This 36-Year-Old Accountant Just Made His NHL Debut, and It Shows Why You Should Always Keep Your Skills Sharp Be ready for opportunity.

By Nina Zipkin

Chase Agnello-Dean | Getty Images

You never know when opportunity will strike, so you should always be prepared. A prime example of rising to the occasion happened during the Thursday night NHL matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets.

After the Blackhawks lost their first and second string goalies to injuries, they called in emergency backup Scott Foster.

As his title might suggest, Foster isn't usually logging time on the ice. He attends Chicago home games in case he's needed, but usually his evenings are spent having dinner and watching his teammates play.

Related: Revealing the 70 Most Entrepreneurial Superstars in Sports

The 36-year-old Foster is the married dad of two and his day job is pretty prosaic, though probably busy this time of year -- he's an accountant. He was a college player who now keeps up his skills in two recreational leagues.

So when duty called, he made it happen.

He signed a contract, put on the uniform and stepped into the rink. And he handled himself admirably. He stopped all seven shots that came his way and helped the Blackhawks secure a 3-1 victory.

Related: 15 Motivational Quotes From Legends in Sports

"A few hours ago I was sitting on the computer typing on a 10-key," Foster told reporters after the game. "Now I'm standing in front of you guys having just finished 14 and a half minutes of NHL hockey."

How do you keep your skills sharp? Let us know in the comments.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

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