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, it害羞草研究所檚 because Nathan害羞草研究所檚 major junior career overlapped with the brief existence of the Western Hockey League害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淚 was a highly-touted athlete from a very young age, and I was drafted very high into the WHL,害羞草研究所� MacMaster said, beginning his tale. 害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚 went from being a highly-touted athlete in local hockey to the WHL where every one of those guys was a highly-touted prospect,害羞草研究所� Nathan explained. 害羞草研究所淚 started to realize the chances of making millions of dollars was very very low.

害羞草研究所淚 could see that very few people can make a living out of this game, and that can be hard to deal with when that害羞草研究所檚 what you害羞草研究所檝e been shooting for your whole life.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淚 could tell early on that I didn害羞草研究所檛 drink like the rest of my teammates,害羞草研究所� he recalled. 害羞草研究所淚 had a very hard time moderating the amount I put into my body, and there were consequences for that.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 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 didn害羞草研究所檛 get on with anything. I just kept going.

害羞草研究所淭hey had an off switch and I did not.害羞草研究所�

Nathan earned the 害羞草研究所榖ad apple害羞草研究所� label, and he never shook it.

That害羞草研究所檚 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 he害羞草研究所檇 had someone to talk to. He wishes he害羞草研究所檇 been open with someone and gotten the help he needed, but in the moment he felt helpless.

害羞草研究所淚 recognized I had a problem, but did I want to address it then? No.害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 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.

害羞草研究所淚 think there was a stigma then and there害羞草研究所檚 probably still a stigma now where a guy reaching out for help is thought of as weak or soft.

害羞草研究所淏ut that害羞草研究所檚 definitely not the case because I would have saved a lot of people hurt and pain if I害羞草研究所檇 just reached out for help earlier.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淔or some time the structure of hockey and school kept me somewhat on the straight-and-narrow,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲hen that ended I felt I害羞草研究所檇 lost my purpose in life, and that just led to more alcohol and drug abuse.害羞草研究所�

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

It didn害羞草研究所檛 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 they害羞草研究所檝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 80害羞草研究所檚, joined Nathan at Prospera Centre for Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 talk with the Chiefs.

害羞草研究所淥ne thing Steve said when we met was that I had a gift to change my life at a young age and he wishes he害羞草研究所檇 been able to do that,害羞草研究所� 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. They害羞草研究所檙e away from home feeling urgency to play well and get an NCAA scholarship.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝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,害羞草研究所� Nathan said. 害羞草研究所淚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 who害羞草研究所檝e been through it and know that recovery is possible.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e feeling down and alone, know that you害羞草研究所檙e not alone. There害羞草研究所檚 millions of people who deal with mental health and addiction who can live long, healthy lives if they get the proper help they need.害羞草研究所�

Together We Can has operated since 1993 and has become one of Canada害羞草研究所檚 leading treatment centers for men.

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