Tom Wilson: Character is what you do when no one is watching

Tom Wilson’s hockey career thus far has been something young hockey players all over the world dream about. However, these dreams often gloss over the hard work that elite athletes put in when they’re not competing.

 

“Your alarm goes off in the early morning, and you don’t want to get out of bed and train,” Tom says. “At those times, you have to remember that the next guy is out there training and getting better.”

 

Tom returned to Greenwood on December 20 to speak to current students about his hockey journey, which has included highs and lows. After being drafted into the OHL by the Plymouth Whalers, Tom Wilson was selected 16^th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. Recently, he was invited to try out for the 2012 Canada World Junior Hockey team; after making it through most of the training camp, he was one of the last players to be cut from the team.

 

“It was really tough,” Tom says. “After every practice, all the players had to wait in their rooms to see if they got ‘the call’, letting them know they were cut. I got the call on the last day. I had five minutes to pack my bags and meet the media down in the lobby of my hotel.”

 

Even in a difficult emotional situation, Tom was able to look on the bright side. “Because I’m not playing in the tournament, I get to come home and take a break,” he says. “And I get to see my Greenwood family, which is one of the strongest families I’ve ever been a part of.”

 

Tom also talked about the importance of goal setting. “I know you guys hear this every day, but it really is huge,” he says. “There’s always been a goal for me to reach for. It started with getting drafted into the OHL, and then playing for Team Ontario in the U17 and U18 Hockey Challenges. Always having a goal kept me on track.”

 

Having your sights set on a specific goal makes it that much more satisfying when you achieve it. Tom says of being drafted into the NHL this summer, “when you work so hard for something, it’s the best thing in the world when it falls into place.”

 

At Greenwood, we talk a lot about character, and strength of character plays a large role in being a competitive elite athlete. “To me, character is what you do when no one is watching,” Tom says. “It’s one thing to put in extra time at practice when the coach is there, but what about when you’re by yourself? What you do then is what’s really important.”

 

Although he’s achieved his dream of being drafted into the NHL, Tom is still focused on trying to take his game to the next level. His older brother, Pete (a Greenwood alum and published novelist), used to recite a quote that still sticks with Tom: “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”