The Gospel In The Game Sports Podcast
Conversation and stories about real athletes and the journey thru sport, faith and life.
Connecting athletes, sports families and the church. Build bridges and telling real stories to help repair, build and grow people.
Hosts Dan Dromarsky and Dave Dawson
The Gospel In The Game Sports Podcast
Talor Joseph Playing for an Audience of One
What happens when a professional athlete surrenders control and learns to embrace God's unconventional path? Talor Joseph, championship-winning hockey goaltender, takes us behind the scenes of his remarkable spiritual and professional journey.
Talor's story unfolds through a series of unexpected trades, demotions, and ultimately championship glory—a winding road that taught him profound lessons about identity, purpose, and faith. With refreshing candor, he shares how he transformed from a fearful, performance-driven athlete into one who competes with freedom and thankfulness. "When you want something so bad, you're willing to do anything for it," Talor reflects, describing his earlier years when hockey consumed his identity.
The turning point came through surrender. After experiencing both the highs of American Hockey League success and the humbling reality of being traded to lower leagues, Talor discovered something counterintuitive: releasing his grip on his career actually led to greater peace and performance. "I used to go into games fearful for the last four or five years," he reveals, "and this year was finally a year where there was no fear." His secret? A simple practice of thankfulness that rewired his relationship with pressure.
Beyond the highlight-reel saves and championship celebrations, Talor's greatest victories have come through mentoring teammates and establishing chapel programs wherever he plays. He views hockey as his personal mission field—a perspective that radically changes how he approaches each new team assignment. "Hockey's become my missions field," he explains. "It used to be 'what can I get out of hockey?' but now it's 'what do you want me to do in this situation?'"
Whether you're an athlete, sports fan, or someone navigating your own career uncertainty, Talor's story offers powerful inspiration for finding purpose beyond performance and peace amidst life's unpredictable changes. Ready to discover what happens when you play for an audience of One?
have you ever wanted to play another sport, taylor I I did play other sports.
Speaker 2:I played basketball. Basketball yeah, you're not like seven feet tall, no. But look at my dad, I was a point guard and stuff. So I I played in high school and stuff and then, um, I played different sports growing up lacrosse in line, um, like volleyball, I played a year. I kind of did all okay, just kind of anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if buddies, if buddies were out in the soccer field, you'd go join in the soccer field. But like team, like organizational team, wise, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I played high school basketball on the team and then lacrosse. I played inline soccer when I was young. What else I did? Swimming.
Speaker 1:So we're talking multi-sport.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did everything. The only sport I didn't get to do was football, because my mom didn't let me when I was younger. It was like the head stuff. And then, once I got too old, like once I was in high school I was too busy with hockey so I just couldn't do it.
Speaker 1:I see, okay, I'm smiling here. No one can see that, but I'm smiling because your dad having played football oh, I know, of course, mom, that's the first thing you say. You're not going to play football, yeah.
Speaker 2:Like when I was young, I couldn't. I my friends practice and.
Speaker 1:I wasn't allowed to play and you weren't allowed to play, okay, so it sucked Too funny. Well, welcome to the Gospel in the Game. My name is Dan Jomarski. I'm your host today. Today we got an interview with professional hockey player goaltender extraordinaire, taylor Joseph Taylor, welcome to the studio.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me, Dan. It's an awesome setup here. I'm excited to get this going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's. You know what we've had? Season one. This interview is going to be part of season two. Season two, season one. We kind of had some interviews that we recorded years ago put into our season kind of staggered, kind of as a teaser towards the second season and the second season. We want to talk to athletes, pro, amateur, all over the place, old, old, young and uh, yeah, you're one of our first interviews.
Speaker 2:So happy to have you. Oh, it's awesome, excited to do this with you. It's been a long time coming here it has been.
Speaker 1:We've. We've talked about this for a few times already.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah I think I last uh, before the season started. We tried to get on but things were just crazy at the time. But I'm on my way this year for my season it just kind of worked out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and now we're going to work out backwards instead of working forwards. A lot of times conversations, people say, well, start off when you were young. I'm going to challenge you on this one Working backwards. You just came off a championship season. Tell me about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was a blessing to be able to win a championship this year. It was a pretty interesting season with really good moments of really good security. In seconds or minutes it can change. I guess I'll just start with how the season started was, um, this past year. I just got married this past summer, so in august and um, it was probably the least amount I've ever tried to do to find a team, like usually I'm a person that's on the phone all the time, like trying to figure out like where I'm gonna go, like not in a way trying to dictate where I'm going.
Speaker 2:And um, I just remember this year I was just so busy with plan helping, plan the wedding and training that like I had talked into I'd spoken to a couple teams and um, they were interested but like I wasn't like as proactive as I guess I used to be. I kind of was just trusting the Lord and just giving it to him and had good feelings with the two teams I was talking with and um, I remember I was talking to Knoxville and Quad City. They both had new coaches and fresh start kind of seemed like, and I was coming from a league um lower so I really wanted to get back to the Southern Professional Hockey League and I just remember praying about it, then eventually, like nothing was happening, and then one week they both said, hey, like we need an answer, we want you, kind of this is the situation, we need an answer by this date. So I remember, actually sorry, it was the one team that said that they're very interested. They need to know by Monday. Knoxville need a little bit more time because they had a goalie that was up in the east coast league. They didn't know if he's coming down.
