BOOK REVIEW: "How We Did It," by Karl Subban

Have you ever looked at some parents and wondered how in the world they did it? How they raised kids that are good members of society, successful, and generally nice people? The Subban family can be considered one of those families by any estimation, with no less than three sons in the NHL and two daughters as successful in their own right. In his book, How We Did It, the patriarch of the family, Karl Subban, tells readers how they did it.

More than just the tale of a hockey family -- and the Subbans certainly are that -- this is a book about what it means to be a parent. About what it means to foster and nurture the potential that is in every child, whether that potential leads them to the NHL, to the silver screen, or to the restaurant down the street.

Karl Subban knows the hockey world inside and out. He's been knee-deep in it for more than thirty years as a coach and a hockey dad. Originally from Jamaica, Karl and his wife, Maria, have raised five children, each successful in his or her own way. There's their oldest son, the inimitable P.K., one-time defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens who now dons the number 76 for the Nashville Predators. There's their two daughters, both of whom are successful teachers. And then there are their two youngest sons, Malcolm and Jordan are also currently playing in the NHL.

In this book, Subban gives us a dad's-eye view of the whole journey, from those early days of teaching his boys to skate on their backyard rink to those beaming-with-pride days of hearing his sons' names called on draft day. More than that, he shares the lessons taught and learned along the way, lessons about what it means to set a goal and work toward it, and what it means to be the parent behind the scenes, supporting and encouraging their children in whatever they decide to do with their lives.

This would be a wonderful gift for anyone who knows what it means to spend those chilly, much-too-early mornings in a hockey rink, for sure, but it's also a great read for any parent who may need a little encouragement or wisdom from those who have already followed the path to raising children who are not only motivated and successful, but also those who are proud of where they come from, people who know what it means to give back.

Karl's son Jordan puts it this way: "We're just a normal family. I think people always expect these great big things, but really we're just normal. I know it may sound kind of silly, having all three of us playing professional hockey and then saying that we're normal, but I'll say we're no different than the average family."

How We Did It may have been written by one of the most popular hockey dads in the world today, but the stories he tells and the wisdom within the pages of this book will be an encouragement to every parent.

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