Boston College Athletics
Player Reflection: Patrick Wey On World Jr. Championship
September 24, 2011 | Men's Hockey
Sept. 24, 2011
Patrick Wey, a defenseman from Pittsburgh, Pa., recently contributed this brilliant reflection on his World Junior Championship experience in Buffalo, N.Y., this past winter. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior was one of three Boston College players named to the U.S. national team that earned bronze medals. He was joined by BC classmates Brian Dumoulin and Chris Kreider. It marked the first time since 1998 that three Eagles represented the U.S. (BC had four players -- Jeff Farkas, Brian Gionta, Mike Mottau and Bobby Allen -- on the 1998 U.S. Junior National Team).
I've always had an unspoken fascination with the military. Soldier and college athlete aren't activities that are easily balanced, certainly not for a clumsy, injury-prone sophomore. Needless to say, I haven't enlisted, although my time with the US team was the closest I've come. I say this because of the uncharacteristic patriotism I felt throughout the tournament, culminating in my emotions during the playing of the national anthem after our bronze medal victory over Sweden. There I stood: exhausted and surrounded, so to speak, by a sparse US crowd staring up at a flag that I hadn't considered since "Social Studies." On the surface, the moment was relatively plain, nothing Michael Bay would write in as a cinematic climax. Inside, I was beaming. Even a bronze medal was an accomplishment, and we had done it. It felt odd to be so united as a team that would be disbanded almost as quickly as it was assembled. I leveled that the unusual amount of pressure, excitement, and work bundled with the World U20 Championship must have expedited the team-building process. We had been under those conditions since the summer camp in August.
The summer evaluation camp proved quite tough. It's not easy being scrutinized, and here there was constant pressure to be near perfect. I felt this the most in practices, where coach Allain pushed us to play faster than I had ever played before. As if this weren't enough, the camp ran for almost two weeks, I think. The dining hall at camp had the sort of chicken-and-rice/pasta-with-red-sauce variety that makes you question if you really want to make the team. When I wasn't playing or eating, I had to search for things to keep me occupied. Philip Samuelsson was always up for either ping-pong or chess. We played every chance we had. Admittedly, I think we played chess in hopes that the coaches would see us and deem us "smart." The end of summer camp was a relief, but I knew the work wouldn't end until January, since another evaluation would run through most of December.
People typically talk about the sacrifices that they make for opportunities like the World Junior Championships. Well, I sacrificed Christmas, among other things. I spent Christmas like I imagine the Grinch would've spent it before he stole and subsequently saved it. I woke up with no presents and no one to give a present to. After my routine of scanning Facebook and flipping through a condensed offering of TV channels, Brian Dumoulin and I searched for a church to attend mass. We got there. It was letting out. We walked back. I went up to my room and stared at the TV while Christmas came and went. My family did come up later, and we had a "gift exchange." My presents were exchanged twice - I opened them, thanked my parents and gave them back, since I couldn't carry them in the BC Hockey duffle bag.
I can't recall much else from the build up to the tournament, partly because my body went into shock when I was announced as a member of the team. I had known all along that I was a long shot. With this in mind, I focused on controlling my attitude and my work ethic. Shifting my focus away from selfish thoughts better equipped me to deal with the patches of the tournament where I was hardly getting a regular shift. Eventually, my play improved and my ice time increased as the tournament went on. By the time the final game against Sweden arrived, I was playing and I was playing well. The whole process was empowering. I recognized that the right attitude and work ethic could improve my situation, even on an elite team.
The entire progression, from the evaluation stages on through the tournament, is one of my most cherished hockey memories. I'll probably never become a soldier, even if I'm a proficient Call of Duty player. I might never play in the Olympics, even if my ping-pong and chess skills were honed at the Olympic Training Center. I did, however, get the honor of representing the US in a small capacity. That's pretty cool.
-Patrick Wey
