Paths
When Eli 23.10 was playing 16U hockey at the AAA level, he had a teammate, a defenseman.
The kid was tall, solid, and a great skater. He had an "advisor." He was selected to play in the Nations Cup (roughly equivalent to the youth version of the Four Nations Face-Off). His parents expected him to be drafted.
Aa a 16-year-old, he signed with Michigan State. He was the first on the team to commit to a college, and it was a big deal. At least three kids on Eli's team committed to Michigan State.
After 16U, he went to the USHL (Eli tried out for USHL and NAHL teams, but didn't make it. Goalies were set before tryouts, and the other goalies were basically practice dummies). He played in the USHL for four years. FOUR YEARS. Michigan State kept telling him to stay in the USHL for one more season.
By the time he started college, at twenty, he'd already been away from home for most of his teenage years.
He didn't start college at Michigan State. No, they burned him, and burned a slew of other kids who'd committed to them as well. He did get another Division One offer, from Miami of Ohio. It wasn't ideal, but it was still Division One, so he went.
He played, but the team was bad. 18-78-10 over three years bad. He played in fewer games each season ,too. It didn't seem like much fun. Still, though, Division One hockey player. That was always the dream.
This coming season, he's a senior.
The coach cut almost everyone on the team. Including him.
He'll graduate from college when he's 24. He retired from hockey. His body hurts all the time, every day.
Eli wanted to play in Division One very, very much. A few programs had interest in him, but it was never sustained interest.
He had to give up his dream. It was crushing. Then he turned it into the best thing that ever happened to him.
Went to the University of Michigan. Played in the highest level intramural league and had a blast. Went to Oxford. Had the year of his life. Came back and graduated, then returned to Oxford for grad school. This upcoming season will be his fourth (and last). It's not the same level of hockey as Division One--not even close--but he loves playing (and his teammates). He's been in epic games he'll never forget, having moments of a lifetime.
He's still 23 and has his master's degree. He'll have a doctorate at 26.
He reminds me of David Booth.
David Booth never played a game in the NBA, even though he attended multiple training camps over the years and was often the last player cut. He wound up playing in the CBA.
Oh, and France, Venezuela, Italy, the Philippines, Greece, and Japan.
In the foreign leagues he was a star, the best player on every team. It wasn't the NBA, but it was an incredible life experience.
Eli's played in England, Austria, and Switzerland during his time at Oxford. He's been MVP of his team all three years. He's had the best time of his life, even though it wasn't the life he expected.
This is a long-winded (sorry) way of saying we should all remember that our dreams aren't static. They evolve, and with hard work, they can be better, happier dreams than the ones we started with.
I want to be the way Eli is with his dreams. I'm not, but I'm trying.
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