Dragon encourages students to explore life and learn
Derek Neary
Northern News Services
Fort Simpson (Mar 16/01) - Hockey played a big part in Joe Dragon's life, but education gave him control of his future life.
Dragon talked to students at the Mackenzie Regional Youth Conference last week.
He recounted how the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him after his prolific second season with the Cornell University hockey team.
But a combined degree in Natural Resources and Business, Management and Marketing opened the doors that have assured his future.
Dragon grew up in Fort Smith, where, as a Metis, he shot his first moose at age 10 and bagged his first bear a year later. He loved hunting and trapping and he loved to skate.
After years of minor hockey and three Arctic Winter Games, Dragon played two seasons of junior hockey in Grande Prairie and then accepted a hockey scholarship at Cornell.
"When I was growing up in Fort Smith, some people said, "he could never do it," Dragon told the students.
The defeatists were almost right. Dragon nearly flunked out in his first year, but turned to a tutor for assistance. He reminded students that seeking help can make the difference between success and failure.
After graduating in 1992, Dragon gave himself two years to crack the Penguins' roster. He spent those two years bouncing around the minor leagues and undergoing knee operations, then hung up his skates.
Dragon returned to the North and worked as a biologist. It allowed him to tag 85 polar bears in Resolute Bay, among other things. He now works as a senior policy advisor for RWED, and is due to complete his Ph.D. from the University of Alberta this fall.
"If you want to do something, go out and do it," he urged the students.
"That's the only way it's going to get done, nobody's going to do it for you."
Dragon said his travels taught him that, while the North is a great place to live, there's a lot to see in the world.
"Life is about experiences. Life is not limited to Fort Simpson," he said. "Time goes by quickly and you don't realize it. So take advantage of it now."
Despite all his hard work, other people still had influence over his hockey career. Coaches and general managers could trade him or demote him to the minors. But nobody could deny him his degree from Cornell.
"Education is power. If you have education, nobody can take it away from you," he said.
