College Hockey Dream
Donation protected
I'm Jacob's Dad, and I want to share that he hit his goal as he was provided support from an ex-pro, a promoter, and another very close friend. We are so grateful.
I thought that I would now expand on Jacob’s story, described in his words below - I believe that his thoughts demonstrates humility as he does not not fully describe his situation, and tried to be positive in his words. I am thus providing some sincere, succinct insight associated with his words, and the impact of his GoFundMe dream. When Jake was 13, he visited me in NM. He attended a hockey camp that was coached by the head coach of the Colorado Rampart U16 and National teams. At the end of the camp, the coach asked in person, and a later email if Jake could join the U16 (not U14) AAA and National team! Jake had 82 points that season (67 goas) in his league. The coach was amazed with his drive and “leadership.” But Jake’s mother would not allow him to attend, and worse, would not allow him to attend any more camps I registered him for. Jake was crushed, as he knew he had an opportunity to fulfill a dream, and if he was able to participate, could have landed him into the highest level of play, perhaps at a National level, today. It was taken away from him. He was in fact beyond being crushed. For two years following, Jake became angry, and eventually gave up on his dream to play competitive hockey. If he was allowed, at 15 he could be playing at the highest level as opposed to only being allowed to play in a house league! Imagine? Both he and I had to fight with his family to enable him to move to Colorado (Jake was not provided a ride to the airport, and letter, to see me during 2 prior Christmas’s as the family saw my efforts to facilitate Jake’s dreams as a threat, to put this into perspective). Jake arrived in Colorado in 2017, 15 years old, playing on his High School team as opposed to a U18 AAA team (his team mates, parents and coaches are now family to him)
He worked remarkably hard, to where he is now having an opportunity to play Junior hockey. I, as does he, feels he deserves the opportunity to see what he is capable of in hockey, as opposed to always wondering. Who knows? He deserves the opportunity to find out. Even now, his family is not supporting this, as for example, during his high school finals his mother called him to abscond him for trying to raise moneys for this goal, and told him his entire town, as well as his family and friends in Salmon Arm are ashamed of him, and that her own image with her family is impacted.
Jacob has provided a similar description as below in his College Essay, with some more details including his being reminded when living in BC that if he does not obey his mother, including access to me, then she will be sent to Hell upon her death. It is something he now is keenly aware of, which causes him tremendous worry as he wants for his brother and sister to not be beholden to such conditions when they should instead be provided every opportunity to fulfill their actual potentials, be co-parented, and not feel that form of guilt. I state this so you can appreciate more of the underlying struggles in his words, his desire to have a chance to attain his goals for himself, as well as his desire to be an example to his brother and sister. Four years ago he had a chance to play at the highest level AAA and national team with boys exceeding his age - today he wants to realize his potential, despite having to come from behind. Thank you for helping him have a second chance, and to those he calls out below who fostered his belief in himself.
Jake's Story:
My name is Jacob Tudan, and I have just received a contract to play on the Philadelphia Junior Flyers Junior hockey team in the Eastern Hockey League. This is a first step towards realizing a dream to finance my academic goal and a hockey scholarship that will allow me to save for University expenses while playing hockey. I have overcome significant hurdles and have worked very hard for this opportunity. Two years ago, this would not have been possible given my circumstances. I am only 17 years of age, so gaining this contract is quite an accomplishment in this sport. Besides my love of the sport, this opportunity poses as the best chance I have to fund my post-secondary education.
I am graduating from high school with ambitions as an engineering student. My only obstacle now is being able to pay for the contract fees. I am about to see what I had worked so hard for disappear, and I need help in the form of a donation, or a promise to repay in 6 years when I hope to graduate from a University (please request a copy of the contract I've prepared).
My families have indicated that they cannot help me. My father has been doing all he can, including a change in employment and moving to a community where I can go to an excellent school. He is currently in a situation where he has been paying for my current hockey, travel, and costs for tryouts on credit, and will soon move into less expensive living accommodations to fund my living expenses and 1-2 college courses per term while I play hockey, but he cannot currently afford the Junior contract costs at this time.
I come from Salmon Arm, a small town in central British Columbia. I grew up in a split family environment where public schools and Universities were discouraged for faith-based reasons, and my participation with travel hockey was most often contingent on whether a non-secular parent was available to drive me, and meeting philosophical expectations. When I was finally allowed to attend a school, it was one where my love for science and asking questions about my religion resulted in constant conflicts for me at home and at school. I then had to attend a very small school on a reserve that was a 20 minutes’ drive away as opposed to my being permitted to attend the public Middle School only blocks from my home – The school I had to attend had less than 300 students, where few considered attending university, and academic achievement not challenging. I realized when I moved away that I had not been encouraged to consider my future after high school, or to study, where abiding by the family practices superseded my realizing my personal academic and athletic dreams and respective life skills building. Even now, my efforts to raise money to play hockey is being strongly discouraged by many of my family, whom I do love and respect.
