USA Hockey Adult Hockey

Michael Sandler knows what it takes to be successful in the business world. As a former CEO, he took that mentality to the rink to try adult hockey.

 

Sandler grew up in Buffalo, New York, but a combination of family and weather eventually brought him to Florida, where he and his family now reside. He started his own software company – Mainstreet Commerce – and grew it to a large size before selling to Demandware.

 

Sandler can’t help but spend much of his free time on the ice. It wasn’t too long ago that he was a novice to the sport – but he’s progressed quickly and now thrives in the Panthers Adult Hockey League.

 

USA Hockey caught up with Sandler to learn more about his business success and how he wound up just as prosperous on the ice.

 

USA Hockey: You’ve certainly found success in the business world having become CEO of a company along the way. How did you get to that point?

 

Michael Sandler: Grit, determination, sweat – the same things that apply on the rink apply everywhere else. I had a vision, but even when you have a vision, there are plenty of ups and downs on the way of your journey.

 

USA Hockey: You took a chance by stepping out of your comfort zone and joining the Panthers Adult Hockey League. How did you end up deciding to play?

 

Sandler: A friend of mine got me into it. He was playing on a team and I did not play ice hockey growing up. Growing up, I played street hockey, which was often on a layer of ice and snow on the road in front of a house. I skated a few times growing up – a handful of times – but it wasn’t until I got down to Florida that I got into this.

 

USA Hockey: What was your first impression when you stepped onto the ice?

 

Sandler: The first time, I forgot to take off my skate guards, so I wound up on my butt within about four seconds. After that, it generally was a very good impression. The league is very well run. The players are generally friendly – there are always a few out there that are pushing the boundaries. In general, the folks are very friendly, and it’s a great experience.

 

USA Hockey: You must be enjoying it if you’ve been playing for more than five years now.

 

Sandler: There’s almost nothing I’d rather do.

 

USA Hockey: Did you pick up that enjoyment right away, or was it something that built up over the years?

 

Sandler: I loved it immediately. It’s almost like watching a movie. It’s really an absolute joy to play. I do play also once in a while up in Lake Worth in another league. I’m kind of in between the two and I try to get in as much ice time as possible.

 

USA Hockey: What was the hardest part about jumping into a sport you’ve never played before?

 

Sandler: For somebody my age, I’m 47 now and one of the wonderful things about hockey is – opposed to other sports that are perhaps harder on the body – hockey is actually remarkably forgiving in many ways. There are obviously injuries that occur, but it allows a person that is in their 40s, or folks that are older than I am, to play successfully in the league. The hardest part is certainly the physical part and how long it takes to recuperate after. It takes longer and longer as I get older.

 

USA Hockey: When you started, did you find that there were a lot of others in the same position as you were, as far as having never really played before?

 

Sandler: There were some. There’s probably more now, which is a wonderful thing to see. Hopefully that’s indicative that hockey is growing. So there are probably more than ever today. When I started six years ago, there weren’t so many. Most of the folks there had played for some amount of years.

 

USA Hockey: Even if it might be intimidating, would you recommend trying hockey to other adults who haven’t played before?

 

Sandler: Absolutely. There is nothing you could do that’s more fun. It’s wonderful exercise. In general, it’s forgiving in terms of being able to compete at a later age, and still be able to compete at a reasonable level. There’s generally good sportsmanship, which helps everyone.

 

USA Hockey: Do you think that any of the lessons you learned in the business world carried over to your time playing hockey?

 

Sandler: I think it works both ways, actually. Certainly, nothing is a substitute for hard work. There’s a little bit of determination in that you want to get better, and you want to succeed. There’s certainly a huge piece of hockey in teamwork and building toward something, so absolutely. The lessons learned translate both ways. And I continue to learn lessons today from hockey that translate elsewhere in my life.

 

USA Hockey: Do you have any advice for those adults who want to start playing but haven’t played before?

 

Sandler: Go for it. Go for it, go for it – and don’t get discouraged. It’ll take you a little while to get settled, and you’ve got to recognize the small successes along the way. It gets more rewarding along the way. So I would say try it, and then try it again and then try it again. You’ll get there.