Page:Hockey, Canada's Royal Winter Game.djvu/54

 Alcoholic drinks, with the possible exception of an occasional glass of porter, should be strictly eschewed.

Warm baths taken too often, or indulged in for too long a time, have a strong tendency to render a man weak and slow, and even a dip every morning in cold water is injurious to a man in training.

It is said that more graves are dug with the teeth than with the spade. If this be true, a hockey player should be careful to eat only digestible foods, and in a manner that will not injure his digestion.

A hockey player who wishes to put himself into the pink of condition, should, difficult as it may be, avoid eating pies and pastry of any description. All trainers advise against the use of these.

Practice makes perfect.

The rule that is applied to other things, stands good in hockey.

It is wrong to imagine that a great deal of practice will make a perfect player out of any man, but careful, assiduous work will enable a person to approach the degree of perfection to which his powers, as a physical and a thinking athlete, will allow him to attain and will make perfect that man who has the qualities necessary to a perfect athlete. Besides strengthening his muscles, increasing his wind, helping