5 Things That Shaped Me: The Jimmy Slothface Story

PBS had a chance to sit down with SMJHL prospect Jimmy Slothface to discuss, among other things, five of the biggest influences on him as a person and a hockey player.  Jimmy is a prospect from Vantaa, Finland and below is a transcript of Jimmy's responses:

Strict Diet: Growing up my mother always set a very strict diet for us.  From an early age I only would eat the leaves from the family cecropia.  At the age of five I was given my own modal tree to focus on to better focus my diet.  Through supplements I am able to receive any necessary nutrition outside of my diet of leaves.  This has taught me discipline and the importance of nutrition.  Unfortunately due to genetics it can take over a month to digest my food, but this has given me a strong lesson in patience that I have transferred to my perspective on my own development as a prospect.

Power Skating: To say I used to be slow is an understatement.  Originally I only moved at about 4 meters or 13 feet per minute, but through hard work and lots of power skating lessons I was able to keep up with and often times surpass my peers in the speed department.  This taught me the importance of setting a goal, being dedicated to that goal, and following through on the goal.  I never could have done this without my speed skating coach Pasi Koskela (old family friend who agreed to train me).

My Home: Growing up in the trees of Vantaa, I was destined to be a hockey player.  All the years of hanging from branches set me up perfectly to hold and use a hockey stick.  I pride myself in my stick handling and shooting ability, and I believe it all stems from growing up with sticks in my hand.

My Teammates: I came from a very solitary family, that while supportive, did not offer the traditional idea of familial love.  I've been able to skate with many amazing players who also happen to be great people, and I credit them with my growth as a player.  These deep locker room connections allowed us all to unlock our potential and play well as a team.  Without them I wouldn't have been able to make it to where I am today.  It allowed me to not merely focus on my own development and stats but come together with my teammates to grow as a team.

My Family: From birth my family always instilled a sense of calm and relaxation in me.  We are a very slow, deliberate family and often times if I find myself being overwhelmed all I have to do is think of my family.  It reminds me to slow down and enjoy the important aspects of life.  It also allows me to perform in high pressure situations on the ice, and makes sure that I'm always hanging in there...