Matt's Jr. Trappers Blog - A Healthy Hockey Lifestyle

Jr. Trappers forward Michel Gamache has been giving us an up close and personal look at the North Bay Jr. A Trappers in his blog. Upon his depature, defenceman Matt Weisensel stepped up to offer his insight in "Matt's Jr. Trappers Blog." Enjoy it!

The post season for the NOJHL is closing in and I along with the rest of the Trappers will be working diligently throughout these next few weeks. It all starts in practice and filters out into our lifestyle. In order to be properly prepared for the playoffs a team must be both physically and mentally prepared. The mindset one has for the post season will be a major factor in determining how far a team goes. Maintaining a positive attitude, knowing how to shake off the pain, the mistakes and the bad calls can all be accomplished with a strong state of mind.

Don’t get me wrong our work ethic on the ice is extremely important, but our off-ice habits prove to be just as - if not more - important.

It starts at home with the amount of sleep we get.

“The more, the better,” coach always says.

Now sometimes we hockey players misinterpret this, and we sleep in until God knows what time in the afternoon. Bad idea! Sleep can be your best friend and your worst enemy. Be smart about it and you will feel great in the early hours of the morning. Going to bed at a decent hour and waking up at a decent hour is fantastic for both your body and mind. The more sleep we get now the less we will have to catch up on when we are driving to and from Iroquois Falls every other day during the playoffs. Everyone who has rode a bus before knows that as soon as you get "comfy" you have already arrived at your destination.

Eating well is another “must,” when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Fuelling your body with fresh, wholesome nutrients is just another thing we hockey players do to stay healthy and happy. We LOVE food (that’s not an exaggeration) and we probably think about eating for 15 hours of the day. If you are smart about what you eat you won’t have to end up throwing it up on the ice later during practice and you won’t feel flat-footed and heavy during a game. With smart lifestyle choices you can be sure that both your mind and your body will be healthy and ready for anything.

Playoffs are just around the corner, another month and the town of North Bay will have some exciting junior hockey to watch. A best-of-seven series always makes for a good rivalry no matter who the opponent. I know the Sudbury Wolves are always a great challenger - two big city teams going hard game after game. The Trappers have also provoked some other rivals this year, with a few close battles against the Temiscaming Royals and some bitter grudge matches against the division leading Abitibi Eskimos. Whoever it turns out to be you can be sure that you are in for an entertaining series.

Can’t wait! Enjoy your week fellow readers!

GO! Trappers! GO!