Taking Flight - You Don't Know Jack

Right wing Jack Adams was drafted by the Red Wings in the sixth round, 162nd overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-5, 204-pound Boston native, is one of four Red Wings prospects writing for our Taking Flight blog series, which chronicles the players' ups and downs as they work their way to becoming Red Wings. Adams just concluded his sophomore year at Union College, which is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Here is his seventh blog entry of, 'You Don't Know Jack.'

• https://www.nhl.com/player/john-adams-8480239

You Don't Know Jack - Entry 7

        by Jack Adams<br>One day, you'll look back on all the hardships in your life and have nothing but gratitude for everything that's happened along the way. A simple message Danny Carr constantly echoes to me is engraved in my mind: <em>feeling sorry for yourself gets you nowhere</em>.<br>5:15 a.m. The time my alarm sounds off each morning, a daily reminder that it's time to start my work and preparation for the day. While this routine might sound ubiquitous and somewhat boring, this strict schedule that my trainer and I put in place is what we believe in, and it's the reason why my recovery is moving at a rapid pace. However, the day of surgery, I honestly thought I'd never walk again. It hurt ... <em>So. Bad</em>.<br>An ACL tear is a life-changing experience and injury, and while the prognosis at first is formidable, the pain from the surgery is excruciating, both physically and mentally. But, as I said before, I kept telling myself to <em>not feel sorry for myself</em>.<br>Surrounding yourself with people you can trust is essential for peak performance. My trainer, Marco Sanchez, is someone I trust in all aspects of my recovery, and he's had a plan for me from the moment I called him in Detroit almost two months ago. Utilizing massage therapy, complete body strength training and a strict diet plan, Marco's method got me walking with no crutches after four days and eliminated all painkillers after two days. Our six-day-a-week program, along with constant communication with Dr. Peter Asnis and my physical therapist Amanda, has allowed me to make unbelievable strides. And through it all, the number one medication for me - a positive, loving attitude with constant prayer. It's crazy how much mindset correlates to healing! Try it out...<br>If you're not making good lifestyle choices that coincide with your dreams and aspirations in life, then you're clearly not serious about your goals. Establish good habits, and repeat them <em>every single day</em>. We only get one crack at life, so why not make the most of it?<br>I recently listened to an Anderson Cooper interview where he discussed with Stephen Colbert about grief and life altogether. Stephen suggested that he "learned to fall in love with the worst things that happened to him in his life." I've learned to look at each struggle as a blessing, and try and discover the deeper meaning in the situation.<br>It's been a long year, and each obstacle has tested me in more ways than I ever imagined. But, sulking, questioning 'why' and feeling bad for yourself will get you nowhere in life. Try and use your situation to help others. You never know who needs a little bit of inspiration. As the brilliant Winston Churchill famously once said: "When you're going through hell, don't stop. Never, never quit."<br>Keep going.<br>Remember, tough times don't last, tough people do.<br>God Bless.<br><em>In 38 games last season with the Dutchmen, Adams finished with 22 points, notching 10 goals and doling out 12 assists. He tallied two game winning goals and his plus-13 was second best on his team.</em><br><em>As a collegian, Adams has played in 66 games for Union and has recorded 35 points, with 14 goals and 21 assists. He is a career plus-14.</em>