Speaker 2:So I remember, um, I was talking to my wife and like, automatically I was like, oh, we're gonna go to this team like the first team, the first option.
Speaker 2:And um, I it was honestly just because it felt like it was a safe play um, they were guaranteeing me a spot but I was going to be a backup, no room for improvement. And then Knoxville was kind of at the moment, a wide-open situation. They were saying so I remember just talking to my wife and saying, yeah, we're probably just going to go to the spot and it was in Quad City, I believe, illinois, great coach and great program. And I just remember she told me she's like, well, like we're not doing this to be safe, like we're doing this to like, if we're going to do this, we're going to do this and try to like pursue or pursue and continue in your career. So that kind of made me think twice of going with the safe, the safe option, where something a little bit more guaranteed, which in is never, nothing's ever guaranteed- yeah so um, but it seemed safer at the time.
Speaker 2:So I remember I prayed about it and me and my wife prayed about it together. And then I remember like it came to the day where I need to make give quad city a decision. And I remember praying and I went through this story in matthew, where they're he's talking about the servants and the talents, and I remember that was the day I needed to make the decision and I opened my Bible right where I just continued to read, where I was normally reading, and it was a parable about the talents and I read the just a little short version is the master gave the one servant um 10 talents. He doubled it um the x15. He doubled it. And then he gave the third one talent and he buried it in the ground. And and I don't know what it was about that, but I remember god just screaming a like, you're just like, if you're going this, you're just doing this to be safe and not trust me and have faith that I can make things work. So that hit me hard.
Speaker 2:And then, right then, and there I knew I I had to go with the Knoxville decision and, like I said, I didn't know if I'd for sure even have a spot Like there was. They had one goalie, there was one maybe coming back Like so you're playing a risky game at that point. And so, yeah, I just I ended up going to camp there and it went phenomenally well. Like I got a shout out my first like we've had an exhibition game, got played half the game, got a shout out, did really well in practice. And then, yeah, I wasn't able to make a team and it'd been a long road because it hadn't been back in that league for a year and a half. So it was extremely exciting and happy to be back.
Speaker 1:So yeah, good, and the journey kind of continued. You guys had a good season and a good playoff run and yeah, so I was actually I was.
Speaker 2:So I was in Knoxville till about February. Mid or end of February. I sent my wife back home to tag up at the border for a month in January, so she a month and a half bit. So she was still in Canada. I got a call up to Norfolk during the four nations tournament oh gotcha, yeah. So, um, hellebuck had gone up to play in that tournament so their East Coast League had an opening and I got a call and ended up going and didn't go exactly how it was planned. I ended up getting pulled in the first five minutes and kind of just one of those games where it was out of your control. I felt amazing. But just a couple bad and but, um, the coach said some really great things and just said, like that game didn't define me and you played like the whole week you're here, you did well, and so I had a really good experience up there in Norfolk and then came back, um, despite the result of the game.
Speaker 3:But came back to.
Speaker 2:Knoxville, and a couple days later I was traded. So um, to Knoxville, and a couple days later I was traded. So at Knoxville we were on a bit of a losing streak and they needed some offense and so they ended up trading me for a pretty good forward and so I ended up going to Huntsville, which was one of the top teams in the league. So I get back from my call-up two days later, get traded to Huntsville and I had to get a car that morning and head there. So I had to get a car that morning and head there. So I had to pack up me and Shay's life. Shay was back home so I had to pack up her stuff, pack up my stuff and we end up. I end up driving to Huntsville, got there and then had a really great experience.
Speaker 2:Thought this was it Like they were a second-place team or first at the time top-two team of the week like dominant pretty much the whole season.
Speaker 2:I was like, oh, like, this is maybe God's opening opportunity for a championship here, and funny because how it worked out was um about a month or two weeks. I was there about a month, um two weeks, before playoffs. One of my best friends was their goalie for Huntsville. He got. He was on a call up in the East Coast League. He was supposed to be gone the rest of the year. I remember he calls me two weeks left and before playoffs and he calls me. He's like hey, like I I got, like oh, no one picked me up. So he's like I'm on my way back to hans phone and like he felt bad. I'm like it's not something you can do like, yeah, like so I got let go.
Speaker 2:He'd been there for a year and a half and I ended up getting let go. And I just remember, like, so shea was the, the day I let go, shay was flying back. There was a little bit of stress, just for her like to fly back to, like who knows what we're doing, like where are we going to go? So like, just, we definitely we worked through that and then she ended up getting back to me and then we waited the team, let us wait a few days so we were able to stay in a place. And I just remember we were praying about it. Um, I was talking to Knoxville again, thinking and there's a possibility that they might pick me back up, and then, um, just didn't feel peace about that.
