"God gives so much more than just results – most of all, (He gives) His own Son, whom we get to celebrate this season with thankful hearts."
—Silas Matthys, TWU alumnus and goalie at Swiss professional ice hockey team EHC Olten
Reposted from the Swiss German-language daily newspaper Aargauer Zeitung:
Silas Matthys, TWU alumnus (MBA, 2020) and goalie at EHC Olten, talks about being a faithful Christian and a professional athlete.
"I was brought up in a family based on Christian values. At the same time, however, I grew up being a hockey player.
Hockey was my identity and my focus, and so I was fortunate to sign a pro deal coming out of junior hockey back in 2012. Only a year later in 2013, the team had to go into bankruptcy, which changed my life drastically; and I didn’t know anymore how to move forward with my hockey career.
A 'providential' journey to Canada
What at first seemed to be an unfortunate event turned out to be a blessing in disguise. As a 20-year-old, I ended up at a Christian university in Canada. I did not seek out this kind of setting at all. At the time, not university, nor Canada, nor faith were what I was focused on. Looking back, the fact that this was the door that had opened to me, I can only see it as providential. My time at Trinity Western University was extremely enriching. There I was able to grow as a person in my character, in my academics, and as an athlete. Further, I met a lot of young people who lived their faith authentically – a faith that was at the core of who they were; that defined them – which impacted me greatly.
Faith beyond 'just a tradition'
To me, faith is a personal relationship to Jesus Christ and the acceptance of his love and mercy. I was able to experience how faith is more than just a tradition. I felt that there was a specific reason why I ended up in Canada. I decided to have an open-heart posture, to ask questions, and to dive in to find out who Jesus really is, and what it means to be a Christian. Not only did my whole worldview begin to change, but most notably, my own heart did as well.
My values changed and I started to orient my life after how Jesus lived. I realized that I myself need to and am able to change, through Him. Around that time, I started to wrestle more deeply with myself: with my own shortcomings and worldly dependencies. I began to ask myself who I truly was. Up until this point in time, what defined me was hockey: all my life I had been focused on athletic achievement and myself. I was unable to imagine my life without hockey.
Finding true satisfaction
I had to learn that if performance and worldly pleasure is all you seek after, eventually you will reach a point of complete emptiness. The never-ending stress and pressure to preform will never lead to true satisfaction. Every win and every championship – no matter how much you invest – is only temporary and of no substance. Do not get me wrong, I am still just as competitive; I still hate losing the same way, and I still give my absolute best to get better and to win each game. Although, that is not all that matters to me anymore. My focus has shifted. To me, playing hockey is the expression of my God-given talents. I try to honour God by giving everything that I have and remaining thankful, no matter the outcome. What I ended up realizing is that I am a child of God, freely able to experience his love and mercy. This completely transformed how I view my life and my hockey career. The Lord is the reason I play this game, and I would stop playing immediately if I felt there was something new He was calling me to.
Faith in every circumstance
The world I work in is a superficial one with values that often starkly contrast my own. Nevertheless, it allows me to compete at the highest level, and to invest into relationships and people that I would not be able to otherwise. I have been able to rely on my faith in situations where my life and career were uncertain, whether that be where I would play upon returning from Canada, or in times when I have been in-between contracts. Now I do not feel like it would be the end of the world, or that I would lose everything, if my career wouldn’t go on. I now know that God would continue to lead my family and I, even outside of hockey. That being said, it is a privilege to be here in Olten, and I am thankful that hockey is still a part of my life.
Gratitude along the way
I mark each of my goalie sticks with a cross, and on my mask I have John 3:16 and Ephesians 3:20 inscribed. Most of my teammates know that I am a Christian, though the topic does not come up that frequently. When we are together as a team, performance is always the main focus, though at times deeper discussions do come about. Prior to games, I pray. It helps calm my nerves and gives me strength. In those moments, I realize it is a privilege to glorify God despite the outcome. When we win a game, I give glory to God and am thankful. When we lose, it helps me to bring my emotions to the Lord. Because of this, negative outcomes do not shake my faith. With God, it is not like going to a vending machine and for three prayers you end up with a win. God gives so much more than just results – most of all, (He gives) His own Son, whom we get to celebrate this season with thankful hearts.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has five campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, Ottawa, and Bellingham, WA. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca