Hextall veteran presence

[ROOKIE745 607]

Jaxx Hextall

Drafted S70 9th overall

 

I remember when I joined the VHL, I would never admit it but I was nervous, unsure, afraid to disappoint my team. When I hit the ice, I thought about my experiences in the VHLM but I also let my passion and emotion take over. As I am now more than half way through my third season in the VHL, would be my 4th had I not stayed in the VHLM for an extra season but regardless of that, I feel I have really settled into my role, as the netminder for the Legion. When I was a rookie, and even in my second season, I could tell my team would look back at me and could feel my nervousness, could tell I was still unsure of my full abilities, that there were times I doubted myself. Now though, they look back at me and see my confidence, my focus.

 

I think goalies can inspire the whole team in front of them, if the guys in front of you see your confidence, you believing in yourself no matter the situation, that can make the team fight harder. I've learn to trust my own skills and abilities which comes with the experience of previous seasons but this season in particular, with the defense of my team being an issue and knowing that there's nothing the GM can do about it, and I can't exactly trust anyone to just take on the load, it's made my confidence spike and to play off of my own experiences, knowing only I can make a difference now. In the locker room I feel like a driving force for the team now, the rookies look up to me and even the veterans will look to me for that extra confidence in their own game. Being a veteran goalie is a special experience.

 

I think it goes without saying but as a rookie your expected to make mistakes, your teammates will understand, your coach will understand, the general manger will understand. What matters most is that you learn from those mistakes, and come back stronger than ever. Now it's time for me as the veteran to make up for the mistakes the rookies will make, a veteran teaches how the rookies to bounce back, never let a mistake hold you down. Something I do miss as a rookie is that excitement that drives you, you play off of your experience more as a veteran but rookies can also drive veterans to play better, you don't want to let a rookie out play you after all right? Anyway, this is what I've learned as a veteran of the VHL now.

 

 

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Edited January 23, 2022 by ROOKIE745