Digital Story – “NEUTRAL ZONE”

What is Neutral Zone?

NEUTRAL ZONE is a digital story that revolves around the growth and changes of my identity. Throughout the story I showcase the effects that 13 years of minor hockey had on my life and how it has opened new paths for me. The story is meant to motive the viewer while also acknowledging the intense lifestyle as a competitive child athlete.

What made me choose this topic?

When I was first learned what this project was about it didn’t take me long after to decide to focus it on my childhood in hockey. The description for the project was “Anything of significance that helped shape your identity and the story of who you are”. For me I can’t help but think of anything in my life that had as major of an effect on who I am other than hockey. I spent 13 years of my life playing and experienced a multitude of ups, downs, and life lessons that helped shaped my identity throughout. Throughout this story I hoped to encapsulate the changing of my identity in a childhood that revolved around hockey.

Research

Throughout my project I did a lot of research. I spent my whole childhood playing hockey and trying hard to beat out every other kid. But the thing is about that is that there is over 600000 kids are signed up for hockey in Canada. This makes me wonder just how unique my story is?

How do I stay Involved in hockey today?

When I was nearing the end of my playing time I knew I still had a love and a passion for the game of hockey. Although not playing anymore I still find ways to stick around the rink. Since 2024 I started working at a start up hockey development company named “Karens Hockey School”. In this school me and the other coaches host development camps for youth hockey teams.

How do I stay involved in hockey today?

By the end of my playing career, I realized that I have a strong passion for not just the on ice portion of hockey but as well as the off ice. My love for hockey began when I first watched a hockey game, so it would only make sense that my involvement in hockey continues watching and commentating on it.

What are the upsides?

For the hundred of thousands of kids that play hockey in Canada, many of them will experience a low moment within their playing time. Whether it be an injury, failure, or longing, there is always something that players struggle with. 30% of youth athletes experience anxiety/depression, with individual sport athletes showing twice the rates of team sport participants. A large part of this is due to the stress a child athlete faces. Struggling between 5 days per week at school and 5 days a week on the ice can be difficult, and can lead to the athletes missing out on events, or struggling painting discipline.

What are the downsides?

Although hockey can be very demanding both mentally and physically, the benefits that myself and thousands of others out way the negatives. I would almost always be in solid shape because of the exercise I was having playing hockey. Early in my life I became comfortable with authority and would credit this to the coaches that I had through my life. According to a study done by National Library of Medicine, child athletes have a 17% lower social problems scores, 17% lower thought problems scores, and 12% lower attention problems scores, during their childhood. Although towards adulthood the numbers even out.

2012

My first time on ice

2012 is when my parents first took me skating, and the year where I began playing hockey

October 2015

REP Tryouts

At the age of 8 I experienced my first try out. I always dreamed of playing high level hockey and finally I was old enough to do so

October 2016

First time being cut

The same experience as the year prior except this time I was on the other end. I had been cut from a team for the first time and didn’t know how to act

2018 March