For two years to the day I moved to Denver, I was put under tremendous guilt to be the male figure to my brother and sister, despite my wishes to be with my father so I may realize my own dreams and desire to learn freely and participate in competitive sport. In January of 2017, I decided to move to Denver with my father in June of the same year. There I attended one of the best high schools in the state, which had more than 3600 students with high standards in education and athletics, and earned a spot on the Varsity hockey team. That fall would bring the biggest personal challenges I would realize away from my BC home. First, I discovered that I had not developed the necessary study habits for my class, making attending a school this large even more overwhelming. Second, in October of that fall, I had to sideline hockey because I required knee surgery.
What seemed so formidable to this small-town kid, turned into the greatest opportunity I could imagine! When I thought my new dream of excelling at hockey was over, I was able to return to the ice the first week of January as opposed to mid-February as my surgeon suggested, and even stronger than before my surgery by doing this:
• I worked with a sports trainer, and mentor, Mike Barnes, every weekend,
• I trained in the gym following Mike’s progressive programs 90 minutes per day, wearing a STEM during training and 4 x 20 minutes each day when I was not, with gradual emphasis on building the strength in my legs,
• I worked with an outstanding sports PT, Ben, every week, who provided exercises I had to do an additional 30 mins/day, and he adjusted the settings on my STEM each week to stop atrophy while stimulating growth as my training focused on my legs,
• I started skating as soon as I could, working with coaches at Denver University, and David.
• I studied constantly.
• I continued to play through the Spring and Summer, motivated by Coach Jerry Johnson to seriously consider a goal I never thought possible before; namely, to work towards playing major Junior hockey so I can earn a University scholarship (a pre-requisite to do so).
School was more challenging than I had imagined. But my father taught me that it’s the journey towards my goals that mattered, and then putting aside my initial thinking that I could not succeed, I identified this as an opportunity to learn the study skills I needed, believe in myself and work as hard as I could, while I learn to learn. I now believe I have what it takes to succeed in University and pursue my desire to be an engineer.
I also want my little brother and sister to explore their potential and questions about the world we live in as I was. Instead of allowing myself to dwell on this and feel powerless, I continue to try to be a role model to them.
My father and coach recently created an opportunity for me to try out for an excellent U18 AAA team in Philadelphia, which resulted in an invitation to return for tryouts with the associated major Junior team in a league that provides for a significant number of NCAA hockey scholarships to hockey players. As I exited the ice after the last tryout, I was not asked to play AAA, or attend the summer training camp to maybe earn an open spot on the Junior team should one become available, but asked to sign a major Junior contract!
I can’t do this, or enable the best opportunity I have to finance my education while pursuing an athletic ability, be a role model for my siblings, or pay back to those who believed in me and pushed me to be my best self by now succeeding at a level they helped me get to, without being able to fund my contract. It is $9,000.00, and I hope that an accumulation of donations or my promise to pay back when I graduate will get me to this monetary level.
I promise to continue to work hard to meet my academic goals, continue to build my credentials for University by taking undergraduate courses each term as I play, volunteer, be reflective of high standards, morals and as a big brother, give back in the future, and keep you informed of my progress so we can experience together, the investment you made in me. I have also prepared a respective contract that I invite you to review and consider, please (I can forward upon request: [email redacted]).
I have moved from a small town to the big city; from no academic expectations or encouragement to real life expectations and challenges; from accepting to defer hopes, to being driven to dream big and work hard for them. I now have the chance to embark on the next chapter of my life and pursue the incredible opportunity that has been presented to me because of the hard work I put in, overcoming adversity, and with the support of those who believed in me. Thank you for your consideration for helping me. Please don't hesitate to request a copy of my contract that also delineates my aforementioned deliverable and character promises.
Jacob Tudan
Shout-out: I would like to thank those who believed in me and worked with me after moving to Denver, that made this opportunity even possible: Mike (my trainer), Ben (my PT), Coach Mel and my HS coaches, Jerry Johnson, Tracy (my summer engineering internship boss and mentor), Mr. Oakley (my physics teacher), Ruth (my mom away from home), Sandra (my source of inspirations), David (one of my private coaches and friend), Dave (a huge supporter in my life), and my Dad.
