What Makes a Champion

Well, class started off with a great discussion about our favourite hockey players, why we like them, and also, what makes a champion--both teamwise and player wise. It wasn't exactly earth shattering, I suppose, but it was fun to find out what qualities other people admire in hockey players. Actually, it was pretty interesting because size seemed to be something the guys mentioned a lot; they admired players because they were great in spite of their "smaller" or relatively small size, or they admired players who were surprisingly speedy and graceful despite their size. It wasn't really something that the girls mentioned, though. Maybe it's because a lot of the guys came from hockey backgrounds, so playing hockey really drove home the size factor, whereas  for us girls without the playing experience, it's not something that really registers. Anyway, as I said, it was a fun discussion.
 
The best part of the night was definitely our guest, though: Mike Cammalleri from the LA Kings!!! ^__^ He's a really nice guy, very open, down to earth. Definitely he's joined my list of "admired" players. One of the cool things I found out--only after the class, though--is that apparently he just called Kevin up one day, mentioned that he'd heard of the class and asked if he could come by and be a guest or something! How cool is that? It's just so awesome that he was interested in the class and took the initiative to come and be a part of it.
 
I'm going to digress a bit, and throw in some funny personal things related to him and the LA Kings. Well, I've "liked" (as opposed to disliking or feeling indifferent towards) the Kings since they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the final game of the 2002-2003 season because they allowed the Avs to get their 10th straight division title. =P I've also got an LA Kings hat, because when I bought my Nordiques jersey from someone online, he decided to throw in the hat! (And this was the summer after the 2002-03 season, so I had already started "liking" the Kings.)
 
Then tonight when I told Steph that Mike Cammalleri was a guest in our class, she was like, oh yeah, he's got a pretty high rating in NHL 2004. His potential rating is really good, and everyime I play LA (in NHL 2004), he scores! LOL So that just added to my general feelings of admiration for Mr. Cammalleri. ^_^
 
Anyway, back to the class tonight, I think the reason I can safely add him to my "admired" list is not just because he's a nice guy, but because he's got a lot of the characteristics I admire in players. He's a really dedicated, hard working player. I mean, he mentioned how, knowing that he might have some difficulties because of his size, he made it a point to train hard and strengthen himself. After his first training camp with the Kings, he was apparently the third strongest guy on the team, which is quite an accomplishment. I really admire players who work hard.
 
Plus I thought it was cool that he's already thought ahead to the end of his career--he's hoping to establish a real estate company or something, and to maybe even play on some golf tours. I think that's a really great example for young people who look up to professional athletes. I wonder if, as a result of his having planned a bit for the end of his career, he maybe appreciates the fact that he is playing in the NHL right now a bit more. I mean, if he's thought ahead, he probably recognizes that his time in the NHL is limited, so I'd think that's enable him to appreciate the opportunity he has and has had more. *shrug*
 
What else to say? There was way too much! The anecdotes that he related were just great--often amusing, always reflective of his great love for the game. I think one of the coolest things he said was: "I don't feel small on the ice." As a spectator, and as a player as well, you hear so much about how being small is such a disadvantage and everything, so it really seems like a huge kind of stigma that has to be dealt with, but then there he was, saying that he didn't feel smaller than anyone else on the ice. I can't explain it (as usual) but that's just a really neat concept for me.
 
Did I mention that he's very approachable? Well, he is, and as a result I felt a lot less embarrassed than usual to ask for an autograph (in my notebook! =P) and a photo. ^_^ Thank goodness I started bringing my camera to every class!
 

 
I just love the way he signed! "Your friend" exclamation mark! =D What a great guy!

(Oh, and he made such an impression on me, I just joined the Michael Cammalleri Fanlisting!)