Being a Hockey Parent

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Wanger

AWESOME pic, EJ!



...and I dig the jersey.



Hope you guys don't mind that I comment and follow what you go through with your kids and hockey, even though mine don't play. It's a religion here in MN, and I guess I'm raising heathens. At least when we took them all to the WCHA Final Five title game, they loved it.

I appreciate the comments Mike...

[Ahbroody]

This weekend went from low to high.
Fridays development scrim was a joke. Without getting into particulars I will just say the teams were supposed to be b squad b goalie, a squad a goalie. This didnt happen. The boy was very frustrated at the end of the game. I think playing against a boy possibly 2 who will be squirt in the fall when your playing mite b squad in a dwvelopment game will do that.

Today was awesome though. The skated on line 1 during sprints and kept up with qnd beat some kids. Scored a nice hustle goal in the scrim driving the net. Dad got a fat had when one of the coaches thought he was a late 04 and was suprised to find out he was a late 05. The coach was talking about Micahs drive and lack of fear and hustle. He let him double shift multiple times stating it was more important that he wanted to do it and was trying then the fact he was running out of gas at the end of the shift.

The high point for dad came in the locker room after the practice when the head coach was talking to some parents about issues with some boys maturity and acting like 5 year olds. I dont know whatvboys he was referencing or if it was just boys in general. He then stops himself and address Micah infront of everyone and says how its actually not fair to say 5 year olds because there are 5 year olds like Micah who play like responsible 8 year olds. He said "Micahs all business out there on the ice." Its nice when your kid gets noticed for the right reasons and just a touch sweeter when it happens on fathers day.

While he wont make the Hawks in the fall its nice that they have clearly been very positive about him and it seems when hes mite age level next year he should have a good chance of making the club. Fridays game really jelped me decide he should play for the Cougars mite club this year and not the Stars based on talent of the kids. He should have a more positive experience.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

The high point for dad came in the locker room after the practice when the head coach was talking to some parents about issues with some boys maturity and acting like 5 year olds. I dont know whatvboys he was referencing or if it was just boys in general. He then stops himself and address Micah infront of everyone and says how its actually not fair to say 5 year olds because there are 5 year olds like Micah who play like responsible 8 year olds. He said "Micahs all business out there on the ice." Its nice when your kid gets noticed for the right reasons and just a touch sweeter when it happens on fathers day.

THAT IS AWESOME! Good stuff and it is not only a positive reflection for Micah, but telling of how you have raised him, Mike.

[Ahbroody]

Well we have been in a bit of a mouthguard exploration period. Trying a couple of different mouth guards. I have wanted to try one of these. http://www.protechguard.com/Default.asp based on a review by hockeyus on youtube. Anyway today found a working 10% off coupon and bought a double pack. Coupon code is JRDERBY. Will report back how it goes. He was playing with the brainpad and really liked the feel, the issue was and is drinking and speaking is impossible with it. Everytime he wanted a drink hes pulling off the cage and its a pain.

[J0eybb]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

Well we have been in a bit of a mouthguard exploration period. Trying a couple of different mouth guards. I have wanted to try one of these. http://www.protechguard.com/Default.asp based on a review by hockeyus on youtube. Anyway today found a working 10% off coupon and bought a double pack. Coupon code is JRDERBY. Will report back how it goes. He was playing with the brainpad and really liked the feel, the issue was and is drinking and speaking is impossible with it. Everytime he wanted a drink hes pulling off the cage and its a pain.

I stopped using my mouth guard. I am to vocal. Let me know how it goes.

[E.J.]

I'll have to watch the video at home, no go at work....

[Ahbroody]

Uh you have a droid just watch it on the youtube app. Friggin newb.

Joe there are multiple on line vendors you can get a custom built from for around 100. I cant do a custom for him as his jaw is growing and hes losing teeth it would be replaced at least once a year. Apparently this product has really taken off in the rollerderby ( yeah apparently thats popular again). What im interested in is the fact you can reshape it and see if we can get it to fit tight enough where it will lock in like its supposed to.

[Ahbroody]

Got his new skates today after I had to track down the UPS driver eating his lunch as he couldnt find my house. Focking UPS sucks or atleast our drivers. I have had them deliver packages to the wrong address and multiple times not be able to find the house but deliver to the house next door.


