Jake Allen has earned many titles throughout his life and career, but the one he values most is father.
A proud dad of three young girls, the 35-year-old became an ambassador for The Jersey Girls Hockey Club, appearing in all promotional materials to help grow the game among young female athletes.
Last season, the New Jersey Devils goaltender sat down with The Hockey News for a quick Q&A to discuss fatherhood and how he learned to balance family and hockey.
The Hockey News: I know it is a hard question to answer, but can you take me back to that moment you held your first daughter for the first time?
Jake Allen: Yeah, it is a tough moment to describe, really. It is just so many different emotions, especially the first time. You have no clue, and so many things are going through your head. Obviously, your wife, first and foremost, and then the baby. It is thinking about your parents, and they did this to you, and you sort of can't believe you are in that position. It is a feeling you can't really describe, and I don't think I will ever be able to put it into the right words, but I think it is my ultimate purpose.
THN: Is it the same feeling every time one of your children is born?
Allen: It is, but you're a little bit more comfortable. Now, I know what's going on. I know how to hold the baby; I am not going to drop her. I know the whole process, but the same emotions are there.
I don't think you feel like you are going to faint every time.
THN: Is being a girl dad something you always envisioned for yourself? It has to be the best.
Allen: It is. I wouldn't want it any other way. Both my family and my wife's family have a lot of history of girls, so we think there's definitely some coincidence there. I wouldn't have it any other way; it is meant to be.
THN: I assume you are well-versed in all the Disney princesses at this point?
Allen: Yeah, I have been to Disney a few times. I have been through the rotation three different times now, so it just keeps the cycle going.
THN: Can you talk about your girls' interest in hockey?
Allen: They participate in the Jersey Girls Hockey Club. They started learning to skate when I was in Montreal. They definitely have interest. They love everything that has to do with the arena. They love coming to the rink. I am a rink rat and here most days off, and I bring them in a lot.
They love the whole idea, but they haven’t grasped that I can’t play forever. That is one thing they don’t understand. That someday hockey has to be done. I try to tell them to make these moments count.
THN: When you were younger, having that moment with your kids by the glass was something you looked forward to eventually experiencing, and how much do you cherish it now?
Allen: You cherish it now.
I think (back then) you never really envisioned yourself that way. You (looked at your older teammates) and thought, holy cow, these guys are so much older than me. It is just different parts of life, right? It is probably the same here; if you ask some of the young guys, some of them barely have one item of food in the refrigerator, let alone have a kid in their life. I was that same way at that point, too.
It is definitely a growing appreciation. Every game I see my daughters there, I appreciate it. It always puts a smile on my face and decompresses me. I think if you ask a lot of dads, it gives you a little bit of a breather. You don’t have to be locked in as much; it is more about going out there and playing. Those moments I definitely appreciate.
THN: What is the key to balancing hockey and family?
Allen: It is different for everyone. Everyone goes about it differently. That is parenting, life, and hockey. There are no set rules. You've got to do what works for you and works with your family.
It is really hard to do, especially when you have different situations in your career and you are in your season, but really you try to leave it all here (at the rink). I spend four or five hours here a day. That is plenty, and it should be enough to do your work, your mental work, and everything you need to do, and just leave it here. Trust me, when I go home, I don't have a whole lot of time to think about hockey. It's time to go to school; you have activities after school, you are making dinner, doing this, and doing that. It is more about keeping the hockey where the hockey is supposed to be, and at home, you are supposed to just be dad.
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