Speaker 2:And then I remember Sunday night, shane, I, shane and I were praying. I fasted and prayed, just wanted to get really close to hear what God wanted me to do. So that night fasted, prayed, and and then I remember the next morning I woke up to get really close to this year what God wanted me to do. So that night fasted, prayed, and then I remember the next morning I woke up to a text from Evansville and, yeah, I was excited.
Speaker 2:I didn't know what to expect or what was happening. They were a seventh-place team in the league so I was like, well, maybe I'll get like a couple more weeks, a couple more weeks paycheck. Like I just didn't know what to expect. I knew they were built for playoffs and, um, they were a big, fast, physical team and but it just their record didn't show how their ability. So I remember I end up going to edmund, got traded to edmondsville. Me and my wife drove down there and, um, great like, but felt welcomed, felt great there.
Speaker 2:Ended up going that weekend, going back to play Huntsville. The team I just played against got traded from playing them in their home barn. So we got swept. Didn't do that great. I was like, okay, like I don't know how this is going to go for playoffs because we had them first round and so, yeah, we ended up coming back. I ended up getting one game against the top team in the league. We ended up beating them in overtime 3-2, I just played, was very thankful, was able to play a really good game and then after that we went to playoffs. I wasn't playing in playoffs, I was more of a supporting cast and just be ready when I was if my name was called upon. But we ended up going 6-1 in playoffs, sweeping or beating Huntsville in three games, beating Peoria who was the top team, had 10 losses all year and swept them. And then swept my old team, knoxville, in the finals.
Speaker 3:Wow, so it was again all three teams.
Speaker 2:I've been with at some point in my career, so I was with Peoria and Camp a little bit last year and thenoxville this year, huntsville this year. We ended up playing, beating those three teams and winning it at home in evansville wow, what an exciting story.
Speaker 1:So basically, if you take the whole summary of that season, you can kind of see how it's like you. You, you go into a spot and you hope it's a right fit and it's a good thing, and god has different plans, yeah, and then you go into a spot and you hope it's a right fit and it's a good thing, and God has different plans, yeah, and then you go back and you seek him and God has different plans. Yeah, you go back to the Lord and it's this constant drawing back to the Lord and God showing you a new direction, yeah, and then you end up, not necessarily where you thought you'd be at the beginning of the season.
Speaker 2:No, and it was a team I hated, I guess.
Speaker 1:I think I hated.
Speaker 2:That's the thing. I hated Evansville. As a goalie. I'd gotten into it a bit. I actually got in a goalie fight this year as well and I was with Huntsville's goalie, who I ended up being roommates with a month later.
Speaker 2:So it's just funny how things work and God put me in certain places. But the biggest thing I want to emphasize because it was this season was at times like the most secure and most comfortable I've ever felt in pro hockey and then also, at the same time, like it can just change in a second, oh wow, and like it can. That security that you think you have is gone and that's it's just a good reminder. For me was like not to put my security in where I am and my coaches in the city I live in and like cause I was set up great in Oxfam I had really good friends down there besides teammates away from the rink, Me and my wife. We could stay here for a while. So I think it's like it was. I was not getting comfortable in like a sense that like I was like getting with my gameplay. I was always trying to push me the best I could be, but I think I was just like the life, like living there was just I loved it and I could have stayed there. And like maybe I wasn't, I wouldn't, you know. Like it's you.
Speaker 2:I think god had me there for the exact amount of time that he needed me.
Speaker 2:And like someone that someone has told me like he'll never have you a minute longer, a minute shorter than you're meant to be somewhere, and it's pretty cool. Like at the beginning of the year I was so used to like disappointments, so like I remember every time the coach would come up to talk to me I'd be like, oh, is this the time, the moment? Like he's calling me in his office and yeah, and I remember, um, and that was just like kind of scar tissue from the prior years, my first couple years pro, like you think you're good and then all of a sudden you're gone and um, so like that was something. Like I remember the key for me this year was like anytime I'd have any sort of doubt or an anxious thought about what was going to happen. I just start to be thankful. I tell god thank you for this, instead of like fearing and doubting. I just be like thank you, lord, for having me here. Like you won't have me here a minute longer, shorter than I meant to.
Speaker 3:Um anytime, like before a game, I get stressed like oh, thank you, lord the opportunity to play this game that I love and to go to battle for you right, and it just completely shifts.
Speaker 2:Like you can't I've heard you can't be thankful and fearful at the same time and like so whenever that fear, anxious thoughts started creeping, I'd be thankful and, um, it's just cool to see exactly like god knew exactly how long I need to be there. Um, the biggest blessing for me besides the championship this year was like able to able to lead a few guys to christ through um on our teams that I was with so.
