A Hockey Player... You lace up the skates, put on the gloves, strap on the helmet, and walk on to the ice and nothing else matters. It doesn't matter that you failed a test or that your last haircut looked like ****...you're world is absolutelyperfect for the next hour. Here's to goals, assists, overtime, living on the road, cold rinks, early mornings,countless hours of practice, bad skates, puking, thousands of dollars, end to end rushes, new skates, the word "****", pick it up, tape to tape sauce, let downs,miracles and most of all -the game of hockey.Why? Why do we skate back and forth night after night? Skating hard ‘til we throw up. Skating so hard your heart beat rings in your head while your lungs are grasping for air. Late nights, early mornings, Friday nights, Saturday evenings, broken bones, torn muscles and deep bruises. We skate through it all. Because we live off our adrenaline,because the game frees your spirit, because the party in the locker room is second to none because you're invincible once you step on the ice, because one shot can make you smile all night, deaking, wrist shot top shelf , representing your home, the feel of the puck on your stick, and skates carving into the ice is a rhythm to live by, because its possible to skate fast enough to leave all your worries behind. Why? Why would someone push themselves so hard they always ask? ,... It's never been for the team, it's not for our coaches or parents, and it's not to prove anything. I play because I **** LOVE it.