I really love all the layers to the title “Role Model” for Rachel’s 5th book.
Troy spent years with terrible role models — first his father, and then Dallas Kent. And at the start of the book, we see that he has finally recognized that Kent was a horrible person and no longer sees him as someone to emulate.
And then of course, when he arrives in Ottawa, Troy is quite lost. He isn’t even sure who he is or wants to be anymore, or how he can belong on this new team.
Over the course of the book, Harris acts as a role model to Troy by being an example of being out and proud and comfortable with who he is — and of how to be kind and uplifting to others. Both things that Troy wants to do and has the capacity for, but needed some help figuring out how.
And then of course, Ilya is a role model to Troy as a mentor and captain. He takes Troy under his wing and helps him feel welcome with the team, but even more than that, he also encourages him to be brave and pursue what makes him happy.
Even though he’s only in one scene of the book, I feel like Troy’s interactions with and thoughts about Scott Hunter are also very important with the theme/title. Troy had to hide his admiration for a long time, but we know that he sees Scott as a huge role model as both a player as well as for his bravery and coming out journey. And seeing them interact and Scott commending Troy for speaking out against Kent and his advocacy for SA victims was a big moment for Troy, I think. One of his own personal role models was encouraging him to be brave and do the right thing — something he’d struggled with for so long!
And then we get the climax of the book, when Troy finally rejects his longest (and arguably most toxic) role model, his piece of shit father. And once he lets that go, he is finally ready to allow himself to use the lessons he’s learned about bravery and goodness and embracing happiness by coming out publicly and becoming a role model for other queer players.
I feel like there are some great underlying themes in that book about both choosing who you see as a role model and how you let them inspire you, as well as how you find the strength and integrity to be a good person and become a role model for others.
And I just think it’s kinda neat 🤷🏻♀️
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