Speaker 1:so that's more like when you talk about playing a supporting role, it's not just on the bench, it's in life, on a team, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, and people, especially, I find a pro. It's probably the most I've ever had of guys being susceptible to the thought of Christ and a relationship with him. I think, junior, like guys are you're young, comfortable, you have family that can maybe back you up, like with finances, whatever you don't really need.
Speaker 2:There's no, maybe need at that time where they feel and there's always a need for Christ and relationship, but like some, I think at that age, guys, we don't necessarily see it, you don't see the need for it and now that, like, universities start to see it more, um you and call and pro you really see it because, like we're not making the most money in the minor pros and um guys have troubles with moving on and what they're doing with their life after like, like, what is life?
Speaker 2:so it's like I think that the biggest win for me was able to just help lead a few guys to christ and it, like I said, like I could tell you stories, but like everywhere God sent me, he's always shown me why, which is really cool, and like not everybody sometimes gets that and that's not how it is for every situation, but I just, I always ask him like please just show me, like what you have for me here and what you want me to do for you here, and it's crazy, how he'll he just you know, he show, reveals it to you when you get there and what he wants you to do in that moment.
Speaker 2:And and I, I remember, I think, like after a couple guys in knoxville gave their life to christ, like a week later I was gone oh wow, you're just there for a moment in time there for that moment in time.
Speaker 2:And then, um, when I got traded to hansel, had a really good a guy that became a really good buddy on the team and he just said, like I remember, on my way there I was praying like god, please show me, like what you have me for me here. And, and I remember, right before I got, I got let go. A month later of being there, he, he came off. He's like dude I was praying like I, like I'm a christian, but he's like I.
Speaker 2:I wanted to become closer to christ and like, didn't really know how, and I was praying about, like pray, he was praying to show for God, to show him how I can get closer, and then he said like literally a few days later, you're there we're living together and then, um, we just opened up and talked a lot about it, watched some movies and stuff, like just researched together and talked about it and he, the day, I left, he came up to me, he gave me a hug he's like hey, I like just had to let you know like you're an answer to prayer, so it's cool, like you, just you surrender, you, let god kind of move and he'll do things.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and it's neat how lord allows you to kind of see his fingerprints on things.
Speaker 2:Yes, and that, like he, like I said earlier, that's not always the case, like that's not like a guarantee you're always going to be the way, but like it's pretty, it's cool when you get to see that it helps build your faith as well.
Speaker 1:So for sure. Now talk a little bit about maybe some of the adversities that you faced um coming into this year. Last couple years a little bit of a rocky road. Um, you mentioned things like anxiety and stress and other things. Do you think that plays into a lot of athletes lives?
Speaker 2:oh yeah, like I, I wouldn't for me, I I'm more, I guess the fear over, like anxiety isn't a huge thing that I deal with. I know a lot of people that um do deal with it. It's I'll get anxious thoughts, but I don't. I won't fixate on it necessarily. It's more of the fear where I can fear can get me and um, that's where, yeah, everybody, I think it to a certain extent, deals with it and it's just so important, like I said, like for me, like being thankful and just reminding myself of, like, what God has done for me, and that's that's how I find I can fight it and it's only with him. Like, if I try to do positive self-talk or whatever, like it's pretty, it's pretty easy for it to go the other way. Even visualizing for me, like I, I used to remember it's gotten better, but I used to try to visualize before games and it'd be, you'd be seeing the goal go in instead of the same like for whatever reason.
Speaker 2:That's how my brain would work it's, that's so for me, it's like whenever I have those feelings, I just, I just be thankful and I tell them what I'm thankful for, and that helps me.
Speaker 1:I think I think a lot of young athletes have this like image in their head, like it's like okay, I'm gonna play at a young age and then I'm gonna go right to junior and then I'm gonna go right to the nhl or the draft and the picture they kind of picture in their head, the perfect scenario. Yeah, and it's easy for it not to be the perfect scenario. So I think, kind of what you mentioned there, I think a lot of guys, like you said, whether it's visualization or self-talk or other things, it's easy for the other side to get this voice in your head negatively, especially as a believer. Yeah, to tear you down, not just in the sport, but to use it as a way to tear you down in life.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100 100 and the enemy, if he gets a foothold, he's going to try to do whatever he can, and I think it's. It's a. Your identity is not wrapped up in hockey like so much more is important than hockey. It's not your identity like I'm a child to god and he gave me the ability to play hockey, so that takes the pressure off all together.
Speaker 2:Um he, whenever I step out, it's for an audience of one on the ice, there could be 8 000 people up there in the stands and it's for an audience of one and I'll remind myself of that and that's it's for his glory, and that's it, and I think that takes the pressure off and that's what I realized, like I used to go into games fearful for the last four or five years and this year was finally a year where I just was like there was no fear. So tell me what changed.
Speaker 2:Tell me what changed being thankful, being being thankful, the overall thankfulness, yeah, wow, and just reminding myself that, like it's not, like my career isn't based off this one game, this second game, it's not based off that.
Speaker 3:Like if the God wants me in the NHL.
