opportunity

Question
I am currently 22 years old and have been playing hockey for 16 years, I got an offer to play for a team after high school but it was too expensive for me to afford at that point.
I'm now trying to get back in to competitive hockey and try to go somewhere with it, everyone's always told me I was good enough to make it in at least semi pro hockey but I've never had the opportunity to get noticed by any scouts, as I only played varsity for a single A div school in mars,PA while I was in high school. I know have the size and skill to compete at the next level.
I'm just wondering how to get the opportunity?

Answer
Jake,

Thanks for writing.  Okay, what position do you play?  I really doesn't matter what position as it is more important to do a little homework first before you start looking.  So, here is what you do.  Find semi-pro teams within your area (seeing how you don't have cash#  Let's say you live close to the ECHL #for example#  Then you find all the teams within the league and you check out their records to see how they are doing.  I recommend that you contact the most crappiest team, sorry for the language, but you will understand in a minute.

Now once you have found the team#s) then you contact the coach via Linked-in.  They you tell them about your self and ask them is they are going to have a free agent camp or a camp there people can come off the street and try-out.

If he tells you to go take a hike, you call the next team.  Now you will have to do your homework.  It's not easy, but if you are persistent, you will make it happen.  Buuut, you can not just try one time, and it doesn't work for you, don't quit, call the next one until you have no more teams to call.

Start at the bottom of the league and work your way up the standings.  Now, a coach is going to ask you..."Why do you think you can come in here and help my teams"?  What is it that you have, that my current players don't have!

So, be prepared to answer that question.  And if he doesn't ask, you need to sell your self and tell him how good you are.  no one is going to blow your horn for you...you have to do it.  Welcome to the world of sales.

Good Luck
Rob Lopez - Commissioner
University Ice Hockey League - Mexico
www.passthepuck.net