Don’t Give UP

Congratulations to the USA National Women's Team

Selections were posted yesterday, and I want to take a moment to recognize every single player who made this roster. These girls have worked so damn hard to get to this point. We are talking about a lifetime of early mornings, missed weekends, and sacrifices most people never see. It starts when they are very little girls, and it does not stop until they get where they want to go.

This is what commitment looks like. Not just talent. Commitment.

Special Congratulations to Megan Bozek

Very special congratulations to Megan Bozek. I am so proud to call her my friend.

Megan has coached for Pro Ambitions AAA BU for almost a decade. She brings real experience to our players because she has lived every part of this journey herself. The girls she coaches are not just learning hockey from her. They are learning what it actually takes to compete at the highest level.

Here is what makes Megan's story worth paying attention to. She was an impact player on the Olympic Team, and then she was the last person cut. The last person cut. That is not a footnote. That is one of the hardest things that can happen to an athlete who has given everything to make that roster.

She Did Not Give Up

I spoke to Megan the evening she was cut. I was shocked and upset for her. Anyone who knows her and knows how hard she worked would have felt the same way. There are no easy words in that moment. You just have to be there and be honest.

BUT SHE DID NOT GIVE UP.

SHE IS BACK.

SHE PUT HER NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE.

That is the whole story. Not the cut. Not the disappointment. The response. What you do after the hard thing happens is what defines you as a player and as a person. Megan made her choice, and now she is back on that national team roster. GO MEGAN.

Congrats also to Caitrin Lonergan, who plays for another one of our favorite coaches, Katie King Crowley, at Boston College. Great programs produce great players, and that connection matters.

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan

Every player who has ever come through Pro Ambitions has heard me say this. Plan your work and work your plan. It sounds simple because it is. But simple is not the same as easy.

Megan's story is the proof. When she got cut, she had a choice. She could have walked away, and nobody would have blamed her. Instead, she went back to work. She identified what she needed to improve, she put a plan in place, and she executed it day after day until the results showed up. That is the process. There are no shortcuts inside it.

Young players need to understand that setbacks are part of the path. They are not a sign that you picked the wrong path. The players who go on to play at the highest levels are not the ones who never got cut or never got passed over. They are the ones who refused to let that moment be the final word.

If you are a player reading this and you are dealing with a tough situation right now, a cut, a demotion, or a coach who is not playing you, hear this: your response right now is more important than the situation itself. Get back to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you mentally handle getting cut from a hockey team?

Getting cut is painful, and pretending it is not does not help anyone. Give yourself a short window to be upset about it. Then shift your focus to what you can control. Go back and honestly assess your game. Where did you fall short? What do you need to add or improve? Build a plan around those specific things and get to work. The players who come back stronger after a cut are the ones who treat it as information rather than a verdict.

How long does it take to get back on track after a major setback in hockey?

There is no fixed timeline, and anyone who gives you one is guessing. What matters is consistency. If you are putting in real, focused work every day, you will start to see progress. It might take one season or it might take two. Megan Bozek is proof that if you stay the course and keep competing, the opportunity will come back around.

What does it mean to plan your work and work your plan in youth hockey?

It means you do not just show up and hope for improvement. You identify specific areas of your game that need work. You build your off-ice and on-ice training around those areas. Then you execute that plan consistently, not just when you feel motivated. Motivated players show up sometimes. Committed players show up every time. That discipline is what separates good players from great ones over a full career.

Why is it important for young hockey players to have role models who have faced adversity?

Because kids need to see the full picture. Social media shows highlight goals and championship wins. It does not show the cuts, the tough conversations, or the years of grinding with no guarantee of results. When a player like Megan Bozek is in the room coaching your kid, that player gets to learn from someone who has actually lived both sides of it. That is real education. That is the kind of thing that sticks.