Being a Hockey Parent

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

The last pair of youth skates for my oldest boy. Will have to move to jrs next not looking forward to the price jump.

Ahhh the good old days.

We're now into the days of Adult skates and Senior sticks. All I can do now is look back fondly to when we could get a pair of skates for less than $100 and a stick for $30!

Now it's more like $500 and $200 respectively...and one stick isn't enough

[E.J.]

Great shot of the goal....

[E.J.]

Getting our asses handed to us in Rock Springs. Playing a U18 team and have lost twice, 5-4 & 8-5, down 3-0 & 4-0 to start the games. Unfortunately, seems to be a theam with this team lately, get down 2-3+ goals before the lights turn on?

LM is a plus for both games, but that doesn't make me feel any better about the losses stacking up...

[E.J.]

The size/strength of the U18 kids seems to be a tough task to overcome as a whole with our guys.... They're battling, we'll see if they can take game 3...

[E.J.]

Kicking it in the room, prior to the first game. Strange to travel to a tournament without Michelle or the Little One... Alone watching television, having a beer and some micro-popcorn.




Just helping out when he can....




Telling his goalie, "Nice save."




Celebrate!




Here's their transport....

[E.J.]

More celebrating!




OUCH!!!






Breaking up a rush....




Though he doesn't make it here near as much as with the HS team....he seems to want to visit when he can....

[E.J.]

HS went to 7-2 tonight. LM had a goal and an assist, actually didn't make it to the PB....

First point of the night, great slap shot that was redirected into the net... Just a nice place all the way around.







Put in a nice wrist shot for his goal.....

[E.J.]

Thanking the fans....

[E.J.]

You may notice the "DB" arm bands, it has been 2 years since our trustee, Dave Brown, fell on the ice and sustained injuries that would take his life.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30Af4...&feature=g-upl

[E.J.]

Couple from todays skate....

[E.J.]

[E.J.]

Then we went home for a quick shower and grabbed a few friends from her soccer team and headed back to the rink for a skate with Santa....

[Ahbroody]

Great pics of the girl. She seems to get the puck a lot lol. Definitely getting big. Nice to see her taking advantage of the boys.

Kid played a three games this past Sunday. One of the games was against the B squad from the club he left earlier this year. The coach who yelled all the time and didnt think M ever did anything good. He beat the B team pretty much on his own, thankfully that coach doesnt coach the B team. Final score 5-3. He had 3 goals and an assist. He even ran a kid or two over . Yesterday they said they were going to try to play their A squad this weekend. I told our team manager it was too soon for him and we would skip that game. Apparently M is viewed as the heart of the team as the manager said he understood and would just cancel if M wasnt going to play. I told him just do the game, but apparently he doesnt want to.

Third game we swore some of the kids were squirts. Never seen 8 year olds that big. We have 2 bigb8 year olds. They were smaller then half the team. It wasnt a league game so we think they just grabbed who ever could make the 2 hour drive. Team is from a ghetto area to put it nicely. The kids were pretty aggressive. Lot of slashing and tripping. Was funny to watch. M got tripped so he got up and started chopping wood on this kid. Watching a 7 year old chirp the $ hit out of another kid while skating down the ice is hilarious. His coach was laughing as well. A few shifts later his teamate got hacked so M skates over and shoulder checks the the kid who did it into the boards. Then not missing a beat boards another kid right next to that kid. The other teams parents started screaming. They werent really calling penalties obviously. His coach looks over at me and says man "M is so feisty". His nickname is apparently "lil $hit"

[E.J.]

One of her coaches from last year, is coaching the team we played above. He came over to me after with a big smile, said his kids were complaining that Ab's was too physical.... He really has a soft spot for her, as all her coaches have I guess....something about having a girl out there crushing against the boys. Not bad for a 7 year old girl, eh....


I think it is unfortunate that M is not going to play against that other team, I'd like to see him smoke 'um..... Guess that will happen in time & I'll enjoy hearing about it. I still have a sour taste in my mouth about that coach, couldn't imagine how I'd feel if I was dealing with it first hand....



We're heading to Idaho this weekend, I'm hoping that we have a very successful trip and come back with a lot of confidence heading into Phoenix for a Holiday tourney.

[Eleven]

My kid got a Christmas card in the mail from Kent Hockey Schools the other day. They do this every year, they send a picture of the coaches and a picture of your kid that they took at camp the previous summer. This was my kids pic. He said he went first (alphabetically) and after him, all the other boys started asking for the female counselors to joing in as well!

[E.J.]

^^^^Awesome!

Hockey players or just students helping with the camp?

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by E.J.

^^^^Awesome!

Hockey players or just students helping with the camp?

All the girls left after the initial check-in were skaters and somehow involved with the camp. There were a ton of students helping with the check in, but most left right after that. Same thing with the Selects Hockey camp in Buffalo, they use UofB students to help campers get to their rooms, check in, etc etc.

Cam pointed out a girl at check-in that looked exactly like Mila Kunis. The resemblance was uncanny. She had gone home before this pic was taken, or he would have had her in it

The Mila-lookalike wasn't a skater, but both of these girls were, and were there the whole week.

[E.J.]

Haven't gone through the pics tonight.... Crushed a team from up North.... It was a nice win and the boys played well and did just what they should have against this team. Could have scored 17-20....

Liked this off the bat... Just saying thanks to the other kids....

[Perpmor]

Originally Posted by E.J.

So this post has 2 parts.....

First.... The Little Man went away from Eagle gloves.... Don't know why this is disappointing to me, but it is all the same. He has had a pair on since he was 7 and now TPS.... Like always, I tell him, fit and function is key....and tossed him what was sure to be his next gloves(Eagle PPF's). Told him to try on a few pair of gloves while I chased his sister around, who was trying on every piece of equipment in the place. Anyway, came back and he had his gloves picked out... I am sure I must have given a look, because I got the response "They are what fit best, I LIKE THESE." Dad was just overruled for the first time in an equipment purchase..... (I still think the Eagle's felt better)

Second..... Just paid for this years USAHockey fee this morning. Purchased a new helmet(just because), shield(his old fishbowl was hammered), gloves and shin guards this afternoon...... Saturday I will pay this years rec hockey fees(his last year) and expect to hear shortly what this season of high school hockey(his first regular season, has been playing this Summer with the JV team) will be costing me.... It is a good damn thing I love this sport and being at the rink, because it is not exactly easy on my wallet.

Guess there could be worse things, right....I could be paying for travel leagues... (He also is going to make it into the new season in last years skates, so that is a nice treat)

In the end, I could not be happier to be working my way through this and cross my fingers that his sister catches the bug as well....


P.S. I'll get a box of cigars worth of cash out of his old stuff at the skate swap....

P.S.S. 2 more years and I don't have to taxi him to practices, drop in and stick & puck.

Thanks for sharing your experience you have nice son to keep you busy.

[E.J.]

Thanks!

Reading that brings back funny memories.... How things have changed in 2 years. The Little Man does now drive himself to practices, games and dryland.... It is quite a change, in a good way. Though now I am paying travel fees, though at a lower level. What is a few extra K on top of the rest....

Now helping coach the Little One....which takes up that time that I save not having to drive the older one around.

Still love doing this....