M4:D59 (D359) Hustle

During the game I am always on the bench as the equipment manager.  Today was even frustrating for me.  The kids have learned their positions during practice, but during the games they slack off and don't hustle.  I began conversing with them on the bench about the importance of hustle and I quickly discovered that they all have no clue what it means to hustle.  Let me explain.

During one particular conversation, the two boys I was speaking to had just made a major mistake that resulted in a goal being scored.  The play had developed into a scoring opportunity for the other team because one of the two boys had assumed the referee was going to blow his whistle to indicate the other team was off sides, but that didn't happen.  The player making the assumption made absolutely no effort to come into the play and help out and that gave the opponent an easy shot on goal and that player converted that opportunity into a score.

As the two defensemen entered the bench at the end of that shift, I asked what had happened on the goal.  They both exclaimed "Matthew should have come out about another foot and he could have stopped that shot, but it was an awesome shot!"  I asked them why they didn't hustle to get into the play.  "Hustle?  What do you mean?"  I explained that while on the ice they must give their full and complete effort at all times.  Hockey is a very fast paced game that requires the players to push themselves at all times.  This is why short shifts are so important.  Hustle is when you give it your all at all times.  It is getting to the puck first. It is finishing your hits.  It is not worrying about whether or not you are going to get a whistle, but playing as though you are not going to get the whistle at all times.  "So we should have skated back even though that guy was offsides?"  I was stunned for a moment.  When I regained my composure I asked them a few questions.

"Did the referee call offsides?"  Obviously the answer was no.

"Did the fact that the referee didn't call offsides change your reaction to the play?"  Obviously the answer was yes.

At this point I explained that a player who was using hustle would have come back into the play no matter what.  They would have expected to not get the whistle.  I explained that had both of them done this, they would have been in position to check the puck carrier, thereby saving a goal.   This goal turned out to be the game winner for the other team.