, I know you did a lot of good for for a lot of players out there trying to follow in your footsteps.
Speaker 1:Thanks, jason, and thanks for having me. It's been a pleasure Cheers.
Speaker 2:All right. Thank you for listening to that entire conversation with Luke. Once again, you know, I'm just going to reiterate essentially what I said at the beginning. That conversation with Luke really warmed my heart. I was proud of him from start to finish. He handled himself like an absolute rock star and there's so many lessons there. You know, I I, just off the top of my head, I remember him saying like I was a good teammate but I wasn't an excellent teammate.
Speaker 2:And now his focus on being an excellent teammate and and you might hear that message, like for those of you listening, like you, you, you you've heard like you gotta be a good, a good teammate or a good locker room guy or guy or people are looking for high character. Sometimes that's hard to understand as a player. What does that mean? How do I do that? Again, it's hopefully a different messenger, like somebody from your peer group, potentially somebody like Luke just turned 21, going into Wisconsin in his 20-year-old year. Like Luke, you know, just turned 21, going into Wisconsin and in his 20-year-old year had been a good teammate his whole life but now started to understand what being an excellent teammate means and how, when you become an excellent teammate, your own game starts to get taken care of itself. And I mean, that's just such a mature, powerful lesson, and it's a lesson that extends outside of the dressing room, of course, you know. I mean, like this is something that luke carries with him now, that perspective in his relationships, you know, with his family, with his friends uh, those that those that he meets and we'll be meeting on campus uh there's there's just an attitude and approach to what that really means and that is why that maybe is maybe is one of the highlights for me from that conversation is just because it's like the spotlight of what Up my Hockey is all about, like the idea that personal development, you as a human being, when we start looking at what makes you as a human, and if we can amplify your strengths and if we can take care of some of these weaknesses and look at those weaknesses from a growth mindset standpoint, that there are things you can improve and things you can change, that that is when the hockey skills and the hockey player in you will flourish.
Speaker 2:It is the secret ingredient, it is the secret sauce, it is the competitive advantage your approach to your practice, your approach to your development, your approach to your teammates and your coaches and your time management skills and what you want to dedicate to Like this matters a lot, a lot more than anyone gives it credit for until you are in it. And once you are in it and you're in that process and you're in that way of thinking, the sky is literally the limit, because there is now nothing holding you back. You are looking at your sport and your development holistically. This is the key. It is a holistic look at development.
Speaker 2:You aren't just a hockey player. You need to become a high performance human being, and when you become a high performance human being in a team sport, you can be an excellent hockey player too, and it maximizes your chances of getting to wherever it is that you want to go. And not only that, but let's just take pull back the goal oriented aspect of being a great hockey player. You have a better time while you are doing it, so it's more enjoyable. The games, the practices, where you're dedicating yourself to, becomes a more enjoyable experience when we work on these things as well. So super cool.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you stuck around. Hopefully it meant as much for you guys there and there was lots of things that you were able to pick out, and I know everyone will be giving uh luke respect and pats in the back for the job he did, because that was an excellent interview and definitely not a cookie cutter approach and no cookie cutter answers. So thank you, luke, for being honest, thank you for being raw and thank you for giving uh, this podcast and its listeners exactly what it needed. And until until next time, play hard and keep your head up.