Speaker 2:Tomorrow I'll be there. He put me in the American League overnight a few years ago and it's so. I, just I. It comes with surrender and thankfulness. For me, that's kind of when I assume these. I, like I said, I used to try to have my hands all over it and try to mold my way into situations or open doors myself and like what I realized is like I had to surrender and give it to god, which I've. It's. We're still always a work in progress with me, because I'm a proactive person and I want to. I'm a go-getter, but I've learned like he's in control, ultimate control, and he'll take care of things. And, um, then, to conquer the fear for me was just being thankful. So when, when I surrendered and was thankful and then played for his glory, that's what was most important to me and that's where it took the pressure off for me and I was able to play freely okay, I want, I want you to talk for a second um, before I've asked the question, say, talk to your younger self, but I think you know what.
Speaker 1:I think it's kind of more um, I want you to talk to a younger athlete right now, maybe someone who's listening to this for the first time. They kind of stumbled upon it. Maybe they're a youth athlete. They've got big dreams, yeah, really big dreams. What do you tell a young athlete with big dreams that's really focused maybe on the game and not necessarily, I guess you'd say overall, I don't know, maybe like hockey has become number one in their life? Yeah, what do you say to a young kid like that in order to maybe just like give him a little nudge, in order to help him on his path?
Speaker 2:Well, I've been there. I totally understand how that is and I think when you want something so bad, it's, it can that, and that's where I've been and that's something I still. You gotta battle and fight, um. When you want something so bad, you're willing to do anything for it and sometimes you can I I in the past had definitely put god on the sideline or um didn't think of it as important. I thought at times hockey was more important.
Speaker 3:And.
Speaker 2:I think and that's an example like when I was in junior my last year junior I was on the number one team in Canada. I was the number one goalie in Canada, leading in state percentage goals against shutouts, everything, and was talking to a bunch of Division I schools. I was the number one goalie in Canada, leading in state percentage goals against shutouts, everything. I was talking to a bunch of Division I schools and then what happened to me was I blew up my knee and it was all gone. And that year leading into that, hockey was everything to me. I was a Christian and I believed, but it was not a priority and all my eggs were in that basket Getting a scholarship if I didn't make the NHL at that time I felt like it was not a priority and all my eggs were in that basket and getting a scholarship playing the if I didn't make the nhl at that time was about.
Speaker 3:I felt like I was a bust, like that's it.
Speaker 2:That was just my mentality like it was nhl or bust, because that's what you wanted. And, like you, I wouldn't be happy if I didn't make the nhl, and that's so far from not true. And when I lost all that and then um went through what I went through, it's you. You have appreciation for the different, appreciation for the game, but you realize it's not everything like there's. There's more to life. Um, I love hockey more than anybody and I want to go as far as I can. But, like, if it's not in god's will for me, that's okay because my identity isn't wrapped up in it. So I think, um, for a young athlete it's so important like, stay rooted in your faith and spend time in the word. That's where you're going to really learn and see who god is.
Speaker 2:I think when I was younger I knew of god and I knew of Jesus, but I didn't really spend time building that personal relationship until I was in my later, in my early 20s, 23, 24, 25. It was like I'd go to church, I'd read a little bit, but like I didn't know who Jesus was and exactly what he did, and I didn't spend that daily time with him Right and like. And now that I've learned to do that. We always get better with it. It's, but it's. You realize who he is and what he did for you and it's like that's the most important thing in life. Hockey's great, but it's one day it's going to come to an end for all of us. Um, and it's still hard, like I, it sucks to think about because I know I'm on the back nine of my career, but it's like it's. It eventually comes to an end and you cannot just you're right.
Speaker 2:If your identity there's guys in the NHL that make hundreds of millions of dollars and when they retire they're lost, right. So it's like you gotta really realize that it's not your identity and it's not who you are, it's not what brings you total happiness and you're a person before you're ever a hockey player. Hockey player, a hundred percent, yeah for sure. So yeah, no, I, just for a young athlete, it's just stay rooted, spend time with Price, ask your parents, have an older friend or mentor or something that you can lean on. That's something I always had which.
Speaker 2:I was very fortunate.
Speaker 1:It's really interesting that you mentioned the mentor thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because that's exactly where my mind was going in this whole thing. Yeah, because people often think well, I want someone who's been there before in a career, or been there before and talked from their experience. You know, what's a really good mentor to have for a young athlete is someone that pushes them back towards God.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100% back towards god. Yeah, 100, and that's that's so. 100 is pushing them back to god. But also, um, for me, I wish I had and it's not only with hockey I wish I had known the knowledge that I have now. Obviously, like everybody goes to that, like, yeah, I'm sure there's times you said that, but I wish I had the knowledge I have now when I was 15 or had someone that was able to help me in my sport but, more importantly, help me with my walk of faith and like knowing that they went through that and who, who they become, that's like.
