Nathan MacMaster offers himself up as a cautionary tale, hoping his story can change lives for junior hockey players.

The former major junior player visited six BCHL teams this week, including the Chilliwack Chiefs to talk about addiction, addiction recovery and the pitfalls of playing high-level hockey.

If his name sounds familiar, itB次元官网网址檚 because NathanB次元官网网址檚 major junior career overlapped with the brief existence of the Western Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Chilliwack Bruins.

He would have faced the Bruins as a member of the Moose Jaw Warriors and later played for the Calgary Hitmen and Tri-City Americans.

B次元官网网址淚 was a highly-touted athlete from a very young age, and I was drafted very high into the WHL,B次元官网网址� MacMaster said, beginning his tale. B次元官网网址淚 already liked to party and experiment before I moved away at 15 years old, and by the time I was 17 I was a daily drinker.B次元官网网址�

There are many lessons the Chiefs could learn from Nathan and the first may be about setting expectations.

B次元官网网址淚 went from being a highly-touted athlete in local hockey to the WHL where every one of those guys was a highly-touted prospect,B次元官网网址� Nathan explained. B次元官网网址淚 started to realize the chances of making millions of dollars was very very low.

B次元官网网址淚 could see that very few people can make a living out of this game, and that can be hard to deal with when thatB次元官网网址檚 what youB次元官网网址檝e been shooting for your whole life.B次元官网网址�

For Nathan, on-ice struggles contributed to off-ice issues as he dealt with overwhelming pressure to perform. And off-ice issues only made the on-ice struggles worse. As it snowballed, drinking became more and more of a problem.

B次元官网网址淚 could tell early on that I didnB次元官网网址檛 drink like the rest of my teammates,B次元官网网址� he recalled. B次元官网网址淚 had a very hard time moderating the amount I put into my body, and there were consequences for that.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 had teammates who could party with me until three or four in the morning and get on with their day the next day, where I didnB次元官网网址檛 get on with anything. I just kept going.

B次元官网网址淭hey had an off switch and I did not.B次元官网网址�

Nathan earned the B次元官网网址榖ad appleB次元官网网址� label, and he never shook it.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 why he was traded twice near the end of his WHL run by teams happy to get rid of the problem.

Looking back, Nathan wishes heB次元官网网址檇 had someone to talk to. He wishes heB次元官网网址檇 been open with someone and gotten the help he needed, but in the moment he felt helpless.

B次元官网网址淚 recognized I had a problem, but did I want to address it then? No.B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 was working hard just to stay in the lineup, and the last thing I wanted to do was go up to the coach and tell him I was a daily drinker and substance abuser.

B次元官网网址淚 think there was a stigma then and thereB次元官网网址檚 probably still a stigma now where a guy reaching out for help is thought of as weak or soft.

B次元官网网址淏ut thatB次元官网网址檚 definitely not the case because I would have saved a lot of people hurt and pain if IB次元官网网址檇 just reached out for help earlier.B次元官网网址�

After playing his final hockey game in 2013 as a member of the Mount Royal University Cougars, MacMaster fell completely over the cliff.

B次元官网网址淔or some time the structure of hockey and school kept me somewhat on the straight-and-narrow,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hen that ended I felt IB次元官网网址檇 lost my purpose in life, and that just led to more alcohol and drug abuse.B次元官网网址�

Nathan ended up at his first treatment centre when he was 21.

It didnB次元官网网址檛 stick.

It took meeting Steve Bull and the team at the Together We Can Addiction Recovery and Education Society to finally turn his life around.

Though theyB次元官网网址檝e separated by more than two decades in age, Steve (54) had a lot in common with Nathan (25) as a hockey player with addiction issues during and after (long after) his career was done.

Bull, a major junior player in the early 80B次元官网网址檚, joined Nathan at Prospera Centre for TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 talk with the Chiefs.

B次元官网网址淥ne thing Steve said when we met was that I had a gift to change my life at a young age and he wishes heB次元官网网址檇 been able to do that,B次元官网网址� Nathan said.

Which sums up concisely their mission in BCHL rinks.

The Chiefs are a rung below the WHL, but the pressures are no less intense. TheyB次元官网网址檙e away from home feeling urgency to play well and get an NCAA scholarship.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been on the other side of these talks and I think what carries the most weight is our experiences and how we came through it,B次元官网网址� Nathan said. B次元官网网址淚f you look at the statistics, odds are one or two of the guys in that dressing room are going to struggle, and you just hope they remember those two guys whoB次元官网网址檝e been through it and know that recovery is possible.

B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e feeling down and alone, know that youB次元官网网址檙e not alone. ThereB次元官网网址檚 millions of people who deal with mental health and addiction who can live long, healthy lives if they get the proper help they need.B次元官网网址�

Together We Can has operated since 1993 and has become one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 leading treatment centers for men.

See