True Dedication

When you mention the word hockey, the first thing people usually think of is a person without teeth. The second thing usually mentioned is that it's a rough sport. Even though the players have pads on to protect them, you still have opponents skating at you, or hitting you, with full force. Plus, unlike football, you fall on ice, not grass. It's understandable that people believe this to be a sport with a lot of injuries.

Yes, injuries happen, what sport doesn't have them? They all do. You can hurt yourself running, throwing a ball, landing the wrong way, etc. You don't have to be on a team for this to happen, it can happen in your own backyard. Once the injury occurs, it would be easy for to give it up, surrender, let the injury dictate if you will continue.

For any hockey fan, more specifically Blackhawk fans, we can all remember game four of the 2010 Western Conference Finals. Duncan Keith was on defense and he ended up taking a puck to the mouth. He lost seven teeth that night. Minutes after the injury, Keith was right back on the ice helping his team win the sweep.  

Now the Steel hasn't had anyone take a puck to face yet or lose any teeth, which is always a good sign, however we have had a player take a stick to the face. During practice on Tuesday, Charlie O'Connor took a stick to the face.

On Wednesday, O'Connor was cleared by our athletic trainer, and he took the ice with his team. The team had one more practice before they left today to play a couple pre-season games in Indiana.

O'Connor showed what it truly means to be dedicated not only to his team, but to the game of hockey. He didn't give up and he was ready to work hard the following day. Hockey players get hurt and have injuries. The one difference is that these guys know they were born to play hockey, it's in their blood, and nothing is going to stop them.