Speaker 2:That's where that value leads, like um. So, yeah, no, it's. I've been very fortunate to have some great mentors, people I can depend on and call whenever I need something, and that's been since a young age and I've been blessed for that, but that's I find it so important. And then also, just um, just just leaning, yeah, leaning on your faith and trusting like god has a plan for you overall, and that's I think it's so important. And with that, yeah, it's trying to think of the thought. I lost the thought there. That's okay. I do that all the time.
Speaker 1:That's one thing, that's another thing that you're going to get with age too. Oh, that's cool, Because all of a sudden, you're going to have an amazing thought and you're like I're not hanging that out, We'll keep that.
Speaker 2:It's raw.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, exactly One of the things that a lot of athletes don't realize until they're further on in their journey too is all the great people that God has put around them, and you talked about that, about mentors and other things, and whether it's sharing Christ with someone or encouraging someone along the way, or being a team participant, you gain a lot of relationships, looking back in your career, that you've had so far um, how has the lord blessed you with relationships.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like it's it's been incredible, like it's I've I've met. I've met so many people I've I've playing junior or even from being here at home and then going off to play junior um at like three different places, uh, university at um two different places and then pro it's. It's not you're constantly moving right, but I've been so blessed to be able to meet so many good people and and just build those relationships and be able to like, and now, especially in my last few years, just really I've really learned just to be bold with your faith and share, share what Christ has done for me and what he can do for you, and that's, I guess that's been my main focus. Now, um, with these relationships is like, it's not like I think maybe before I used to be like, oh, like, like, maybe this is a connection, maybe for business one day, whatever, like yeah, that's great if I meet my future business partner playing hockey or something or like whatever, that's fine.
Speaker 2:But like I've realized the most important thing is just like god has me here for a reason and hockey's become my missions field, and so it used to be what can, what can I get out of hockey and what can hockey do for me. But now it's like okay, like lord, you've put me, you've blessed me to be a good enough hockey player, um, and you've like what do you want me to do in this situation? It's like this is for you, like my sport I've surrendered to you. This is what can I do for you to further your kingdom here. And it's crazy, like since that transition, like what I've seen him do and and now that means it's been like sky high, great, yeah it hasn't been.
Speaker 2:Perfect, it's been definitely bumps and like a roller coaster, but like he's been with me through the whole thing and like, even in the times where I thought it was gonna suck, there's still so many blessings unpacked, blessings that I didn't see. And then, like, once you, once you're in it, you see it and you're.
Speaker 1:Kind of like a situation where all of a sudden you get placed on a team and you randomly have to stay at a house. That's like super spooky yeah, haunted yeah, that's that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like that's. I had a pastor come pray over the house there, but like it was. Yeah, it was definitely haunted.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but isn't that just wild, how like sometimes like we even like we can say all these things with our words, yeah, and then God puts us in like a really hard spot, oh yeah, and a really difficult spot, when all of a sudden it's like we have to either like totally rely on him, yeah, and what he's equipped us with, or like our own means ain't going to cut it, no.
Speaker 2:No, I remember. So that year was my first year pro. I just the year before had gotten my opportunity in the American Hockey League. It went phenomenally well, got a win, first star in my first start, an assist in my first game Like just the best as good as it can get besides a shutout and played really well the second game and we ended up winning that game as well. And then I thought I was set like. I was like oh, I'm gonna. I'm like is there any child teams looking right?
Speaker 2:now, that's right, here we go that's your thought process, because and it's a dream come true in a sense like to get that close to the hl and I thought I was set and I thought I'd be like East Coast League maybe up and down, whatever, and then, um, end up just having a tough go that, like my best friend's dad, passes away on the way to camp so I signed with a sorry so.
Speaker 2:American League finishes. That season's done went well, um, with my couple games. I got there and then I signed in the southern professional hockey league instead of the east coast league. Um, just some advice I had from an agent at the time and, um, looking back, should I maybe? Whatever, yeah, it wasn't meant to be. So I ended up signing with an sphl team. Um, on my way to camp, my best friend's dad passes away. Um, he's gone playing hockey. He's in south carolina. I'm on my way to go to north carolina. Um, he calls me halfway through the trip. So, like I tell the coach hey, like I'm not, I can't come to camp, I gotta go back home and help him with the funeral and everything. And the coach didn't really want me to do that. He's like, oh, I'm only gonna have one goalie. Like I'm like, hey, like this is bigger than like hockey, this is bigger than hockey for me.
Speaker 2:Like I'm sorry, I, I gotta go yeah so I ended up going back um was there. And then when I got back from the from that, um, I got let go, like I think two days after I got there, and then that year I was just around like going in a circle, like went to another team.
Speaker 1:Didn't work out like you put on a lot of 10,000 in my first month.
Speaker 3:10,000 kilometers my first month wow, so end up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there to um the east coast league. Thought I was going to be there for a while, goalie comes back from the american league. Um, then I end up going to another team. 14-game win streak, they go on. I don't touch the net. So it's just like there's just so many things after another. Now, by this time it's January and I haven't played a game yet this year. Wow. And so I end up going from the American League down to the Federal Prospects League, which is the worst league.
