Jason Becker, a former professional hockey player from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, joins us to share his incredible journey through the game. From competing in the WHL and playing nine years of pro hockey, to now leading the next generation as the Manager of Hockey Operations and Head Coach of the U15 Prep team at Pacific Coast Hockey Academy in Langford, BC—Jason brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to the table.

In this episode, we talk about student-athlete life, playing overseas, coaching philosophies, and the deeper life lessons that hockey teaches—like resilience, adversity, and the value of hard work. If you’re a young athlete, a parent, or a coach, this one’s packed with real talk and motivation.

Timestamps:

00:53 – Welcome Jason Becker
02:00 – Junior hockey
03:20 – Being a student athlete
04:43 – Playing professional hockey in Europe
06:02 – University experience
08:15 – Realistic hockey expectations
09:20 – Exceptional status
10:03 – Jarome Iginla’s work ethic
10:33 – What separates good from great
11:09 – Winning through team depth
11:25 – Coaches' key messages to young athletes
12:28 – Why it might be better not to get drafted to the WHL
15:06 – COVID’s impact on kids’ mental health
16:15 – Dealing with adversity
16:45 – “FIO” – Figure It Out
17:34 – Kinesthetic learning
18:50 – Sandlot-style play for kids
21:00 – What your kids learned in the car
23:10 – Greatest rewards as a coach
26:10 – Hard work, resiliency, and dedication
27:53 – Social media and instant gratification
29:38 – Feedback and modern communication
32:45 – Instilling resilience and work ethic
36:39 – Messages to today’s youth
38:15 – Trust the process
39:35 – Never give up
43:58 – Nothing comes easy, everything is earned
45:02 – Control what you can control
45:46 – Thank you, Jason!

📧 Contact Jason: jbecker@pcha.ca
🌐 Learn more: pcha.ca