Don't Miss Opportunities

5/9/2025

By Gabriel D., Grade 11

Every year, hockey players on the prep team have to go though the process of getting cut from varsity or making the team. Last March, I was in that position. Unfortunately, I didn't make the team and had to stay one more year on prep. With this new information, I didn't let it bring me down or lose confidence in myself. Instead, it fueled me to be better for next season.

As the school year started and hockey rolled around, my work during the off-season, motivated by the need to improve, completely changed my game. This led me to be a reliable and strong defensemen.

When one of the players on the varsity team left, I saw it as a big opportunity that I could not pass up. Thus, I pushed even harder and got the result I always wanted.

What I want you to take away from this is that opportunities are all around us, we just have to be ready to take them.

Often, the biggest chances come when we feel scared or unsure, which is something we can all relate to. All of us have been scared or unsure of taking advantage of what is to come. The thing is that fear means we're stepping outside our comfort zone, and opportunities don't always wait for the perfect moment. Sometimes we have to be brave enough to grab them when they appear. Taking risks can lead to failure, but it can also lead to success, growth and lessons we would never learn otherwise. Every risk we take is a step forward.

Those who are close to me know that I am Maple Leafs fan, but it wasn't always like that. When PK Subban played for the Canadiens, he was my idol and I loved the team. It wasn't only his game that made me so fond of him, it was his kindness and generosity towards others, for instance donating millions of dollars to the Montreal Children's Hospital. Few individuals would make such a big act of charity.

I would like to finish my speech off with this quote from Subban: "You only have one shot at most things, so why not give it everything you've got?"