The other day we were talking about the World Jr’s. For those who don’t know the World Jr’s are the International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship which is an annual event organized by the IIHF for under 20 year olds for hockey teams around the world. It’s held on Boxing Day and ends early January with the gold medal game. People go crazy by either attending the event or by watching it. Some would say people are fanatical about it and watch it every single year, myself included. I used to play semi-pro hockey for those that don’t know so I’ve always got a eye for Hockey and enjoy watching it.
For a hockey player, they too are fanatical or have to be in order to make the World Jr. teams. It requires a lot of dedication and time away from friends and family. It means a missed Christmas and New Years for those kids who without a doubt would give that up to play on a world stage like the World Jr.s I remember that like it was yesterday, the practices multiple times a week (early morning and late night), the games, the travel all over the province(s), the many broken sticks, and on and on. I enjoyed it and sometimes look back and miss it, I miss that competitiveness and that devotion to the sport of hockey. I gave up a lot during my childhood to play hockey and so did my parents, but it was something I’d never give up as it built my character and leadership qualities that I have today.
My brother and I playing on the same team back in Midget AA.
A very rare photo. I’m on the left as Captain and my brother is on the right.
So what is the definition of fanatical and why am I talking about it? Fanatical is the adjective of Fanatic and Fanatic is “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion”. A synonym of Fanatic suggest excessive or overweening devotion to a cause or belief. Devotion is exactly what I applied to hockey and for me it was excessive. I ate, slept, played hockey for my whole childhood. You have to be in order to play the level of hockey that I did when growing up.
Being fanatical about Hockey or any other sport is great and wildly accepted. People don’t look at you funny or criticize you for that at all because that is accepted by society. However if you turn that fanatical behaviour to your life, dreams, goals, personal growth, finances, etc… your looked upon with scepticism and considered to be weird. Why is that? Being fanatical about the possibilities of things you can accomplish in life should be celebrated and not looked down on. If more people actually cared about things that really matter instead of things that don’t matter and don’t move our lives forward we’d be a lot better off. Now don’t get me wrong, I love watching hockey and some sports however I won’t put those ahead of my family or things of more significance. They help release some of the stress of life and is a form of entertainment. Its just a matter of putting things in check and saying to yourself what’s more of a priority. You need to figure that out for yourself, I cannot and will not tell people what those priorities should be.
Its time people start being more fanatical about their lives instead of other peoples lives (Survivor, Jersey Shore, Saskatchewan Rough Riders, etc..) Again to each their own, but something to think about.