Speaker 2:Sorry, it's a great league for what it is, but I'm like in terms of um, yeah comparing it to comparing it to all north american hockey, it is the fourth or fifth league right.
Speaker 1:So yeah, it's a long way from where I was, it just finished so let's give someone real quick the tiers. So like you're talking like nh NHL, american Hockey League, east Coast, southern Professional and then Federal Pro-Sports.
Speaker 2:Okay, gotcha okay. So, like I was, I remember I didn't know much about the league and I was so disappointed because, like I'm having a hard time now to find a spot in the SPHL Haven't played a game yet. I run to Nashville so I had a buddy living there. I had a buddy living there, um, I had a federal fed team wanting to pick me up and I said absolutely not at that time politely, yeah, but just didn't want to at all.
Speaker 2:And I remember, um, my buddy was living in Nashville and I was just in between teams, so I went and lived with him for a month and I knew, before I'd gone to Nashville, like God was telling me like you're going to the fed, like I heard it clear.
Speaker 1:But I was like you're going to.
Speaker 2:You're going to and I ran the opposite direction to Nashville, so a little bit of a Jonah moment. But like, even in that those moments, god was so faithful and showing me why I was in Nashville, even with my buddy there for a little bit, and um, just some crazy things happened there that I won't get into detail but just like you got all over it. Um, too long of stories another time, but, um, but yeah, so I eventually I remember. I just I'm talking to my dad, um, I think I even talked to you a bit about it. Um, talking, gary steph is another really good friend and um, my, oh, and then my chaplain gourd from my chaplain team, chaplain from ontario, and like these are all guys I consider mentors to me.
Speaker 2:This is why it's good to have these people in your life. And, um, I just remember, like I knew I had to go and I've been now a month not playing, no one's calling, and I got another call from this team again and I knew I had to go. But I just remember, like I just like emotional wreck, like just crying. I think it's just like breaking, like a humbling myself to go do it because, like I said, last game and start I had was in the American Hockey League. So it's a.
Speaker 2:It just like broke down crying and just had peace after, though I just I think it was just like swallowing my pride and just trusting that, no matter what, god can make things work. So I end up um going down. It was binghamton. I remember I pulled to the house that night and I'm just like where am I living? Living Like it was just, it was a disaster. And then, on top of it, I found out it was haunted.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, I know you and I were talking about that. I mean, it's just like I just was picturing in my head. I was like you, like what else does God have you to go through as part of this process? Yeah, and I remember we prayed, yeah, and and, and it was just like, even for me, at a distance, yeah, and trying to think of you. I was like lord, I don't know what else to do, like I don't know what to do, and I think you were in the same exact same boat, yeah, but we just pray, we just have to pray. And I was out of mcdonald's parking lot. I think you were in the same exact same boat. Yeah, but we just pray, we just have to pray.
Speaker 2:And I was out of mcdonald's parking lot. I think because I like I would do. I would do everything I could not to go home like I'd be at the rink from about 7 am probably till 6 pm yeah hang out with my coach and a couple teammates and like we had a really beautiful facility and rink and lounge, team lounge, so I just hang out, but I just like did not want to be there because I just, yeah, terrible.
Speaker 2:But I remember, um, it was a blessing going there and the league surprised me because I I didn't realize it was uh, like it was as good as it was. Yeah, you just hear nightmare stories and like you honestly, like the league was pretty decent for what it was and and, um, I just remember I was just be learning to be thankful right in those moments. Be thankful like I'm playing hockey, I get to play again.
Speaker 2:I haven't played in six months, seven months, like finally getting a game and playing, and so I was just thankful and, um, the cool thing about being there is, like I realized, like I was able to my goalie partner.
Speaker 2:He gave his life to Christ there with me in the hotel room, that's, and then, and then um a couple fans, because I pray after the games. That um at one of the dots, like on in the neutral zone and stuff. I like to do that and now it's cool, like you see, like teammates have joined me and other teams are also doing it in the league, so it's pretty cool, um, but that's something I do just to give glory to god and like win or lose well, and it's neat, it's awesome that you mentioned thankfulness.
Speaker 1:I know, like gary, yeah, pure encouragement podcast. Um, one of the things that he's always doing. He's posting pictures of players doing that. Yeah, and I think you, you see it and you're just like you you know what so many players that are thankful just to be where they're at, yeah, that God's allowed them to play this great sport. Yeah, at a high level. Yeah, and in turn, that's how they want to close off the ice. Yeah, before they hit the bench, they want their last moment.
Speaker 2:he's giving thanks to god yeah, and like it's for me. It's like a little like, like I said, win or lose. It's like I could be completely so frustrated like how the game's gone, but it's just like I win or lose, I have to give him the glory. I've been able to play the game, I'm healthy and and the a like I didn't realize how big of an impact it made on other people, because you don't think about that, like you don't really realize that people are really watching you and seeing what you're doing. And and my um wife, she, she really noticed it where she's just like there's just like a like, a peace and like when you, when everybody could be doing something whatever, talking whatever, then whenever like you or some teammates are praying, like the go silent and everybody just like respects it and watches it.
