Taking chances means more than just seizing opportunities. It requires you to believe in the unbelievable, make sacrifices, and push the boundaries of comfort. In tandem, these characteristics offer a well-rounded look at what taking chances should look like. Examples of these traits in action are plentiful, especially in the sports realm. One movie in particular I watched exemplifies the idea of taking chances well.
While watching the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, I was digging for inspiration for this month’s theme. Whether you’re a hockey fan like me or watch any number of sports, there are plenty of stories that involve taking chances. From what I’ve seen, there are few hockey films out there. But one I found was the film Miracle, which tells the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s upset win against the Soviets. I heard great things about this movie, and after watching I see lots of connections to the theme of chances.
From their formation, much went into their run to a gold medal that year. Many teams stood in their way, including the Soviet hockey team, which dominated international hockey. Going into the 1980 Olympic Games, the Soviets had won four consecutive gold medals in ice hockey. Needless to say, they were the team to beat. On top of the political tensions that stood between the Soviets and Americans, the U.S. needed all the help they could get. That’s where the movie starts off.
A New Approach
The movie follows head coach Herb Brooks who is looking to change the way the U.S. team plays hockey. For context, the U.S. at this point had already tried using professional hockey players against the Soviet team. It’s mentioned in the movie that the team couldn’t even beat the Czech “B” team in a prior tournament, so the U.S. needed something new. Meeting with America’s Olympic committee, Brooks pitched his plan of taking young collegiate players and conditioning them into a team capable of beating the Soviets.
This would involve increasing conditioning for players and integrating a new style of hockey to counter the Soviets. This style, along with opting for a young, inexperienced squad, made Brooks’ plan risky. These proposed changes meant much time and resources would be poured into this new age team. The committee was apprehensive about Brooks’ plan, but after much deliberation, they signed him on.
In retrospect, this move could’ve easily backfired for the Americans. There were countless times along the way when one mistake or person backing out would’ve meant the end of the U.S. team’s journey. However, the committee, Brooks, and the players all took chances on each other to make this work. They bought into Brooks' plan, which paid off in the end. In essence, this exemplifies the meaning of taking a chance. While it can seem daunting at first, sometimes the biggest rewards come from leaps of faith such as these.
Comfort in Discomfort
Taking chances often means getting uncomfortable and stepping into the unknown. Right from the start, Brooks and the U.S. team stepped into that unknown together. Once the roster was put together, the team experienced complications. In the beginning, team chemistry was an issue, as many players on the team were from rivaling colleges. Brooks and the coaching staff had to work hard to prevent players from “settling old scores” and come together as a team.
The methods used to do so were ruthless. One scene that demonstrated this came after a loss in an exhibition game. Brooks, displeased with the effort, forced the team back onto the ice to do skating drills. These drills went on well into the night, even after the rink manager closed the stadium. Despite the brutal nature of this drill, the team’s unity materialized from this experience. Players began to understand the significance of playing for team U.S.A., which slowly cascaded into their play from there.
Challenges such as this come up when reaching outside your comfort zone. While hardships won’t always be a hockey coach’s drills, they are usually obstacles that test your physical and mental fortitude. Times will get tough, whether it’s finding a new job or working toward a personal goal. Sticking with a decision to take a chance can be just as difficult. However, times like those can bring the best out of us, just like for the U.S. team.
Believing It
Ready or not, team U.S.A. went into the Olympics not long after. In the first game against Sweden, team U.S.A. found themselves trailing when a player suffered a minor leg injury. During an intermission, Brooks attempted to fire up the team. He does this by provoking the injured player, accusing him of quitting on everyone. This in turn pushes him to play through the injury, which inspires the team to rally back and tie them.
This would prove to be a catalyst for the Americans’ run for their gold medal. They began winning, even winning 7-3 against a favored Czechoslovakia team. It wasn’t long until the U.S.A. earned a spot against the favorite Soviet team in the medal rounds. Before this pivotal game, Brooks delivered a locker room speech to the Americans, which started with the quote “Great moments are born from great opportunity.” The speech motivates the team to win the game, completing one of the biggest upsets in sports history: the Miracle on Ice.
The speech itself contains many outstanding quotes that fit into the theme of chances. More importantly, it embodies an important trait needed to take chances: belief. By this point in the movie, Brooks and the team had gone through so much to get to this match. But one thing that held true was his belief in the work ethic, character, and willingness of the team. He knew how to push the players just enough to get them on their game. The players responded in kind, believing in their coach and each other with each win.
Similarly, we must harbor this same belief when taking chances. At the very heart of chance, belief is the driving force that allows us to take the plunge. This must be true no matter what the obstacle before us may look like. It’s what allowed the U.S. to pull off such an upset, so anything is possible. Our circumstances may not always be as dire as an Olympic medal game, but even the smallest stages will benefit from belief.
Gold Standard
The movie ends after the Americans capture their gold medal, but their impact reaches beyond the end credits. Since their miracle, every U.S. team carries a bit of that belief going into international tournaments. Going back to that 4 Nations Face-off, members of the 1980 team met with current team U.S.A. players. There were even interviews with current players listing their favorite quotes from Miracle. The team won more than just gold; they won over generations of future American hockey players.
Looking back, I had no idea just how extraordinary the story of the Miracle on Ice was. I heard about how much of an underdog the 1980 U.S. team was, but I had no idea the journey they took to get to that point. Seeing the team unite together under their coach Herb Brooks to represent the U.S. was something special to see. To me, it shows that deep down, we all have the potential to achieve greatness.
Taking Your Chance
Whether you’re into sports or not, Miracle dares viewers to reach for the seemingly impossible. This can be applied to any area of life, whether it’s seizing opportunities in a career, hobby, or other personal goal. If you want something, why not take a chance? It may not work, but even in failure lie opportunities for something greater. It’s up to us to find a way to win.
The story of the Miracle on Ice offers lessons in growth, resilience, and taking chances. No matter the stage, anyone can pull inspiration from their triumph. As daunting as the first plunge may be, taking chances has its benefits. Above all else, Miracle teaches us that when the odds are stacked against us we still have the ability to seize our moment. As hard as the road may get, there’s still a chance for us. We just need to take it.
About the Author
Brendan is a recent graduate at UNLV with a degree in Journalism. With his concentration in digital/social media, he hopes to become a social media manager and content creator one day. He also hopes to grow not only personally, but also grow LYF's message! Some of his passions include cosplay, video games, anime, and writing.
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