Stanley Cup Dreams

Note: This is a version of a column that I had published in the April 12, 2011 edition of the Kings County Record.  

 

It is that great time of year when the Leaf fans are spending their evenings raking the yard and prepping their gardens while the Canadiens fans are glued to their televisions hollering loudly as Carey Price makes a remarkable save on a blast from Zdeno Chara.  My hockey season, much like the Leaf's is over.  I wrote last fall that I was coaching an Initiation hockey program.  That team just finished up their season.  There is no Stanley Cup, no big contracts, or promotion deals but to me it was hockey at its best.

To watch kids step on the ice for the first time is very entertaining.  Some were fearful, some clumsy, and some were just naturals.  No matter how good they were, when they took that first full stride, their face would light up with such pride and joy I couldn't help but feel their excitement.  They overcame the first challenge with ease.  From that first stride the kids made huge improvements throughout the season.  Unlike the pros, the kids don't suffer slumps or ups and downs during the season.  Every game they show improvement and win the personal battles while honing their game skills.

Another aspect I noticed was how many of them responded to competition.  I have always been a believer in healthy competition and its ability to bring out the best in people.  Watching how much more effort some kids put out to win a relay race and to watch them improve over the span of that short race has further affirmed that belief.  A child who can't focus their attention long enough to listen to an explanation on how to complete a drill, suddenly watches and cheers on his teammates as they run through a grueling relay.  If they lose they are more than eager to try it again in hopes that they can improve and win.  This illustrates how the competitive drive pushes people to improve.

Sport at this level is much more pure than at the pro level in my mind.  The kids at this level usually aren't even sure what the score is so they are simply playing to play.  The score only matters at the end of game and then, only if you can get their attention long enough to let them know that it was "a tie game."  Once off the ice the kids immediately start to focus on what kind of donut they want at Tim Horton's after the game.  They talk loudly about who has the biggest "Bakugan" collection or asking their parents if their newly formed friend can come over and hang out.  They aren't dwelling on the missed shot or the botched call by the referee.  It was always up beat in the room after the ice time which made it very enjoyable.

It is a great reward to watch a young kid improve throughout the season.  As a reward for the kids this year we took them to a Saint John Seadogs game.  I was amazed to see in my own son how much his understanding of the game has advanced.  This was something I did not focus on as a coach so he simply picked up this aspect of the game himself.  It is likely that all the kids were growing in this manner and so next year I better adapt my coaching approach.

Blessed Day

A little over a week ago I had one of those days.  You know the kind.  A day that memories are not really made, but life is none the less made richer.  A day where everything just seemed right.  A day where there just seemed to be God's light shining on everything you did.  By no stretch was the day special, but it was personally rewarding.  As I made my way home at the end of the day I knew exactly who to thank as I smiled to myself as everyone else slept during the drive.

In the morning I coached my son's hockey practice and the practice ran smoothly with the kids having lots of fun.  They smiled as the coaching team ran them through the drills and I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment with this simple task I was doing.  After practice my wife and I took the kids to Tim Horton's for a treat and we all laughed and relaxed while sitting in the eating area of the cafe.  At this point I thought to myself "What a great Canadian morning."

A memory in the making, thanks for the picture Michelle.

At home that afternoon I played and wrestled with the kids and that bright feeling continued.  My son's excitement for what was to come that night was growing.  As we loaded the car up, the kids and I dropped my wife off at work before heading to Saint John.  Before leaving Sussex though we stopped for a quick supper at McDonalds, my son's favorite place to eat.

The weather on the drive down was excellent and the kids laughed and sang as we enjoyed each others silliness.  Our first stop in Saint John was my sister and brother in-law's to drop off my daughter.  They had agreed to babysit her while my son and I headed to a hockey game.  Seth is a big Saint John Seadogs fan and was excited to go watch them play.  We walked through the pedway system in Saint John and Seth was amazed by all the people and by the fact we could walk inside, while seeming to be outside.  We obviously don't get him to the city enough.

This would be the second game he would see and the first one was too loud for him.  This time we went prepared with some earplugs.  As it would turn out he wouldn't need them.  He danced like a maniac trying to get himself up on the big screen to no avail but we had fun trying.  He pigged out on ice cream and cotton candy and head bobbed to the music throughout the entire game.  Even when the Seadogs scored one of the many goals they scored and the siren echoed inside the Station he cheered.  He no longer minded the noise that once bothered him as he was to enthralled by the blimp flying over head or by Fleaburn to be bothered by noise.  The Seadogs won handly that game with some great hockey but I didn't even notice the game as much as I was watching my son grow up in front of me.  Over the two hours we were there my son seemed to age his entire 5 years and I realized how thankful I was to have him in my life.

After the game we picked up Shaylee and did our best not to wake her for the ride home.  As Seth faded to sleep I turned on some light music and was overcome by that bright immense feeling of happiness again.  I said a little prayer with only my wife's absence being the only dark part of the day, but even that is worth being thankful for as we are both willing and capable of working to provide.

It was truly a blessing, this day I now write about.  I hope you can take the time to see these days when they happend and give thanks for all those small moments.