When Darryl Strawberry left the New York Mets and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1990, many believed he was returning home as a superstar entering the next great chapter of his career.
In New York, Strawberry had become one of baseball’s biggest stars:
- Rookie of the Year
- multiple All-Star selections
- home run power
- a key piece of the 1986 World Series championship team
But returning to Los Angeles — the city where he grew up — brought challenges beyond baseball.
The environment around him changed. Old influences, personal struggles, pressure, nightlife, and lack of structure slowly began pulling him away from the consistency and focus that had helped make him great in New York. While he still had stretches of success with the Dodgers, his career and personal life became increasingly unstable. Substance abuse issues, suspensions, injuries, and emotional struggles followed over the next several years.
It took Strawberry a long time to recover — not just as a player, but as a person.
Eventually, after years of hardship, he rebuilt his life, returned to baseball with the New York Yankees, won additional championships, and later became known for openly speaking about addiction, recovery, faith, and second chances.
His story is a powerful reminder that talent alone is not enough.
Environment matters.One of the biggest mistakes in hockey development:
Players staying in the wrong environment.
Development is not just about skill work.
It’s about:
- confidence
- puck touches
- opportunity
- challenge
- decision making
- role on the team
Too high can hurt development.
Too low can limit growth.
The RIGHT level changes everything.
I created a free “Player Pathway Assessment” to help players and families think more clearly about development.
Players who complete it receive:
🏒 Free Development Worksheet PDF
📘 Bonus Hockey Development Guide & Articles to help you on your path
Click on Link for Assessment:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScAELYo9T8WPrkEl3KRQBUTKc7Yg-tPNPJnSf96pU8CXN-0wQ/viewform
#Hockey #Leadership #YouthSports #PlayerDevelopment #Coaching