I thought that I would now expand on Jacob’s story, described in his words below - I believe that his thoughts demonstrates humility as he does not not fully describe his situation, and tried to be positive in his words. I am thus providing some sincere, succinct insight associated with his words, and the impact of his GoFundMe dream. When Jake was 13, he visited me in NM. He attended a hockey camp that was coached by the head coach of the Colorado Rampart U16 and National teams. At the end of the camp, the coach asked in person, and a later email if Jake could join the U16 (not U14) AAA and National team! Jake had 82 points that season (67 goas) in his league. The coach was amazed with his drive and “leadership.” But Jake’s mother would not allow him to attend, and worse, would not allow him to attend any more camps I registered him for. Jake was crushed, as he knew he had an opportunity to fulfill a dream, and if he was able to participate, could have landed him into the highest level of play, perhaps at a National level, today. It was taken away from him. He was in fact beyond being crushed. For two years following, Jake became angry, and eventually gave up on his dream to play competitive hockey. If he was allowed, at 15 he could be playing at the highest level as opposed to only being allowed to play in a house league! Imagine? Both he and I had to fight with his family to enable him to move to Colorado (Jake was not provided a ride to the airport, and letter, to see me during 2 prior Christmas’s as the family saw my efforts to facilitate Jake’s dreams as a threat, to put this into perspective). Jake arrived in Colorado in 2017, 15 years old, playing on his High School team as opposed to a U18 AAA team (his team mates, parents and coaches are now family to him)
He worked remarkably hard, to where he is now having an opportunity to play Junior hockey. I, as does he, feels he deserves the opportunity to see what he is capable of in hockey, as opposed to always wondering. Who knows? He deserves the opportunity to find out. Even now, his family is not supporting this, as for example, during his high school finals his mother called him to abscond him for trying to raise moneys for this goal, and told him his entire town, as well as his family and friends in Salmon Arm are ashamed of him, and that her own image with her family is impacted.
Jacob has provided a similar description as below in his College Essay, with some more details including his being reminded when living in BC that if he does not obey his mother, including access to me, then she will be sent to Hell upon her death. It is something he now is keenly aware of, which causes him tremendous worry as he wants for his brother and sister to not be beholden to such conditions when they should instead be provided every opportunity to fulfill their actual potentials, be co-parented, and not feel that form of guilt. I state this so you can appreciate more of the underlying struggles in his words, his desire to have a chance to attain his goals for himself, as well as his desire to be an example to his brother and sister. Four years ago he had a chance to play at the highest level AAA and national team with boys exceeding his age - today he wants to realize his potential, despite having to come from behind. Thank you for helping him have a second chance, and to those he calls out below who fostered his belief in himself.
Jake's Story:
My name is Jacob Tudan, and I have just received a contract to play on the Philadelphia Junior Flyers Junior hockey team in the Eastern Hockey League. This is a first step towards realizing a dream to finance my academic goal and a hockey scholarship that will allow me to save for University expenses while playing hockey. I have overcome significant hurdles and have worked very hard for this opportunity. Two years ago, this would not have been possible given my circumstances. I am only 17 years of age, so gaining this contract is quite an accomplishment in this sport. Besides my love of the sport, this opportunity poses as the best chance I have to fund my post-secondary education.
I am graduating from high school with ambitions as an engineering student. My only obstacle now is being able to pay for the contract fees. I am about to see what I had worked so hard for disappear, and I need help in the form of a donation, or a promise to repay in 6 years when I hope to graduate from a University (please request a copy of the contract I've prepared).
My families have indicated that they cannot help me. My father has been doing all he can, including a change in employment and moving to a community where I can go to an excellent school. He is currently in a situation where he has been paying for my current hockey, travel, and costs for tryouts on credit, and will soon move into less expensive living accommodations to fund my living expenses and 1-2 college courses per term while I play hockey, but he cannot currently afford the Junior contract costs at this time.
I come from Salmon Arm, a small town in central British Columbia. I grew up in a split family environment where public schools and Universities were discouraged for faith-based reasons, and my participation with travel hockey was most often contingent on whether a non-secular parent was available to drive me, and meeting philosophical expectations. When I was finally allowed to attend a school, it was one where my love for science and asking questions about my religion resulted in constant conflicts for me at home and at school. I then had to attend a very small school on a reserve that was a 20 minutes’ drive away as opposed to my being permitted to attend the public Middle School only blocks from my home – The school I had to attend had less than 300 students, where few considered attending university, and academic achievement not challenging. I realized when I moved away that I had not been encouraged to consider my future after high school, or to study, where abiding by the family practices superseded my realizing my personal academic and athletic dreams and respective life skills building. Even now, my efforts to raise money to play hockey is being strongly discouraged by many of my family, whom I do love and respect.
