Confidence Game and Skater’s Edge

Even though hockey season is over, that doesn’t mean that we can’t still obsess over it, or rather, I can obsess over it. We attended a Dave Reece (DR) Skater’s Edge class, and this time around, I joined in the fun. He encourages parents to come out and skate, and thankfully he’s very lenient on the old folks and doesn’t expect us to do the drills, which are pretty interesting. That does not mean, however, that parents don’t benefit from going out and trying their best. This is beneficial on a number of levels.

First off, it sets a good example for your kids, because they see you taking it seriously and then they can’t call you a hypocrite for telling them to take it seriously. It’s also a great way to skate with your kids, and as every adult knows, we are all a little too adept at avoiding challenges and embracing the safety and comfort of our routines, so much so that we’ve all lost sight of the importance of personal growth. The only way we grow is to accept challenges, and let me tell you, doing these skating classes is a challenge. Finally, your kids will get an enormous kick out of seeing mom or dad falling on their behind, no question about it.

The parents who do skate with the class generally take it easy, because you can get pretty hurt doing some of those drills. It’s all about edge work, and these kids get really into it. There are some amazingly accomplished skaters. I noticed at the later ages that the classes are predominantly girls, and I’d heard that boys stop attending at some point but the girls are always ready to improve their skating. A telling observation, wouldn’t you say?

Either way, the previous class, I sat on the sidelines and regretted not bringing my skates. There were a few dads who skated casually, but one mom was out there doing all the drills. Kudos to her for that. This time, even though I was pensive, I laced up my skates and went for it. It was a blast, and DR even thanked me for coming out and helping, even though I did nothing.

After class, DR pointed A out and said she was making huge improvements, and even invited her to do some workouts he was leading with a U12 team. How cool is that? We couldn’t make it, but it was nice that noticed A’s hard work, and it’s good to inspire her brother, who tends to work a little harder and be a little more aggressive when his sister is in his presence. The beauty of sibling rivalry.

The kids did a great job in their respective games, and N’s team was a little short-handed, so the kids that did show up got lots of ice time. Consequently, N was a little more involved, and rather than sitting back and watching things progress, he got into the mix. In fact, he was great to watch, carrying the puck, fighting for possession, and even scoring a hat trick. He did such a nice job, and he felt good about himself. Just goes to show you what hard work can get you. In fact, our new motto is “Hard work will get you farther in life than natural talent.” At least that’s what I think.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to anonymouscoward for the pic.