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***SchwarzNarr*** · 07-21-2021, 08:51 PM

Please split 50% @WithTheMoose and 50% @SchwarzNarr

Over the past few days Isa and myself looked at chatting with as many SHL General Managers as possible. We wanted to compile a list of advice that they have for rookies. While neither of us are new to Sim leagues, we are still new to the SHL, and there are many true new to sim league rookies that entered as a part of the S61 class, and that will be coming soon with the impending trade deadline. We went through the advice that the GMs provided, and added some of our own thoughts as both current and former GMs and rookie mentors in another league.

Advice One: It’s a Marathon not a Sprint.

This seems to be a really common adage, as about six of the responses from the GMs used this phrase almost exactly, and it’s easy to see why when you start to dive into some of the career lengths within the SHL. Even if you take out the extension of a career if you max earn, you’re still looking at almost two real life years before regression (10 full seasons before you start regression). Those first few regressions are also very slow (only 10%), which means you might be looking at almost three real life years before you reach the end of your career. Which really does speak to the fact that this is a marathon. While max earning obviously prolongs the life of your player by a bit, at the end of it all, the great beast of regression comes for us all, and this speaks for everything. While you want to make sure that you have some money to start off your career, as it can make you both a more desirable prospect for GMs, but also make it a little bit easier for you to have a cushion. The key takeaway here is, don’t burn yourself out. It doesn’t all have to be done at once, and you’re going to be just fine if you take everything slow, just earn the money you need for the season, and just keep on truckin at your own pace.

We were given a fantastic example by one GM who pointed out a player who never reached 2,000 TPE. He fought regression like many others and now he has more TPE than many of his peers who reached that 2,000 mark. You will get there. Slow and steady wins the race. GMs would rather have someone who is steady, consistent, and is there for the long haul than someone who is a splash in the pan and quickly fizzles out. Longevity is the name of the game in this league and in many ways is more important than just hitting your player’s peak. It does more for the team and oftentimes does more for you as a player as well. Take your time, enjoy it. There is a finishline for everyone and no two players have the exact same one. There is no reason to rush towards yours.

Advice Two: Stay Positive

There’s a lot that can get you down in a sim league, but one of the biggest things is when your team isn’t doing well. Losses happen, it’s just a part of the sports life. You’re rarely going to be good for the entirety of your career as a team, it’s just kind of an unfortunate reality, and whether you’re undergoing a rebuild, or you just had some really bad sim luck, staying positive is going to help you through these times. Nobody wants to be in a locker room when everyone is just being a downer, instead, find the pieces that are good that you can focus on. Maybe it’s something from the sim (“Hey, we may have lost but I finally got my first goal!”), or something in life or the locker room to keep everyone feeling upbeat, but finding something to stay positive no matter the wins or losses is key.

Adding to this, maintaining a positive attitude outside of even just the sim is important too. It goes into how you should treat people in the league, how you should act with decisions from HO, changes that might happen, trades, expansion, any of it. Keeping an eye on something positive is going to make it so you have a much more enjoyable time in this league overall.

This mentality really helps you get the most out of the league as well. Players and GMs will want to be around you more because you aren’t the person who focuses on the losses or emphasizes failures. Instead you’re the guy who after a loss immediately starts to talk about why it's blasphemous to put ketchup on a taco. The sim is very temporary. A few minutes and it is over. There is no reason why a few minutes of silly games should impact you in a big way. Always be looking forward to the next step and try to bring others along with you.

Advice Three: Take Advantage of Double Media/Graphics

Specifically, this advice was presented as “Write a 10,000 word article and save it up for double media.” Now. I don’t think this article is going to hit 10,000 words, but we are at least going to get a cool couple million from it. We could definitely get more if we saved for double media, but the odds that this counts as draft media aren’t necessarily worth the risk to get the advice out sooner than later for the newest group out there.

Anyway, the message here is clear. Earning league money isn’t exactly hard, but it does take time. You can definitely pop out some graphics quickly, or short articles here and there, but there are some things like getting enough of a bank in order to pay for the higher tier training in the SHL and the better coaching, that it’s definitely worth it to wait a bit and try and gain the extra money when you can. Now, that doesn’t mean to go crazy. Like the other pieces of advice say, this is a marathon, not a sprint. You do not need to earn all of the money for your career upfront. Advice that we personally, are not abiding by because the reality is, we just like writing and producing content, so we’re going to do that.

If you know that it is nearing the draft, or you’re looking to use your first media or graphics bonus, make sure that it’s a good one. Don’t write a dinky 100 word article for your first media bonus and then after a week you post the 5,000 word monstrosity. The reality is, you’ll get there with money, and if you’re better than me and actually tweet regularly, you’ll definitely be okay. (I’m sorry. I try to tweet, but I just cannot put in the commitment).