For two years to the day I moved to Denver, I was put under tremendous guilt to be the male figure to my brother and sister, despite my wishes to be with my father so I may realize my own dreams and desire to learn freely and participate in competitive sport. In January of 2017, I decided to move to Denver with my father in June of the same year. There I attended one of the best high schools in the state, which had more than 3600 students with high standards in education and athletics, and earned a spot on the Varsity hockey team. That fall would bring the biggest personal challenges I would realize away from my BC home. First, I discovered that I had not developed the necessary study habits for my class, making attending a school this large even more overwhelming. Second, in October of that fall, I had to sideline hockey because I required knee surgery.
What seemed so formidable to this small-town kid, turned into the greatest opportunity I could imagine! When I thought my new dream of excelling at hockey was over, I was able to return to the ice the first week of January as opposed to mid-February as my surgeon suggested, and even stronger than before my surgery by doing this:
• I worked with a sports trainer, and mentor, Mike Barnes, every weekend,
• I trained in the gym following Mike’s progressive programs 90 minutes per day, wearing a STEM during training and 4 x 20 minutes each day when I was not, with gradual emphasis on building the strength in my legs,
• I worked with an outstanding sports PT, Ben, every week, who provided exercises I had to do an additional 30 mins/day, and he adjusted the settings on my STEM each week to stop atrophy while stimulating growth as my training focused on my legs,
• I started skating as soon as I could, working with coaches at Denver University, and David.
• I studied constantly.
• I continued to play through the Spring and Summer, motivated by Coach Jerry Johnson to seriously consider a goal I never thought possible before; namely, to work towards playing major Junior hockey so I can earn a University scholarship (a pre-requisite to do so).
School was more challenging than I had imagined. But my father taught me that it’s the journey towards my goals that mattered, and then putting aside my initial thinking that I could not succeed, I identified this as an opportunity to learn the study skills I needed, believe in myself and work as hard as I could, while I learn to learn. I now believe I have what it takes to succeed in University and pursue my desire to be an engineer.
I also want my little brother and sister to explore their potential and questions about the world we live in as I was. Instead of allowing myself to dwell on this and feel powerless, I continue to try to be a role model to them.
My father and coach recently created an opportunity for me to try out for an excellent U18 AAA team in Philadelphia, which resulted in an invitation to return for tryouts with the associated major Junior team in a league that provides for a significant number of NCAA hockey scholarships to hockey players. As I exited the ice after the last tryout, I was not asked to play AAA, or attend the summer training camp to maybe earn an open spot on the Junior team should one become available, but asked to sign a major Junior contract!
I can’t do this, or enable the best opportunity I have to finance my education while pursuing an athletic ability, be a role model for my siblings, or pay back to those who believed in me and pushed me to be my best self by now succeeding at a level they helped me get to, without being able to fund my contract. It is $9,000.00, and I hope that an accumulation of donations or my promise to pay back when I graduate will get me to this monetary level.
I promise to continue to work hard to meet my academic goals, continue to build my credentials for University by taking undergraduate courses each term as I play, volunteer, be reflective of high standards, morals and as a big brother, give back in the future, and keep you informed of my progress so we can experience together, the investment you made in me. I have also prepared a respective contract that I invite you to review and consider, please (I can forward upon request: [email redacted]).
I have moved from a small town to the big city; from no academic expectations or encouragement to real life expectations and challenges; from accepting to defer hopes, to being driven to dream big and work hard for them. I now have the chance to embark on the next chapter of my life and pursue the incredible opportunity that has been presented to me because of the hard work I put in, overcoming adversity, and with the support of those who believed in me. Thank you for your consideration for helping me. Please don't hesitate to request a copy of my contract that also delineates my aforementioned deliverable and character promises.
Jacob Tudan
Shout-out: I would like to thank those who believed in me and worked with me after moving to Denver, that made this opportunity even possible: Mike (my trainer), Ben (my PT), Coach Mel and my HS coaches, Jerry Johnson, Tracy (my summer engineering internship boss and mentor), Mr. Oakley (my physics teacher), Ruth (my mom away from home), Sandra (my source of inspirations), David (one of my private coaches and friend), Dave (a huge supporter in my life), and my Dad.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jacob Tudan
Organizer
Englewood, CO
Christopher Tudan
Beneficiary