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MILWAUKEE, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sihong (Steve) Guo, an ice hockey player under the Ruichi Consulting banner, shared his ice hockey journey in a recent exclusive interview with Tencent News where he reflected on his growth from a young novice to competing on the international stage, talking in depth about his aspirations for the future.

Paving the path to an ice hockey dream through perseverance

From the beginning of his journey to pursue his dreams, Steve Guo chose a challenging yet more efficient path that saw him going to the United States for high school at the age of 14. There he faced the pressure of balancing academics and professional training, recalling, "During my time in high school in the U.S., I felt that the most important thing was time management. I needed to quickly get used to the workload and assignments for each class and plan how much time to allocate to each subject," an approach that allowed him to maintain excellent grades while reserving enough time and energy for training and competitions. 

In November 2022, the NCAA Division III season began, where Guo collaborated closely with his teammates, scoring a goal, providing an assist, and delivering an impressive performance. However, when reflecting on the key to his success, he humbly said, "I think I just got lucky. Even though I've been playing hockey in the U.S. for many years, when facing older, more skilled, and experienced players, I still have a lot to learn." This April, Guo was selected for the roster of players in Group B of the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, becoming a member of the Chinese national team. Guo summed up during the interview, "You can always find someone who plays hockey better than you but how far you go depends on whether you're willing to learn from them."

Unwavering dedication ignited a burning passion on the ice

From the age of five when he first put on skates to showcasing his skills on the international stage at 22, Steve Guo's 17-year sports career is a testament to his love for ice hockey. At 14, he went alone to the United States for high school to receive more professional and systematic training, where he faced the high intensity of competitions, daily training, and academic pressure. Guo struck a balance between academics and training, striving to be closer to those who were better than him. Even in the off-season, he maintained high-intensity training, responding to his love for the sport with discipline and determination.

His efforts were rewarded, and ice hockey gave Guo positive feedback. At 17, he was awarded the title of China's National First-Class Athlete and in the 2019 National Men's Ice Hockey Championship, he was named Most Valuable Player in one game. At 18, he was invited to represent the Chinese National U18 Team in the Men's Ice Hockey Youth Championship. At 20, he received an NCAA ice hockey special admission offer from the century-old Milwaukee School of Engineering in the United States, and later became the first Chinese player to score in that tournament. At 22, he was selected for the roster of the 2024 IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship Group B and became a member of the Chinese national team.

Bravely writing his impressive life story in a relaxed, uncomplacent manner

Regarding his future, many people are curious whether Steve Guo will pursue a professional career. However, he deeply understands the challenges of being a professional player, so he frankly admits that if the opportunity arises, he will certainly strive for it, but he won't let that path trap him. Whether or not he becomes a professional player, ice hockey will always be a sport he loves and an important part of his life.

Having gained so much from ice hockey, Guo also feels a responsibility to encourage more people to experience the joy of the sport, saying, "Happiness is the most important thing, because only when you're happy can you put in more love and effort. If you want to be a good athlete, you must first be a good person." In the future, he also plans to take on more responsibility in promoting ice hockey, allowing more people to enjoy the fun it brings.