Chelios’ work ethic inspires teammates
I open up the Detroit News homepage to find the front page headlines, one of which includes “Chelios cheats Father Time.” I find it odd that the Wings actually made the front page during the offseason when it wasn’t a major signing and think that news must be really slow or something.
Now I don’t think a playoff game went by without broadcasters or reporters noting the age of Chris Chelios (45) and Dominik Hasek (42). I thought I had heard all the stories about Chelios’ work ethic and the activities he uses to stay in shape. But I was wrong.
Reporter John Niyo travelled to Malibu, California to observe Chelios’ conditioning program in the summer and you can’t help but come away impressed (and I’d love to have Niyo’s job and go to Cali to write about hockey during the offseason by the way).
Not only do we learn about what Cheli likes to do to stay in shape in Malibu, but we learn about the “Malibu Gang” which consists of five individuals, all but one of them are in their 40s (the other is 74). Cheli starts training at 5:45am and works out until lunch. After which, he goes out in the Pacific Ocean.
“I hear that every day now — I’ve got guys in Detroit and all around the league telling me, ‘Keep it up. You’re a real inspiration for me, still playing at 45,’ ” said Chelios, whose NHL Players Association duties also are keeping him busy this summer, shuttling back and forth to Toronto for meetings.
“But you know what?” he added, nodding in Wildman’s direction. “I wake up every morning and have a guy who’s 74 tearing me up like he does. So that’s my inspiration.”
There’s this, too: His eldest son is headed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this fall to play Tier I junior hockey in the hopes of landing a college scholarship. And to get ready, Dean — a 6-1, 170-pound forward — is training alongside his father this summer.
“He’s got to start training a lot harder than he’s used to,” Chris said. “So that’s part of my motivation, too, to try to show my kids the work ethic you have to have.”
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2 Responses to “Chelios’ work ethic inspires teammates”
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July 23rd, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Hi Christy -
Before anyone says that life ends after 40 or even after 50, they should read this article.
Downright amazing. Provided that hockey is still fun for Chelios and that he stays healthy, I have no doubt that he’ll keep playing until he’s 50.
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:11 pm
It’s amazing the work ethic that he has. I was just blown away with how much he works out in the offseason and that’s why he’s had such a lengthy career. Amazing.