Speaker 2:And um, I remember that first year in binghamton I had a couple fans like telling me they're really in hard spots, like almost wanting to take their lives, and was able to bring them to church. They asked me what I was doing on the ice and I told them I'm praying, like, oh, can I come to church with you? And they can, they come to church and they were able to get help and stuff, and so it's like little things like that, like able to get a chapel program, like that's one thing. If a team doesn't have a chapel program, I'll try to get a chapel program planted there wherever I go play, and that's just like. That's the the impact, though I just want to leave like for like when I do leave, because god ends up always moving me so for when I am gone, hopefully like like he can still be there.
Speaker 2:You know, I may like have a foothold in that dressing room and in that locker room, in that culture right.
Speaker 1:Well, and I think often you know what we we can look back and think of, like believers that the lord has used overseas, like send someone to some country or some foreign nation and and they've started something, or started a church or a program or something and it's still going. I think, at the athletes, so many athletes are tied to their sport that they think their sport is what they're meant to do. Yeah, where what you've spoken about today, I think, really is a good encouragement. What the listener can take is that you know God can allow you to leave his footprints. Is that you know god can allow you to leave his footprints? Uh, evidence of him? Yeah, with a place that he puts you? Yeah, even though it may be for a season or a month or a day or whatever else. It is the more important thing versus your name showing on that um roster that you were there for a game, yeah, was the fact that what you did for god while you were there?
Speaker 2:yeah, 100 and just like being proactive about it too, like, like I said, like the, I am a hockey player, but like I am first a child of god and a disciple of god you know, christ right.
Speaker 2:So like, everywhere I go, like that's the the goal obviously. Like, yes, I want to go as far as I can with the hockey, like perform to the best of my ability, but it's for his glory and I'll let him. I trust him, like, if he wants to lead me further and higher, I know he can well, but I know like he's gonna put me where I'm supposed to be for a reason, yeah, and I just need to be faithful and trust and then make sure he's the center of where I am. So, like, if I'm in oxville, yes, I'm playing hockey there, but also it's an opportunity for me to share Christ's love to my teammates and the fans and people around me. That's the most important part to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and a great example of an active faith. Well, taylor, you and I could talk pretty much all day we really could but two things that we usually do here on the podcast whenever we talk to a guest, we first we pray for them and tell them this isn't the last time. We're going to talk to you, we're going to have you back. So let's pray. Heavenly Father, just come for you right now and thank you for Taylor and for the ministry that you've given to him on the ice and off the ice, and we just pray that he for your glory and that you would put others in his life, that they would not see him just as a hockey player, but they would also see him as a person, but, more importantly, as a child of God. Lord, we thank you for the opportunities that you've given to him, lord. We just pray that you bless him until we speak with him again. In Jesus' name. We pray, amen. Amen. Thanks for coming, taylor. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what a great interview for Taylor Joseph. I wasn't around to be part of the interview, but just listening to what he had to say, just a really transparent, authentic guy.
Speaker 1:It was one of those interviews, Dave, where I was like doing the interviewing at the same time, like kind of like thinking in the back of my head okay, what kind of thought. Maybe Dave would ask him at the same time, without pretending to be you.
Speaker 3:And all of a sudden she's like oh, we have the same beard. We have similar, you know voice structure. Well, I trimmed mine down a little bit. Yours has the ability to have a mind of its own.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm going for the whole adventurous outdoor woodsman look.
Speaker 3:You're already married. My job is to attract women. You don't need to attract a woman.
Speaker 1:That's right. I keep them away from that. I wear a plaid often. That way they're like ooh, big, burly man probably should stay away. You wear pants. I've never seen you wear pants before. That's right exactly. Why are you standing?
Speaker 3:there with pants. What is wrong with you? Are you? But yeah, no, great interview with Taylor.
Speaker 1:Any. Well, I think one of the biggest things that he talks about is just the change that happened in his life about being thankful being thankful, not living in fear and this confidence that comes, I think, often when people are involved in sport.
Speaker 1:There's so much, not only competition, but there's this idea that they almost lose their humanity, that they shouldn't be afraid or they shouldn't be dependent, and it's so great about talking about this relationship that's developing in his life and the maturity of relying on the Lord for things and instead of just like relying only on circumstances working out then what happens when circumstances don't work out?
Speaker 1:And he talked a lot a bit about, I guess you'd say, floating and just the sheer commitment and travel and everything that came with having to move around from team to team to team and it's like it's easy to live in fear that way when the unknown is constantly in front of you.
Speaker 3:Right and we'll unpack that a little bit deeper in another episode, but we want to thank Taylor for coming on. Thank you for listening as well to season two of the Gospel and the Game. You can download our podcast, whatever podcast are found, and found us. Find us on social media Twitter I am dave he is dan yeah, and share, share your faith.