Going to take him to pubskate tonight. I guess he fell pretty good today in the summer school program my wife has him in to get him ready for school next year. Nice shin bone bruise so I am not taking him to the Stars practice.

I said it before, the youth Graf skates are the toughest skates made. Those boots took a beating for a year and still are structurally good. They look hamered for little kids skates close up. He is hard on his skates though.

[E.J.]

Get those green laces switched over.....

What did those run you Mike?

Originally Posted by E.J.

Get those green laces switched over.....

Keep the laces.

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

He is hard on his skates though.

Someone was hard on those skates.

Even with regular sharpening, those blades should not have looked THAT much different than the brand new ones after only one year of use.

[Ahbroody]

Originally Posted by ahc4353

What did those run you Mike?

A pint of blood. 130ish shipped. Westside skate in NY. Graf only does the yoith skates once a year in August so once the sell you get to hunt them down. In August I will be buying the next size. These wont last as long hes growing already.

Originally Posted by Eleven

Someone was hard on those skates.

Even with regular sharpening, those blades should not have looked THAT much different than the brand new ones after only one year of use.

Yeah I found a sharpener I think we will be sticking with. So hopefully this problem is over. I took his old ones in amd he explained why they were being done wrong and how he would do them.


EJ I grabbed him the graf yellow laces in his size when I grabbed them. When he got home from the math enrichment program my wife has him in he gets all jacked when he sees them runs over, but immediately says "wheres my green laces" I cant complain its the only dusty thing he likes to do.

Took him out last night he was happy actually having some toe on his skates. Skated well and was much more confident in doing transitions at speed.

[E.J.]

the Little Man moved to black laces and I like it SOOOOOO muchbetter thanhis orange laces... Don't knowif I have pics of them yet....

[Ahbroody]

http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html

[E.J.]

Was just looking through all the PFD's, wanted to see if they gave a % breakdown by sport, but couldn't find anything.....

[E.J.]

The girl is playing at 5:30 and then the boy at 6:45, same rink...

I don't know if I remember this ever happening.....

(pics to follow)

[Ahbroody]

Well after speaking with a few coaches from the Hawks and a couple of parents we are not going to have Micah play travel mite Cougars this year. We are going to have him play up in age at house mite jr. Sharks still, but not at the travel level.

The Hawks coaches and I were discussing the new boundry rule that went into effect for the upcoming season. Basically we are smack in the middle of the boundries for the Cougars and Hawks. Literally 11 miles from both rinks. The Jr.Sharks disolved their mite club so the Hawks control that boundry area for the Jr. Sharks rink at the mite level where this matters. Norcal hockey has now instituted a rule where geographic boundries control what club you can play for at the mite level. Once you play for a club if the boundries are close a petition may be required to leave the club and apparently the club can refuse to release you under the new boundry rule.

The Hawks coaches have been great and very positive about Micah, but you can tell they just think he needs the extra year to get bigger and get better in certain areas. In the end the comment that stuck with me the most was why rush him focus on the areas he needs to improve so hes ready next year. While having him play travel a year early may be cute the coach reminded me there are kids that may take a run at him and whats the point of risking it when hes technically not old enough to play mite. There are weekly skating skills classes I can put him in if he plays sharks mite inhouse and a secondary league if he wants to play an extra game each week as well as the roller hockey he likes to play saturday morning. So in the end we decided the Hawks coaches seem to have his best intrest in mind and have a lot of experience in this area._

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

Norcal hockey has now instituted a rule where geographic boundries control what club you can play for at the mite level. Once you play for a club if the boundries are close a petition may be required to leave the club and apparently the club can refuse to release you under the new boundry rule.

You need a Long Porch! Ever seen "The Tournament"? Canadian TV series about insane hockey parents. One guy was building a 'long porch' to extend his property over to the 'good teams' geographic boundaries!


(Btw, I'm kid-less this week, just dropped my kid off in Buffalo for a hockey camp!)

W00t!

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Eleven

You need a Long Porch! Ever seen "The Tournament"? Canadian TV series about insane hockey parents. One guy was building a 'long porch' to extend his property over to the 'good teams' geographic boundaries!