If you’re 25 you can get good at anything in 10 years. I play hockey with lots of guys that started in their 20s and they play just as well as the rest of us now(40s)
At some point 10+ years of adult development will get you pretty good at something, but being competitive beyond say a high-school varsity level with a late start is very difficult.
And then you are part of that community just like any other guy.
He was not talking about joinikg NHL.