Sacrifice. Commitment. Olympic Gold.
My wife Sandy & I recently returned from the most memorable trip of our lifetime. We spent 12 days in Pyeongchang, South Korea, cheering for Team USA, in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. As an Olympian Alumnus, I was enamored with the athleticism and awe-struck during all the performances and competitions that we witnessed.
The most thrilling experience of all was the performance of the USA Hockey Women's Olympic team in the Gold Medal game. I have watched and coached thousands of of hockey games during my lifetime from youth to college hockey, junior hockey and even the NHL, and this game was, by far, the most entertaining, inspiring and exciting game I have ever seen in 63 years. I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire Olympic Gold Medal game, sitting just eight rows off the ice!
What really struck me was the poise shown by the American women during a very pressurized, high speed & action-packed game. There was never any indication of fear, hesitation or self doubt in the performances of each and every player on Team USA, especially goalie Maddie Rooney, wow, did she make some incredible saves!
Upon my return to America, I've never felt more proud to be an American-born hockey player. The sacrifice and commitment that these young women made to accomplish such an amazing feat is very difficult for most people to understand & comprehend. Since August of 2017, the entire team had spent hundreds of hours training both on the ice and off the ice to attain their monumental achievement. It has been estimated by many top level coaches that in order to reach Elite/Olympic level competition, an athlete must train in excess of 10,000 hours! In his book, Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell repeatedly references this "10,000-Hour-Rule".
It is incredible to think that is has been over 42 years since I proudly represented Team USA in the 1976 Winter Olympics. I am very thankful that my experience as an Olympian taught me great sportsmanship, instilled in me a fierce & powerful appreciation for competition and most important of all, it has helped me to better understand how to deal with adverse conditions.
As the Executive Director & Founding Owner of the Heartland Hockey Camp, it is my hope that I will be able to pass on these important characteristics & personal traits to all of our campers.
I look forward to providing all of you with a unique, rewarding & awesome camp experience this summer! Many camps sell out so claim your spot today!
Steve Jensen