The Hockey Life

Okay, like it or not (I’m the former), we’ve become a hockey family, and it’s almost comical. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how much R has come on board, and it’s a testament to how much she weight she places on the kid’s happiness, because the chaos and disorder that have inundated our lives are not the sort of qualities that she aspires to. Nonetheless, she is completely supportive of it all, mainly because she’s so happy that N has found his thing, at least for now. Somewhere down the line he may grow weary of hockey, it’s a pretty serious commitment, but for now, he’s loving it, and we’re loving it, too.

First off, there is the equipment, not just acquiring it, but taking care of it, as well. I don’t know if you’ve spent much time around hockey rinks, but one thing that really strikes you is the smell. Hockey players wreak, not unlike dirty socks, only stronger. Much stronger. Sometimes I wonder if they wear their aroma like a badge, but when those guys (adults, the kids don’t smell so bad, yet) come out of the locker room, the smell almost knocks me off my feet.

I can see where it comes from, the equipment gets soaked with sweat, but a little effort can help curb the problem, or asset, depending on your POV. After every skating session, we hang up all the equipment on the laundry line and let it dry for at least 24 hours, if not longer. It was fairly simple with just N, but now that A and I both have gotten into the act, we are talking serious amounts of equipment. Somehow R manages to get it all on the line.

Over the holiday break, we pretty much did one thing-you guessed it, hockey. Union Arena had open stick ice times every day, and we went to every single one, I kid you not. N was totally enthused about it all, and as long he was into it, I was fine with it, as well. I figured that he would be tired at some point, but every day, he asked if there was open stick, and sure enough, we were off and running. Personally, I had a blast, but I have to confess, I was pretty tired by the end of it all.

The winter has been lousy in terms of snow, but this worked out well for hockey, because all the people who came up to ski came to play hockey, instead. We had these amazing pick-up hockey games, with tons of young kids and several dads, who for the record were accomplished players in their own right. I was able to play because my role was really one of support, so all I had to do was play defense, get the puck, and once I had it, make sure I passed it to my son. The better youngsters are talented but not necessarily inclined to pass to the younger players, so that’s where the dads come in.

We had so much fun, and N got a lot out of it. Not only did he stay in shape and maintain his form during the long break, but he got some good ice time and really built up his confidence, a key aspect to this game. I see it in his play, he’s more assertive and confident, and willing to get into the mix and jostle a bit. I love it.

To add to the fun, A has gotten into the act, as well, and this is good on a number of levels. Not only is it great exercise, but playing a little hockey does wonders for your skating. Not that she needed it, but she is a little less physical than her brother, and you can see her confidence on the ice really growing. Plus, some of her friends are hockey players, and it opens up new avenues to meet other kids and find common ground. It’s loads of fun, making skating that much more interesting, and it helps her confidence knowing that she can do something that maybe she felt she wasn’t capable of at first. Plus, she’s good, better than she gives herself credit for, but the key thing is she’s at least trying it. Like Woody Allen said, 87% of life is just showing up. Even our cat is getting into the act.

Okay, as a final note on our hockey lives, for New Year’s Eve, what do you think we did? We went to the Dartmouth hockey game. They played a weekend tournament, culminating on New Year’s Eve, and I have to say, it was a great way to spend the evening. There were tons of families there, and we saw many of our friends. We went to both nights, and the players were incredible. I can’t believe how fast they skate and handle the puck, and we had a great time. I think we’ll go to more games, because they’re an affordable way to have a nice night out.

Now that the holidays are over, we can back to our regular lives... of hockey. We wouldn’t want it any other way, now would we?

Happy new year and until the next time, thanks for reading.