That said, consistency can also be just as important. You should always save up if you know that a double event is coming, but don’t stress yourself out and think you have to create a huge article or drop tons of graphics just because the double event exists. Pace yourself and be consistent with your earning. Find your niche and earn spare money however you want and if you know a double event is coming, work your routine into the event. If you try to push yourself too hard just to accommodate for the event or if you rely on the event too much, you can really wear yourself out very quickly. Use the resources that are available to you to compliment what you already do, do not make them your whole emphasis.

Advice Four: Don’t burn yourself out - take care of you

The reality is when we started writing this article, we didn’t really have a frame of reference in mind, so the organization is literally all over the place. Maybe plan better if you’re going to do something similar to me. Anyway, the next piece we are going to talk about is that you shouldn’t let yourself burn out, and to take care of yourself. This pairs really well with the first piece of advice about it being a marathon, and it pairs really well with the seventh piece of advice, getting involved.

Now, the league takes time to do stuff, we’ve talked about that already, but hey, it’s a new league, you see job postings and so you want to get involved. So you do, and you start to get involved with the league and talking to people. You take on one job, maybe you join another league, start to take on jobs in that league, etc. Whatever floats your boat, is great, but just know your boundaries. A lot of people will come in, do so much, and then just fizzle out and barely be around anymore. Learn to take breaks, and know that it is okay if you want to step down from a job, it’s okay if you don’t want to be a scout for your team, it’s okay to say no. It’s hard, when you want to make a name for yourself, but you can totally do it, and taking care of you is important. Nothing worse than having an amazing player who goes on to do so much and then just… they’ve gone inactive and you’re left feeling sad because you miss them. So know your limits, a little bit. Take breaks, it’s okay to miss out on some TPE if it means over the long term you will be around.

The temptation is always there though because users tend to put a ton of emphasis on their draft stock. It is easy to want to come in, take the league by storm, and lock in that early pick. You put all of your energy into it and then when things are all said and done, you just do not have the energy to keep pushing forward anymore. You fall off and then that pick really means nothing. At the end of the day, your draft position isn’t really relevant. No one is really going to think about where you were drafted except for you. Don’t push yourself unnecessarily for something that very quickly becomes irrelevant once you’re more deeply involved with the league. Missing this is a big reason why so many high profile prospects end up fizzling out early on.

Advice Five: Find Your Niche, Enjoy Yourself

Ultimately, we are a wide variety of users on this site, with a lot of different beliefs about and reasons for why we’re in a sim league. Some of us are here for stats, some for wins and cups, and some just to talk to others and have fun. The reality is, figure out what you want from the SHL, and work toward that. If you want to be immortalized in the hall of fame, then be honest about that, and let GMs, and others know. My personal experience with sim leagues is that everyone wants to make sure that they’re able to get the appropriate enjoyment out of the league. If you want to get called up earlier than normal, if you’re aiming for a specific stat, being honest about that early on is going to help you out and you’ll find the right team that can provide that for you. At the end of the day the only person who really knows what you want is yourself and you should stand up and make that clear. Oftentimes GMs are willing to be flexible and work with you to reach your goals, but if you aren’t honest with what you want then they will not know what they need to do to help you out. Everyone enjoys different things and part of the excitement in this community is that it is filled with all sorts of people. If you aren’t honest, you will not be able to find your people.

If you’re not looking for stats, but instead are looking to find a group of people that you want to spend your time with - do it. The reality is, sim leagues are miserable when you’re going it alone, and you don’t have someone to share the joys in or you don’t have a goal that you’re working for. Whatever it is that you want from this league, find it. Do you want a team that is focused on mostly just hockey talk? I’m sure there’s one out there that’s for you. Do you want a locker room with a little bit of everything? Bet there is one that exists. League stuff and league stuff only? You’ll find a home.

Advice Six: Ask Questions

Hey, so they say there’s no such thing as a stupid question, and considering we are some of the most hockey dumb people that exist on the planet, that definitely holds true here. Even if it’s trying to get clarification on rules, or build advice, or asking about SHL hockey or NHL hockey, there’s no such thing as a bad question here. And you should ask them. Don’t sit there wondering what you should do and just sit on it. Ask - the rookie mentors, or ask your GMs. They are literally paid to help you out, especially at the SMJHL level.

Here’s the trick, though, asking questions isn’t just about getting clarification on pieces, but it can help you better your career or time in the league. “How do I join the updating team?” “How does the sim work?” “What do GMs look for in a player?” “What advice do you have for rookies?” All of it betters your knowledge and can make your time in the league more effective and more enjoyable. So don’t worry if you feel like the question is a dumb rookie one, don’t be stressed that you’re asking the same question of the rookie mentors that you feel they must get every season. They’re literally paid to answer it!!

Overall never stop asking questions. This league is both confusing and constantly changing, so always be open to asking around. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been here 10 minutes or 10 seasons, someone is always willing to answer and often can lead to some great conversations you wouldn’t have with people otherwise. This league is a community and part of that is helping each other whenever you get a chance. Ask questions often enough dn you may be the person someone else is asking questions from soon enough!

