3 March 2026
The Most Thrilling Week of My Life (And My Out-of-Office Was Actually On)
Last week I did something I rarely do. I turned my brain off.
No emails.
No work.
No “just one quick thing before the game.”
Instead, I put my out-of-office on and committed to something that has been part of my life for decades: hockey. I competed in the National Masters Hockey Tournament, and it turned out to be one of the most thrilling weeks of my life.
When Winning Still Isn’t Enough
At one point in the tournament we won a game 6–0. Normally that would feel decisive. But due to tournament standings and goal differentials, it still wasn’t quite enough. The maths meant our next game was must win. If we drew or lost, we would drop down into the playoffs for fifth place. The pressure was on.
The Most Thrilling Game of My Life
The game that followed was one of the most intense I have ever played.
1–1.
Then we struck again.
2–1.
Our opponents responded by pulling their goalie to add an extra field player.
From that moment the game exploded into chaos. End-to-end attacks. No margin for hesitation. Every player on the field pushing their limits.
Then, with only moments left, a hail-mary pass was fired forward.
The ball connected.
Boom. 3–1.
I scored all three goals.
A hat trick.
Hat tricks don’t come around very often in competitive hockey. And this was my second hat trick of the tournament.
By the end of the game my body was completely wrecked. Muscles screaming. Because hockey at this level is a relentless combination of fitness, strength, speed, grit, perseverance, and brute force. But the work wasn’t done.
The Semi Final: Pressure on Every Player
The semi-final was just as intense. At full time the score was 1–1. Which meant only one thing: a penalty shootout.
I’ve been part of many shootouts over the years. But this one felt different. We were surrounded by hundreds of spectators cheering loudly for the other team.
The team gathered and I shared something simple:
During a shootout, when it's your turn, remind yourself: You are the best player, on the field, with the ball, right now. It applies to everyone. Trust that moment.
I stepped up first. Followed my own advice. Goal.
Then our extraordinary goalkeeper stepped forward.
Two years earlier she had experienced two heartbreaking defeats in a penalty shootouts. Since that day she had been preparing for the moment when she would face that pressure again. And when the moment arrived, she delivered.
We were through to the Grand Final.
The Grand Final
We didn’t win. We didn’t score any goals. But strangely, that didn’t define the week. Because what we gained was far bigger than the result.
The Culture of the Team
The culture of the Taranaki team is something special. Before matches we would gather in the kitchen and sing ballads to each other at the top of our lungs. In the changing rooms after having a brief chat about how we were going to dominate the opposition, we would blast music from the boom box, singing and dancing together before stepping onto the field. Not frantic. Not nervous. But calm, ready, connected, and warm. It set the tone for how we played.
Across our team were people from all walks of life:
School principals
Lawyers
Accountants
Farmers
Physios
Bankers
Project managers
Administrators
Council planners
And of course, one psychologist.
Switching Off to Perform
Throughout the entire week I refused to work. Even though I knew an avalanche of emails and tasks would be waiting when I returned. That week wasn’t about productivity. It was about presence. It was about allowing my brain to switch off and fully immerse itself in another passion that has shaped my life.
Even in Defeat
Sport has a way of reminding us that outcomes are never guaranteed. You can train hard. Prepare well. Execute your plan. And still not win. But what you can control is the experience you create along the way. For me, that week was filled with:
Intensity
Laughter
Music
Competition
Team culture
And moments of absolute exhilaration
I loved every minute of it...even in defeat.