How We Did It
The Subban Plan for Success in Hockey, School, and Life
Lavin Exclusive Speaker
Karl Subban is the ultimate hockey dad. Despite never playing the sport, the former high school principal and father of five has raised 3 NHL Players. Having dedicated his life to helping others reach their potential, Subban knows the value of hard work, devotion, and sacrifice. And in his powerful talks—as well as his memoir, How We Did It—Subban explores teamwork and leadership through his unique perspective as an educator and the head of a successful hockey family—helping leaders, coaches, and mentors in their quest to shape the next generation.
In his thirty years of coaching, teaching, parenting, and leading, Karl Subban has learned how to inspire people. “Your greatest gift is your potential,” he often says, “and your greatest gift to the world is the development of that potential.” Hailing from the Caribbean, where he never played hockey, Subban has nonetheless raised three NHL players, including the now-Nashville Predators defenceman P.K. Subban—one of the league’s brightest stars and an Olympic Gold Medal winner. His new memoir, How We Did It: The Subban Plan for Success in Hockey, School, and Life has become an immediate, national bestseller. It’s a personal story of a unique journey—a saga that begins in Subban’s original home of Jamaica, explores his achievements as a father and educator in Canada, and stands as a must-read account of one of hockey’s most fascinating families. It’s Subban’s proven approach to resilience, perseverance, and goal-setting—and how to bring the best out of everyone.
As parents, Karl and his wife, Maria, have raised five accomplished children. Their two oldest daughters are teachers, one a record-setting university basketball star and the other an acclaimed visual artist. Each of their three sons, P.K., Malcolm and Jordan, have been drafted and signed by NHL teams. In 2018, Subban was recognized as a Canadian Men’s Health Foundation Champion for taking a stand for men’s health and supporting CMHF’s mission to inspire men to make small changes and live healthier lives.
The Million Dollar Question Subban is often asked about his family is, “How did you do it?” A natural storyteller, Subban mixes personal stories with lessons he learned as a coach and principal—lessons about motivation, grit, and accomplishment—that resonate with audiences from the boardroom to the classroom.