NHL Athletic Trainer's Letter to His Younger Self

We wanted to share the story of Justin Rogers' journey that has taken him from his hometown in Michigan all the way to the NHL, where he is assistant Athletic Trainer for the Seattle Kraken.

He penned a heartfelt letter to his younger self, delivering a powerful and inspiring message.

While we don't want to share the entire story here, we encourage you to take a moment and read about his remarkable journey.

Here's the beginning: 

Dear younger JR,

Becoming the best you will take time and understanding.

That knot in your stomach – the one that makes you feel confused, isolated, lost in the world –invisible to everyone but you? It will slowly loosen. You don’t even understand the knot, but with time you will learn things about yourself and fulfill dreams so many others like you feel they cannot.

You will accept yourself as a gay man, creating a life authentic to you, while welcoming others into it. It won’t be easy, and you won’t do it alone. It will take time. The building blocks will start to take shape now as you enter your teenage years." 

Read the rest on the NHL website!