My Story

Hi!  I'm Ryan Zahara, and yes, that's me.  I'm 13 years old  there, playing house league hockey in small town Northern Alberta.  

There are a number of cringe-worthy things about this picture:

        1) My pads are a good 6" too short, and full of holes. The refs would sometimes have to stop play to clear the stuffing off of the ice. Dropping into the butterfly meant a good 3/4 of my thigh was exposed, which led to some pretty solid bruises. 

        2) The chest protector was an old-style two-piece, which meant the belly protector was separate from the arms. The belly protector was broken at the top, so it hung down below my five-hole....leaving my upper chest and collar bone exposed. Hello again, bruise city!

        3) The glove was an adult glove that had been retired from the local Minor Hockey Association a good 15 years before I got it. It was from the Midget team and way too big. (Believe it or not, I still have that glove.)

        4) The blocker was the size of a pizza box! Way too big to control properly.

        5) Did I mention I'm full right (catch with my right hand)? Oh, well, that wasn't exactly an option in our little village, so I had to learn to play "normal" handed.

Needless to say, I never had a goalie coach or any type of goalie instruction growing up.  I had to figure out the position all on my own.  That led to a lot of frustration, and even more goals against.  I played the position until I was 15, and then quit hockey altogether for a number of years, picking it up seriously again about 15 years later.

So, Why Integrity?

The fact is, there are a number of kids out there just like me who really enjoy the game, but just aren't getting the help they need.  I didn't have the resources to develop my game, so I lost the passion for it.  

Unlike so many others in my position, I didn't have a junior, post-secondary, or professional career.  I didn't win any awards, although an NCHL Division 1 Championship on my 36th birthday was pretty cool:

As an adult, I've had to work so much harder to achieve what I have.  I've had to dive headlong into completely re-learning the position.  This has meant a lot more time on the ice, more time online, and more time in the classroom.  

As much as I enjoy playing the game, I enjoy coaching even more.  I've found my passion again!   Being at the rink every day is one of the great joys of my life.   There's no greater feeling than seeing the positive impact you have on young men and women - both on and off the ice; not only as a coach, but as a husband and father of 4 (including one child that "just had to be a goalie like Dad").

So, why Integrity?  Because goaltending is so much more than stopping pucks.  It's about how you conduct yourself on and off the ice.  It's about discipline and hard work.  It's about sportsmanship, fair play, and leadership.  It's about being a good teammate and great person.  It's about...well, you probably get where I'm going here :)

Thank you for the opportunity to work with your child.  It is an honour I don't take lightly.  Nothing beats the potential and promise of a clean sheet of ice!

     - Ryan