We've taken some time to sort out what it takes to be a real winner.  In doing so, we used the most talented players in the NHL to determine their assets.  We've also taken the position that you can be a winner if you possess two or more assets of a real winner, recognize your assets as a player and have the intelligence to "define your game".  This is your way of making a team and contributing in a team setting.

There needs to be more awareness on what it takes to succeed.  Success doesn't just happen.  There are no quick fixes or gimmicks involved.  We share a responsibility to youth to see that this happens.  Winners are difficult to describe but easy to illustrate.  The one way to describe a Maurice Richard, Mario Lemieux or Sidney Crosby is a "feeling of invincibility".  They do everything @ another level above the rest of the players in the NHL.

Humans have a deep yearning for courageous and momentary glimpses of human perfection and the sheer will to excel.  They love to witness glimpses of excellence and are quick to judge those that are unable or unwilling to duplicate what they show you, even if it is only once.

Winners are best described as people with something special inside.  How much are you willing to do? How much are you willing to sacrifice?

Mental capacity tips the scale when you have people with talent.  Courage plays an equal role. People with talent have to possess the mind to visualize and courage to execute during critical moments.

Winners are very competitive and enjoy the heat of the battle. They dig deeper than the next person and they have the skills, mind and courage to deal with critical moment opportunities.  They want to be on the ice when the game is on the line.  Belief and confidence in the ability to perform is all part of the equation. They have an attitude and a swagger. They think, act and behave in confident ways that can turn people off at times.  While most athletes are competitive, the real people are more competitive than the regular players on their team.

Winners have the unique ability to keep it together under pressure at crunch time. They also have the composure to deal with mistakes. They do not get rattled and mistakes do not compound.  Goal tenders have to excel @ this and the better players emulate the goal tenders in this asset category.  They simply put their mistakes behind them.

Winners maintain focus and attention to what's important. Win stands for, "What's important now?" They stick to the principles of dedication, focus and competitiveness and block out all distractions.

I've heard coaches describe winners as machines. When this happens, we cut out the person.  The great athletes most always go back to their youth and love for the game.  They never become "machines".  It's the person, not a machine, which drives them to over achieve in their asset categories.

Some people think they train. The great ones know the feel of real training and it goes way beyond four or five times per week.  Talent plus hard work is the only answer. Winners find ways to improve physically, technically and psychologically.

Steroid use, shortcuts, gimmicks; anything less than what we do @ this camp, is like selling your soul. Once you experience the commitment of our athletes @ Minnesota Hockey Camps, anything less is unacceptable when pursuing perfection. 

Winners live and train with the philosophy, "It matters how you play the game and matters equally whether you win or lose."

True competitors will not be denied.  It is all part of their moral character. No matter the method of preparation, the person determines the outcome.

Observing Sidney Crosby @ an NHL training camp, one summer removed from an excellent record producing rookie year, gives me more than enough incentive to study the inner workings of a winner and champion athlete. Sidney is one of those special winners that came back bigger, quicker, stronger and faster. Record setting years have drawn a high percentage of athletes in to complacency and sophistication.  There is no risk of this happening with a young man like Sidney Crosby.  Like all intelligent people who care; he will figure out what it takes to get where he wants to go.

Unlike the NHL and media, I do not see the game between potential super stars as a contest between these players.  I'm hoping that the NHL isn't pursuing the "basketball" mentality; a mentality that is the underlying reason for escalating salaries.  While there are similarities between hockey and basketball regarding plays, there are no similarities regarding players.  Hockey is responsible for paying more players to perform in arenas with fewer seats than basketball and a much worse TV contract. 

I love Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Ovechkin.  They are three great young men with outstanding skills and leadership qualities.  All three are capable of "carrying a team on their backs".  The problem is hockey is a team game and the team will decide if they will help the super star carry the team.  Why bill a game as a contest between three players, when goal tenders, special teams and consistent team play will give them the opportunity to determine the outcome?  Hall of fame goal tenders and stay at home defensemen give their team a chance to win, but the team determines the outcome.  Hall of fame forwards and rushing defensemen can decide the game if their line mates contribute and the stay @ home defensemen and goal tenders do their job.  Every team that takes care of their responsibilities away from the puck, with or without the puck, has chance to win.  If they have elite players, their chances are even better.

No one understands this more than Sidney, Evgeni and Alex.  They recognize their responsibilities to the team and the game. They have a history of working hard to be where they are today and will no doubt work harder to get where they want to be in the future.  While their skills allow them to express themselves, their intangibles will be their ticket to super star status.

While some feel sports are entertainment, this couldn't be further from the truth.  The games are not "side shows".  The three players understood at an early age their life is a business, especially when they gained notoriety because of talent.  They understood at any early age their responsibility for maintaining the present and future integrity of the game.  They realized early on performance; actions and appearance go hand in hand when it comes to winning over families, fans and the business world to support the game. 

They know how to handle the billboard attention they receive.  While one is now the face of his team, the other two shares the face of his team and enjoys it.  Most every player who plays @ their level have been the best player everywhere they have been, crave being the best and love being a leader.  They want the puck in the last minute with the game on the line; want to get better and none are arrogant, cocky or selfish. 

