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Sign up todayConflicted Scars
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An indispensable guide to parents of hockey hopefuls
At a time of great change in hockey, Justin Davis exposes the dark underbelly of the journey from the minors to the big leagues
Hockey culture: it’s a commonly used phrase inside the game, glorifying sacrifice, toughness, loyalty, and a sense of identity. Justin Davis viewed this culture as something he was lucky enough to experience. After all, he’d won a Memorial Cup after leading the tournament in scoring, and he’d been drafted by the Washington Capitals. “In my mind,” he says, “I was the normal one.” Unfortunately, after stepping outside the game, he began to recognize the racism, sexual abuse and bullying that was so deeply ingrained in the sport. And then, as his own children grew into teenagers, the curtain was pulled back, the memories came rushing forward, and he was horrified: “Why was I naked in a bus bathroom for four hours with seven teammates? What happened to my brain, and why can’t I remember the simplest things? How did I end up living in a basement where the strangers upstairs were clearly engaged in domestic abuse?”
As it navigates the sport’s darkest corridors, Conflicted Scars shares the story of the common Canadian player and offers a guide for parents who need to know how and why a typical teenager with NHL dreams, from a small town, now lives anxiously, introvertedly, and battling emotional detachment.
Reviews
“[A] very powerful, raw memoir calling into question many aspects of a hockey culture that glorifies sacrifice, toughness, and loyalty.” — Library Journal
“This is a deeply introspective, brutally honest memoir and a stark exposé of a part of hockey that remained hidden for far too long.” — Booklist
“I loved playing in the OHL, the second-best league in the world, and I have loved my life in the NHL. Justin’s book should be on the shelf of every hockey parent. He has some amazing stories … and every former player will vouch for them. Canada loves hockey, and rightly so, but we have to make sure the kids come first. I am glad my friend wrote this book.” — Joe Thornton, 22-year NHL veteran and Hart Memorial and Art Ross Trophy winner
“Justin Davis shows us that hockey is a lot like life. It can be glorious. It can be painful. You can fall in love one moment and be heartbroken the next. This book is a must-read for anyone who ever dreamed of playing in the NHL, or perhaps more importantly, for any parent who is dreaming that their child could be ‘The Next One.’” — Ken Reid, Sportsnet Central Host and best-selling author of Hockey Card Stories
“Justin Davis blows the doors off all your assumptions about Junior hockey. He courageously reevaluates the toxic culture he was part of and what was considered to be normal rites of passage and team-bonding by everyone involved in the sport. Conflicted Scars is essential reading for all hockey fans and an important contribution in exposing the dark underbelly of the game that has been kept secret for far too long.” — Allan Walsh, Player Agent
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