The Ride To The Rink - Be the Teammate Everyone Remembers: Lessons from Taylor Heise & Hayley Scamurra

Lee MJ Elias [0:00 - 0:28]: Hello, hockey skaters and goalies around the world, and welcome back to another edition of the Ride to the Rink. It's Lee with Haley Scamurra and Taylor Heise, two names that you absolutely know at home. And today, Taylor has come on and said, hey, I've got a great story to share with the kids today about being a great teammate. So I am just going to sauce the puck over to her. Taylor, take it away. 

Taylor Heise [0:29 - 4:00]: Yeah, I think it. You know, sometimes it's a lot of the best players get some of the best recognition, and you look at them and then, you know, I had an experience when I was young where I met someone like that. Not in hockey, just in life. And I realized, wow, they're not that great of a person. Like, I didn't enjoy that conversation. And I think from that moment on, I learned personally, like, I want to be someone that you're excited to meet, but I also want to be someone that you want to talk to again. And being a teammate and being a sister and, you know, having so many expectations in life, it's. You're not always gonna be at your best. Trust me. People have caught me at my. Not my best many times, but that just helps me to regroup and understand, okay, get back to who I am, what makes me me. And for me, it's being a good teammate and being successful in what I do actually ties back into that for me. Like, if I'm being successful, I want to be a good teammate, and when I'm not being successful, I want to be even a better teammate. Because for me, if I'm not doing what I need to do out there, I need someone else to make up for that. And I want everyone to know, like, the confidence is huge for me. When I was young, I had two line mates. One, this wasn't an actual story, but this is exactly how I think about it. I had one that was a really good player but was really hard to be around and did not take criticism, and there was no talking them out of things. And then I had another one who wasn't as skilled but wanted to be really good and wanted everything, you know, that I wanted, but just wasn't as skilled, and that's okay. So you look at those two, and I will always remember the one on my right that was not as good, but wanted to be better and was a great teammate and always put her confidence in me. That's what I want to kind of say to the kids is, you know, you want to be that person that they remember as much as you know, Haley and I have won in our lives. I will always remember the people that were nice to me, that. That respected me and had confidence in me. And then I will also respect the people and remember the people that kind of called me out when things weren't right, when I wasn't being my best, when I was being sassy, when I was being rude, when I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing. That's the most important people in life. And having people in your life that support you, it's important to have both sides. It's important to have the people that bring you up, but also the people that drag you down sometimes and bring you back to where you need to be and even keel. So I think just the biggest thing for me is having people in your life that are really good people. And when, like I said, you take away hockey, who am I, right? I want to be a good human. I want to be someone that people like and like to be around, but I also want to be someone that's confident and is confident in other people's abilities. Like, I've. Haley talked about this on the podcast a little bit already, too, but she's inclusive. She wants everyone to feel like they're meant to be there and that, you know, you're here for a reason. And someone like her is a main reason of why. When I'm at a camp or when I'm with USA or with. I'm with the Frost or when I was young, like, she's someone that's a glue person. She. She keeps you there, and she's gonna make sure you're confident. And when you're not confident, she'll come up to you and she'll say something to you that's gonna make you bring you back to reality. And for me, I could. I just am not always that person. But having someone like Haley, like, you have to have people like that in life who bring you back to where you're at, but also lift you up. And being a kid, I know it's hard. Really is. But being an adult's hard, too. So sometimes it's just as simple as, like, I love that move. I love that you're really good at it. Can you teach me or. That hit was amazing, but that goal was sick. Like, I can't. Like, that's amazing. Like, just having a little bit more confidence in people and giving them your time of day and just, like, saying things, you bring it back to the parents point. Like, sometimes it's just enough to say Like, I love you. Like, that was an amazing game. It might not have been great to you, but I love watching you and your. And the way that you do things. 

