Senior captain Julian Bystricky is reaching the end of his noteworthy high school hockey career. He’s made a dent in the program in his years on the ice, earning him the captain title for his senior year season. Mastering the sport of ice hockey is challenging in itself. It’s even harder balancing that plus a full school schedule while enjoying the social benefits of senior year. Bystricky provided insightful information about how he balances it all and leads as a captain.
Julian has been on varsity since his freshman year and has grown into a decorated athlete. He shares his knowledge with the younger athletes, knowing he was once in their shoes. His coach relies on him to help new additions to the roster adapt to the team’s routines. Additionally, he continues his leadership off the ice to help younger teammates feel connected with the rest of the team.
“Whether it be at a team dinner or something similar, I try to help the team bond and make sure the new kids feel part of the team,” Bystricky said. As a captain and a senior, a lot of younger players look up to Bystricky, and he sets the tone, leading by example.
Game days are exciting, nerve racking and intense. What happens just moments before the clock starts running? There are no specific rituals for Bystricky, except retaping his stick in the locker room before the game. As an entire team, they all listen to the song “Everytime We Touch” before going out to warm up. A hype song? Maybe, but also a binding song, to bring the team together one last time before playing their game. Coming together through song promotes communication, which is an essential on the ice, as Bystricky mentioned.
Practice makes progress, especially for Bystricky. During practice, he focuses on the little things that translate into the games. Any athlete can agree that sometimes the smallest changes can alter your performance, either positively or negatively. This is why the small things matter the most to Bystricky, which has promoted his career’s success.
“We always try and make sure the effort level is there, and working on the little things makes a difference in the grand scheme of the game,” Bystricky said.
“Balancing school and hockey can be difficult sometimes, but it’s gotten easier over the years,” Bystricky said. Being a student athlete alone takes a toll, and when you combine that with also being enrolled in college level courses, it becomes a matter of having great time management skills, discipline and motivation. Bystricky has found a rhythm through it all, triumphing through the overload while still enjoying his senior year.
“It’s all worth it for me.”
