I have a granddaughter who plays the game. Initially, when she made the announcement that she wanted to play Women’s Ice Hockey I thought it random. Random because no one in our family has truly ever embraced “cold” sports. We’re more apt to head to the beach than the snow. Three years later, she’s still playing and loving the sport and I’ve kept my winter coat handy year ’round so I could be reasonably warm watching her play.
In 2020, the United States is celebrating a “Miracle.” Forty years ago, our boys, quite literally beat the men, also quite literally of the USSR for the Olympic Gold. Miracle is that story.
“I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.” We’ve probably all heard that old saying but it may just be more truth than fiction. From what I can see, the kids, and often adults, who play the game are just plain tough!
The year was 1980. The place was Lake Placid, New York. The Soviets had won the Gold for the last four Winter Olympics. But! In 1960 the United States team had taken the Gold for the first time ever and Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) was left sitting on the sidelines watching. Having trained with the 1960 team for months, he was the last one cut from the roster. His dream of winning never faltered, so when asked to coach the team he was ready. He truly believed he could coach this scraggly bunch of college boys to victory. With no Gold Medal since 1960, no one else believed in his dream.
The first hurdle was picking the team. When questioned about his choices he said that he wasn’t looking for the best players, he was looking for the right players. In the midst of his year-long training he was told over and over again that he was working the boys too hard. Many held grudges against their fellow players for tactics in past games. Many were young and didn’t quite want to work that hard. Many just didn’t believe it could be done. It was his almost impossible task to mold them into a winning team.
Miracle is a David and Goliath story in a time where it was badly needed. The Cold War was a cold fact. The world was hurting. The USSR had invaded Afghanistan just a few months before. The communist way of life threatened the very fabric of the lives of freedom loving people around the world. Evil was alive and well and rearing its ugly head. This win was more than just a Gold Medal. It was symbolic of victory over our enemy, without a shot being fired.
I loved the poignancy of the wall in the locker room covered in telegrams from well-wishing Americans…even the one that said. “Beat those Commie Bastards.” Like I said before, in 1980 this was more than a hockey game to so many. The average age of our team was 21. Most of the well-seasoned USSR team had been playing together for 15 years but as Coach Brooks said, “Great moments are born from great opportunity.”
Throughout their training, Coach Brooks would occasionally ask a player, “Who do you play for?” They would say the name of their school. When he finally asked the question to one young player and heard the reply, “The United States of America.” He knew he had his team. They learned that the name on the front of the jersey was more important than the name on the back. Coach Brooks gave them not just a chance to dream, but to believe.
Miracle is a great family movie. You can watch it with your kids, your grandkids or alone. Alone might be best, that way you won’t be embarrassed when you jump out of your seat, pump your fist in the air and yell “GO USA.”
As usual, you can email me at chastings@rockcliff.com
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