Brent Sopel Going Back To School (facing challenges of dyslexia and dysgraphia)

[-DLC-]

NHL players and other pro athletes are just human beings like the rest of us....they often face obstacles behind the scenes that we don't even know about.

In tackling issues and being open and vocal about them, they not only help themselves, but others as well.  It's especially important for children to see that some of their "heroes" share struggles with them and it is inspiring and motivational to watch them overcome them.

Reading the part about his autograph is a reminder not to judge, make fun of or criticize others...we just don't know what they are dealing with.   

Good for him for bettering himself and, while doing so, shedding some light on issues that many suffer silently through.  Wishing him all the best in his post hockey journey.  Always liked him (and his hair....)

 

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Former Canucks defenceman Brent Sopel faces fear, goes back to school despite dyslexia

Image: NHL

Rob Williams Nov 10, 2016 3:05 pm 1,686

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After playing 659 NHL games and earning millions of dollars playing hockey, former Canucks defenceman Brent Sopel is going back to school.

Sopel, now 39 years-old, was drafted by Pat Quinn in 1995 and played parts of seven seasons with the Canucks.

 

Through it all, he battled with dyslexia and dysgraphia – making B’s and D’s backwards, and flip-flopping other letters.

Sopel recently shared his story with Justin Breen of DNA Info in Chicago (check it out, it’s worth a read).

“I hope that my story might help just one person to feel not alone,” Sopel wrote on his Instagram account. “There’s help out there no matter what age.”

Playing pro hockey until age 38, Sopel was able to avoid facing his fears for most of his life.

“It really affects your approach to life when you live in fear,” Sopel told Jane Wallace of the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity. “You are always guarded, so you find ways to get around certain things. Of course, I was hiding it. To this day very few people know about my struggle. I didn’t know how to handle it. I have been guarding and blocking my whole life. Deflect and bridge, dodge and block.”

Now, as Sopel deals with life after hockey, he is facing his fear head-on, enrolling in a program with online school Ashworth College.

 

Sopel now lives in the Chicago area and has three kids. He told DNA Info that he used to make up children’s stories to tell his kids, thus avoiding having to read them books.

“My biggest fear is life after hockey,” Sopel said. “I struggled to learn to read. Some fans are insulted by my autograph because my writing is chicken scratch. They are like, ‘Is that the best you can do?’ I can speak to a crowd of ten thousand, but have challenges reading to a group of little kids…. The truth is due to my dyslexia and dysgraphia; I am better visually and verbally.

“For me, obviously I’m excited that I’m facing it, but in the same breath, I’m scared because it’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life,” he said. “I’m not in the position to jump into trying to get a bachelor’s degree yet. I’m not comfortable enough. I’ve got to face this fear little by little.”

Sopel was a key member of exciting Canucks teams in the early 2000s that were led by Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi. Often paired with Mattias Ohlund, Sopel was counted on for offence (and great looking hair) by then head coach Marc Crawford. His best season came in 2003-04, when his 42 points (10-32-42) helped the Canucks win their first division title in 11 years.

 

See also

• Former NHL player Mike Commodore is now an Uber driver

 

---

Rob Williams

Daily Hive Sports Editor.

@RobTheHockeyGuy

 

[Coconuts]

Doesn't matter how rich a person is, in the end there are things we all struggle with and things that we all fear on a personal level. I didn't know this about him, but I commend him for attempting to tackle this. Having money is one thing, but I imagine life after hockey is still pretty challenging for players. You grow up doing something and it's part of your life for so long and then suddenly it's just gone. Many go back to school or get into business, and struggling with these obstacles make those things even more challenging for him. He may not need to, who knows, but I hope Brent overcomes his dyslexia and dysgraphia nonetheless. I imagine it'd be huge for him if only on a personal level.

[Green Building]

Wow, you call me an ignorant Canuck fan because I had no idea he suffered from those afflictions. or I did and plum forgot. I can't imagine dealing with one of those, let alone both. It almost makes me feel bad for the rough ride he got here when things didn't go our way on the ice. After all, hockey players are human too. 

 

[oldnews]

Best of luck to Brent.

Always liked him - he was a hard worker and a good Canuck.

[Where's Wellwood]

His smile in that photo looks like Eddie Lacks's smile.

[Green Building]

3 minutes ago, Where's Wellwood said:

His smile in that photo looks like Eddie Lacks's smile.

Maybe a little, but that hair is %100 Sopes

[Hugor Hill]

Good man.

Education is a life long endeavour. 

[Canuck_Fan_52]

That's nice of him to pursue an education.   Miss those old skate jerseys!  Please bring them back on a regular basis!

[CanuckGAME]

Loved Sopel.  He was a beauty.  Good for him for facing his fears head on.  

 

I've met him and gotten his autograph a few times.  It's actually a better autograph than most other players give.

[Nuxfanabroad]

edukation is imperative.

 

go get-em sopey

[darkpoet]

Sopes !!!! 

[kingofsurrey]

Great story.  True Canuck.  Helpful for our youth  to see others share their stories.

 

Also , great news today in the paper that the BC Government can no longer rip off our special needs kids in BC  . Basically BC government stole 400 million per year for the last 15  years from our special needs kids.....   Disgusting. 

 

We may see alot of these kids now as young adults also needing to confront their learning issues as a result of this how they got short changed by the BC government......

 

[Rocksterh8]

What a great storey and even better person! This is the kinda storey that makes  you warm and fuzzy inside. 

 

Love it

[luckylager]

Well now I just feel bad for having him on my least loved Canucks list. Despite is oft panic stricken play, bonehead passes and skating with the puck for too long resulting in many break aways and odd man rushes against, he is only human, I wouldn't have done any better. A lot worse in fact.

 

It takes a brave man to admit his disabilities, especially those that are unseen.

 

Way to go Brett, good luck.

 

 

[Fanuck]

Guy makes millions,  never really needs to work again - yet still chooses to go back to school to better himself despite personal struggles - gotta admire that.

[Master 112]

lol this is a guy who's had life handed to him

 

hardly inspirational

[Cerridwen]

5 minutes ago, One one two said:

lol this is a guy who's had life handed to him

 

hardly inspirational

 

Someone having to fight through challenges that have affected their life on a daily basis isn't inspirational to you? That's sorta sad.... and says much.

 

Challenges like that don't pick and choose between those of differing levels of income or privilege..... that's just common knowledge. Or should be.

 

[RUPERTKBD]

I know I shouldn't joke about this, but it reminds me of a great quote by a Canucks' coach (and it wasn't Harry Neale this time):

 

I believe it was Ron Wilson, who said about Jim (House) Sandlak, "I think he's dyslexic. He's 6'5", but he thinks he's 5'6"..."

[Master 112]

26 minutes ago, Cerridwen said:

 

Someone having to fight through challenges that have affected their life on a daily basis isn't inspirational to you? That's sorta sad.... and says much.

 

Challenges like that don't pick and choose between those of differing levels of income or privilege..... that's just common knowledge. Or should be.

 

What does it say?

[Cerridwen]

16 minutes ago, One one two said:

What does it say?

 

It's quite obvious enough without any further words need being written.

 

It takes courage to disclose a lifelong challenge and then to deliberately put yourself on a course to directly confront it and fight through it. That is truly inspirational to others facing the same challenges... a role model to follow or emulate.