Advice Seven: Get Involved - Somehow (And that doesn’t just mean Jobs)

Okay maybe this is the same as find your niche and I didn’t realize it until we started writing it. But regardless, get involved. Don’t be passive about your time here in the league. You have the opportunity to learn how to do some incredible things and meet people from all over the world. You don’t get chances like this most times in your regular life, so take advantage of it! I have personally watched so many users go from never having touched photoshop before, to becoming in charge of entire drafts and graphics in sim leagues because they just dove right in and got involved. They were encouraged and used the knowledge and experience of those around them to get better. Just like with the previous piece of advice focusing on asking questions, you have such a wealth of knowledge in a sim league to use.

Getting involved can mean more than just getting a league job. But instead, dive into your locker room too. Get to know your teammates, share a little bit of yourself with them. Make your own way and actually be a part of this league. Sim leagues can be so much fun if you let them. It doesn’t mean you have to devote your entire life to it, even if you can only hang out for 20 minutes a day, I can almost guarantee that your future teams will love you for those 20 minutes and look forward to them every time.

Advice Eight: Get an Accountabilibuddy (Find someone to Enjoy it with)

Once more, this advice pretty much locks itself in with other pieces, but one of the greatest things you can, especially if you’re looking to earn well, but in some more fun ways, is to get yourself an accountabilibuddy. Find someone who you can enjoy the league with, who you can bother to do their tasks (and hopefully they bother you to do yours too). Find someone you can write silly articles with, or that you can eventually write media trashing their player (or write about your players doing stuff together for point tasks). This league is a lot more fun when you find that friend. This doesn’t mean you have to recruit someone to the league - you can find accountabilibuddies in your own locker room to start with.

We are fortunate that we not only have one another holding each other accountable, but that we are in incredible locker rooms with users who want the team to be successful too, and they help us keep track of what to do every week. A lot of teams will have a special role that gets pinged for tasks, or a special channel. Find yourself a calendar, a friend, do your point tasks when it’s your cat's dinner time so you know when they yell at you it’s time to do league stuff too (after they get fed, of course). Having an accountabilibuddy just makes it easier to do things without stress in the league, because you know someone is watching your back, no matter what.

Advice Nine: Be Yourself

At the end of the day, we’re all internet strangers to one another, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be honest about who you are, even if it’s just your personality. You don’t need to craft a fake persona, you don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not in order to find your home here, or in any sim league. Every one of your teammates is going to want to get to know you, as the real you, and not whatever it is you think they’ll want. You’ll get more enjoyment out of things when you are honest about yourself with everyone, and so will they.

Upset about a loss? It’s okay to show it, you don’t have to hide that part of you. Getting upset about the losses is totally normal and something anyone is going to feel. Bummed about your draft position? That’s okay too. Talking to someone about these things is much better than just doubling down and hiding those emotions. Being able to share these pieces means that your team and your GMs are able to understand what motivates you, and try their hardest to help you get what it is you need (More stats, maybe it’s a trade to a team that is in their prime? Who knows). The reality is, you’re here to enjoy this league, not some fake persona, so just be authentically you all the time.

There’s a lot of overlap here, and we obviously don’t have all of the answers, but as you start to enter into the SMJHL and even the SHL, keep these pieces in mind. It’s what the GMs recommend to boost your enjoyment of the league.

***luke*** · 07-21-2021, 08:52 PM

Advice Ten: ask for 10x10

Zema · 07-21-2021, 08:55 PM

Best advice: Create a Swedish player.

dylanjj37 · 07-21-2021, 09:05 PM

07-21-2021, 08:52 PMluketd Wrote: Advice Ten: ask for 10x10

i did this and they said no Sad

ACapitalChicago · 07-21-2021, 09:05 PM

Definitely respect the advice regarding burnout and the marathon vs sprint. It's unfortunately common for people to start super strong with earning and media and then can't keep that up, so it's always better to go at a sustainable pace. Great article!

S66 Damian Littleton

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***FuzzSHL*** · 07-21-2021, 09:18 PM

Love the article, fantastic work.

Aleksi Kettu

*fishy* · 07-21-2021, 09:36 PM

07-21-2021, 08:52 PMluketd Wrote: Advice Ten: ask for 10x10

@TnlAstatine member dis?

Nokazoa · 07-21-2021, 09:43 PM

Quote:Advice Eight: Get an Accountabilibuddy (Find someone to Enjoy it with)

@Briedaqueduc I found you but then we both stopped doing things :kekw:

***Briedaqueduc*** · 07-21-2021, 09:44 PM

07-21-2021, 09:43 PMNokazoa Wrote:
Quote:Advice Eight: Get an Accountabilibuddy (Find someone to Enjoy it with)
@Briedaqueduc I found you but then we both stopped doing things :kekw:

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Nokazoa · 07-21-2021, 09:46 PM

07-21-2021, 09:44 PMBriedaqueduc Wrote:
07-21-2021, 09:43 PMNokazoa Wrote: @Briedaqueduc I found you but then we both stopped doing things :kekw: