If it’s a Saturday or Sunday you are bound to find the Holland family rink-side ready for their next minor hockey game. Jason Holland now coaches for his 6-year-old son Max’s hockey team with the same excitement and passion he had on the ice playing professional hockey in Europe and the NHL for over two decades. After retirement Jason says a whirlwind of change came along with the transition, but it all happened at the perfect time. “I became a dad, which is incredible. We had two kids in two years, Grace and Max, and being a parent is so much fun,” says Holland.
Jason’s passion and past with hockey still weaves its way into day-to-day life at the Holland household, catching Oiler’s games with the family on a regular basis and sharing lessons learned on the ice with Max. Holland says he’s worked hard to refocus the professionalism and drive he had in hockey, into finding the right real estate investments for his clients.
“I always gave hockey everything I had. I focused a lot on professionalism and being a hard working player and I think I’ve really tried to carry those things forward into our business.”
Real estate has been a passion of Jason’s from an early age.
“I actually started investing in properties when I was 22 years old,” he says. “A lot of players can struggle a bit with what they want to do after hockey, but I always knew real estate was the right fit for me.”
Jason was born in Morinville, Alberta and after spending so many years on the road with hockey he wanted to set down roots back at home and help serve a community he himself was passionate about and connected to.
“What excites me about real estate is there are just so many options, from renting out properties, to flipping or even just renovating. I love the challenge of trying to find the right fit for anyone we work with.”
For the Holland’s, minor hockey is more than just a fun past time. “If you live here, you get it. There’s such a kinship between players and their families,” says Holland. “It’s a common thread between all of us, whether you have kids or not, chances are you’ve been out to a community rink to support a young player in your life and that connection to community is what makes it so worth it for us.”
Jason also recognizes the importance minor hockey can have for young kids growing up.
“Any team sport really is a great avenue for kids to learn about adversity, to build those interpersonal relationships and to persevere through challenges,” he says. “Having that team experience just gives them an opportunity develop crucial life skills.”
With a thriving real estate business and a two great kids at home, the Holland’s are certainly not ones to take what they have for granted.
“Kerri and I both try to stay connected to the community we serve as much as possible, so I coach and we also support Canadian Cancer Society, YouCan Youth Services as well as the Stollery,” says Holland.
“We totally get that not every family has an easy road. I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to have a child who’s receiving treatment at the Stollery, so we do what we can and a portion of every transaction we do goes back to the hospital.”
To many, life as a professional hockey player may seem glamorous and exciting but for Holland, it’s life after hockey and a future filled with family, community and incredible clients that he’s most proud of.
Posted by Kerri-lyn Holland on
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