Their ability to lead is equaled only by their willingness to work hard in practice and during the off season.  They respect their teammates and opponents.  None lacks the confidence to do well, but I'm placing bets their confidence will grow in line with the contributions of their teammates, because hockey is a team game that should be sold as a team game. 

Sidney, Evgeni and Alexander are as interested in regaining a puck as they are moving and shooting a puck. They carry it only when they have to.  They, "pass when they should pass, shoot when they should shoot, carry it only when they have to and they care about their own end."

How great is that?  God-given talent, with toughness and a hard work ethic, will make them a treat to watch in a team setting and they will be great NHL players.  Here's a salute to three great young players who are in a position to make their statement in life and the game.  Here's hoping they are fortunate to surround themselves with people who want to help them maximize their potential.

One way to insure this is, "The name is on the front of the jersey."  

There is a message and window of opportunity here.  The NHL is in a position to set some standards for young players with aspirations to play in the NHL.  They can do it by making people aware of the qualities these young men possess, qualities that will enable them to reach their full potential and qualities that should be present in all great leaders and team players.  Forget the contest between young men.  Get the message out for the benefit of all players and the future of the game for generations to come.  The NHL created a department to help minorities and under privileged children.  They need to create a department to sell the game for the right reasons.

Do this, the game will sell itself and fans will create the respectful contests between super stars.   More kids will want to play, more parents will want their kids to participate and more fans will develop a love for the game for all the right reasons.  The players who don't make it to the top level will be the future fan base and will want their children to play. 

As we see more and more players fail to maximize their potential, someone has to be the messenger, more have to adhere to the message or society and the game will deteriorate.  Hockey needs more families.  Hockey needs the NHL to sell the game to more families.  Hockey needs the media to sell the NHL to more families.  Families decide whether they are going to play and/or watch.  People working in corporations are from families.

Our young athletes must determine their level of competitiveness, composure and focus while spending quality time training versus short term gimmicks.  We need to coordinate growth of muscle groups and fast twitch fibers. We practice and play the game on the same day we jump, lift, sprint and exercise our midline muscles. Every young person, regardless of their talent level, has left this camp a better person and a better player if they gave an honest effort. Some take it a step further by defying their "A" game and developing a "B" or back up game.  We have always been good @ exposing assets and liabilities.  It is difficult to improve if we are unable to measure where we are on a given day.

Then there are all the delays in life.  Young people need to work hard and have patience.  There are so many delays in life.  Careers and lives get put on hold for various reasons. Decisions on scholarships and promotions get delayed.  Character and perseverance will define who wins out in the end.  The bottom line is character, composure, focus, perseverance, courage, training, talent and performance will determine the future.  Working through the "delays" in life are no doubt the biggest challenges any person encounters.

We can provide all the training in the world and it still comes down to personality and caring about others.  The ability to maintain a "Chip on your shoulder, no respect", mentality is paramount to developing the soul of a champion.  Do all this and it still comes down to your psychological mind set.  Hard work provides what no drug or gimmick will give you; the psychological advantage over your opponent.

We leave each young player with the following advice:

"When you have the composure to compete under pressure, and are focused, you begin to build the make up of a real winner. When you add in the class, character and charisma that give you an attitude and a swagger you are further along in the process. Study a winning team and you will see all those characteristics."

While gifted athletes are rare, there are players who have assets or a gift in certain areas that make them a talent in their own way.  These talents allow them to impact their teammates and the team.  Players emulate players with a talent.  If each player over achieves in their asset categories, you will have a team improving in every category. 

Our goal is to develop a detail person, one who cares about others while pursuing their dreams and goals in life.  We know no other way than the way described.  Exposure camps are a real life experience athletes will encounter many times in their lives. This is an opportunity to go beyond their job description. People lacking energy or desire to go beyond their job description will fail in their effort to maximize their full potential in both hockey and real life. We were not put on this earth to be mediocre or average. We will continue to remind athletes that we were created to go beyond our job description and be a cut above. If we want to live a rewarding life, aim for excellence, do more than is required and help others in the process. This creates an enthusiasm for life and guarantees peace of mind and happiness.

This is the philosophy @ our camp. Believe me when I say this is exciting to watch unfold after all these years in the Brainerd Lakes Area.  It gets a little old when athletes are satisfied to be "pretty good" when you know they can be much more.  We have enough experience to recognize assets in young people.   This gives us some degree of predictability when it comes time to push athletes to what we believe they can be.  Success is just around the corner for so many athletes that we've worked with.  They have to be willing to go around the corner and get it.

Our goal is to play a significant role in young peoples' lives through our friendship, guidance, teaching, development program, uniqueness and unbiased beliefs to a point where they can never repay us.  We are not looking for some kind of payback.

Our wish is young people reciprocate by reaching out and helping someone else because someone took the time to help them help themselves.  We need to educate young people that giving back is important.  The sooner they learn the bigger return they will get out of life.

Working and owning a camp gives me a reason to celebrate an imperfect life, one where I know in my own mind I could have been a lot better person and a lot better player. I know that this camp gives me a reason to celebrate my life and our contribution to society. We celebrate the contribution our camp has made to the economy of the Brainerd Lakes Area.

We celebrate every success story where we played a small to significant role in a person's success.  We get to hang up one more 8 x 10 to add to our net worth.

Chuck Grillo