Playing with some teammates who are now in the NHL, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Michigan in the 2011 NCAA Championship game in front of 19,000 fans at the Xcel Energy Center and went on to play pro hockey in Germany and Norway. You’ll be surprised at the amazing perspective he gives on where that ranks on his “best days of my life” list. He also has great advice on making Mass the priority despite the demands of a tournament and/or sports-related travel.
Guest Quotes:
“Not to downplay winning a national title… It was incredible and everything I dreamed of, but, the one thing that I couldn’t wait to do was get back up to Duluth and later that month become Catholic.”
“There’s obviously different rumors you hear about Catholicism, which, going through RCIA, you learn are all untrue.”
“I was just devouring Catholicism; Catholic history, traditions, and just what does the Catholic church teach.”
“I just couldn’t wait, once I found out what the Eucharist was, what it meant, and what it actually is… I could not wait to no longer cross my arms… my hands on my shoulders, when receiving communion.”
“You can still compete in a sport like hockey and give glory to God by the way that you play it.”
“Maybe if priorities aren’t there as they should be in someone’s life, hopefully this can help at least ask the question of, ‘What is the priority in my life? Is it God? Is it Jesus? And if not, what may be some things that are taking me away from that each day or each week’?”
Related links:
Ascension Presents video (Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Kyle’s website
MassTimes.org
(This episode contains a prayer originally excerpted and adapted from Day By Day: The Notre Dame Prayerbook for Students by Thomas McNally, as seen in Play Like A Champion Today’s prayerbook for sports, God, Be In My Sport)
