🏒 From Setback to Stardom: What We Can Learn from Aerin Frankel

🥅 What separates great players from elite ones?

It’s not size.
It’s not the perfect path.
And it’s definitely not avoiding failure.

In this special crossover episode of Our Girls Play Hockey and Our Kids Play Goalie, Olympic gold medalist Aerin Frankel shares a journey that every hockey family needs to hear.

💥 The Non-Linear Path to Greatness

Aerin didn’t follow a “perfect” development model—and that’s exactly the point.

• Played boys hockey growing up

• Stayed local instead of chasing early exposure

• Chose Shattuck for more games, not prestige

• Got cut from the 2022 Olympic team

That last one? It could have derailed everything.

Instead, it became the turning point.

“I took the feedback and worked on it so next time I wouldn’t be in that situation.”

That mindset shift—from disappointment to direction—is what separates players who plateau from players who break through.

🧠 Failure Isn’t Failure — It’s Experience

One of the most powerful themes in this episode is redefining failure.

Too many young athletes (and parents) treat setbacks as endpoints.

But at the highest levels?

They’re just data.

• Didn’t make the team? → Learn what’s missing

• Had a bad game? → Identify what’s controllable

• Facing doubt? → Double down on preparation

Aerin didn’t ignore disappointment—she processed it, then moved forward with purpose.

📏 The “Too Small” Myth

At 5’5”, Aerin has heard it all.

“You’re too small.”
“You won’t make it.”

But instead of fighting that narrative head-on, she did something smarter:

👉 She ignored it.

Instead, she focused on:

• Skating ability

• Competitiveness

• Instincts

• Work ethic

And most importantly—confidence built through preparation.

“I just focused on what I could control.”

That’s not just good advice. That’s elite-level thinking.

🥅 The Goalie Mindset That Changes Everything

One of the biggest takeaways for young goalies?

Your mindset impacts your entire team.

A calm, composed goalie:

• Builds trust

• Stabilizes chaos

• Elevates team confidence

A frantic goalie?

• Spreads panic instantly

This isn’t about personality—it’s about habits.

And those habits are built:

• In practice

• In preparation

• In how you respond to mistakes

🤝 Culture Beats Stats (Every Time)

If you’re a parent or coach, this part matters.

The best memories—and the best teams—aren’t built on:

• Save percentage

• Goals against average

• Rankings

They’re built on:

• Locker room culture

• Team bonding

• Shared experiences

From hotel hallway knee hockey to team dinners, those moments shape performance more than any stat sheet.

🔥 Competing With (and Against) Friends

At the pro level, Aerin and her teammates often face each other as opponents.

And here’s the key lesson:

👉 Respect means competing at your highest level.

Holding back? That’s disrespectful.

True competitors:

• Push each other

• Elevate each other

• Appreciate the battle

That mindset is something every young athlete can adopt—right now.

🌍 The Bigger Picture: Growing the Game

This episode also highlights something bigger than any one player:

The rapid growth of women’s hockey.

Sold-out arenas.
Rising visibility.
Young girls seeing a real future in the sport.

And for the first time, “playing pro hockey” isn’t just a dream—it’s a path.

🎯 Final Takeaway: Control What You Can

If there’s one message to take from this episode, it’s this:

👉 Focus on what you can control.

• Your effort

• Your mindset

• Your preparation

Everything else?

Noise.

And the players who learn that early are the ones who go the farthest.

🎧 Listen, Learn, and Keep Growing

This episode is more than a conversation—it’s a blueprint for development, resilience, and long-term success in hockey.

If you’re a player, parent, or coach, there’s something here for you.

👉 Share this episode with your team
👉 Talk about it in the car ride to the rink
👉 Apply one lesson this week

Because growth doesn’t happen all at once—it happens one mindset shift at a time.

We’ll see you at the rink.