Lee MJ Elias [4:00 - 5:44]: Yeah. You know, I'm gonna bring this up, too. Taylor, one of the cool things you're bringing up is that. And this is one of those kids. This is like a life thing, and not just a hockey thing, but you want to surround yourself with people that lift you up, but also that challenge you to be better. Right. If you're just surrounded by people that tell you how great you are, parents. I'm talking to you a little bit, too. If you just hear how great you are all the time, it doesn't leave too much room for growth. Right. The best friends I've ever had, the best teammates I've ever had, even my wife, challenge me to be better all the time. And I'm not going to lie to kids. So, Taylor, you kind of alluded to this. One of the tough parts of being a kid is learning to get control of your emotions so that they don't control you. All right? Nobody likes to be told, hey, get better at this. All right? But that is someone who's trying to challenge you. There's a right way to do it. I can say that, too. Even if it's done the wrong way, it's how you respond to it that really matters. But you want someone that's going to challenge you and also adversely kids. This is one I tell the kids I coach at the youth level. If you see a teammate doing something great, go tell them that they did something great. You don't have to hold that back. It should trigger in your mind, like, hey, I really love that you did that. You'll make them feel great. And then on top of it, you'll be a great teammate for doing that. Right. But you should also, in the same breath, be able to tell that teammate, hey, let's try and get better at this. Let me help you this. And the last point that Teller made is, boy, don't. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Right. Some of the greatest skill sets I've ever learned were just because I asked a teammate to teach it to me. Right. I think that's so important. Hayley, let's make sure we get you involved in this, too. Can you tell me some of the people, maybe in your life that have challenged you both the hard way and the soft way? 

Taylor Heise [5:46 - 6:02]: Yeah. Funny we mentioned that. I was thinking the other day, like, I have two parents, polar opposites, my dad, super intense Challenges me all the time. My mom, super kind, warm, supportive, like, doesn't know much about hockey. She's just like, oh, you did so great. You're amazing. 

Lee MJ Elias [6:02 - 6:03]: You know what I mean? 

Taylor Heise [6:03 - 6:29]: And. But it was kind of nice. Like, I think that's why I'm the player I am today, because I did have, like, that balance where, you know, if I wanted to, like, talk about hockey or focus on something, hockey, I know I knew who to go to, and I wasn't getting it from both sides. I think if that were happening, I don't know if I'd be here today. So. Love you, mom and dad. Thank you both for, you know, being the yin and yang. And, yeah, that was super helpful for me, for sure. 

Lee MJ Elias [6:29 - 7:07]: Yeah. Kids, I'll say, as you get older, you start to see your parents a little differently. I remember one time, kids, this is a funny story for me, being in a game, and my mother had said, I just wish both teams could win because she had a huge heart. Now, at the time, that was the cringiest thing I could have heard from as a. As a player, because, like, I don't want the other team to win. But, kids, as I got older, she was coming from the right place. Right. She has a big heart. I love that about her. So, you know, just. Kids, be patient with your parents. We're trying to. All right, everyone's trying to figure it out. But before I close this out, both of you, is there any other final thoughts? Got two. 

Taylor Heise [7:07 - 7:38]: I would just say most people talk about it in the sense of, like, you are who you surround yourself with, and you are a piece of the five people that you see every single day. And if you put yourself in, you know, a shoes of the people that support you, you can't have just five, like, cheerleaders, because by the time you get to the hard things, it's not going to be the best to have someone cheer you on, and you just need some help to get forward. So I'd always say surround yourself with people that, you know, love you but also are willing to help you grow and get better in life as well. 

Lee MJ Elias [7:38 - 8:02]: Well, that's a great final word. Taylor, thanks so much for joining us. Kids, listen, wherever you're at on your hockey journey, you know the rest. We believe in you. You should, too. Make sure to enjoy hockey. Look at. Look at the people you surround yourself with. Think about the messages you're giving yourself, and just above all, be a great teammate. You need no hockey skills to be a great teammate. Put that forth. All right, kids, we'll see you next time on the ride to the rink. Have a great day. Skate hard and skate on.