Too much…this is dedication and heart personified.
Monthly Archives: December 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WedvOdw-eG8 Too much…this is dedication and heart personified.
Too much…this is dedication and heart personified.
Team (Un?)Building
I wasn’t going to go off on this subject, but there’s been some stuff going down lately that makes me wonder about the why’s and wherefore’s of minor hockey once again. So what else is new you ask? There’s been a situation brewing around the Boy’s team and his larger age division for a few weeks that has the entire congregation buzzing. In short, the team which competes at a level above the Boy’s has lost several players; some to injury, but also some who have simply decided, for whatever reason, to quit the team they tried out and were chosen to play for. This, of course, has left the team severely short-handed and in need of stand-in players. The normal course of action is to call up players (aka APs) from the lower divisions, in this case primarily from the Boy’s team, to fill in for the missing or otherwise unavailable players. These temporary call ups are just that, ”temporary”, as their first commitment is to the team they were chosen to play for at the beginning of the year. This is one of those unwritten rules, and methinks, a good one.
Sometimes call ups are not available as there are conflicts with practices or games either on the same day or at the same time. The Devil’s team ran into this dilemma recently when they lost their only goalie. They had to frantically scramble to find a substitute who was not already committed to play elsewhere. They were fortunate to find a willing and more than able substitute from a nearby town. A few procedural hoops needed to be jumped through, but when all was said and done the emergency back up performed admirably. She has backstopped the team through a few games while the regular keeper was on the mend. This weekend may mark the return of the original netminder depending on how well her injury has healed. After this weekend the team has a two-week hiatus so the jury is still out on whether or not the regular goaltender should rest for one more game just to be safe. Ultimately, at this age, we have to rely on the player to tell us whether or not he/she is ready to step back on the ice. We’re all just glad this has been temporary.
Back in the Boy’s division, the situation is a little more complicated, as three of the missing players in question are not going to return, leaving the team at the higher level permanently short. The Boy’s team, however, is also short two players for an extended period due to injury. One suggested solution is to permanently move a player (or two) from each of the lower levels up one level higher. The problem with this “solution” is that we are more than 3/4 of the way through the season and team dynamics have been created; at least at the two lower levels where no one has quit. Rather than just one team being affected, the proposition is to affect the balance on all of the teams. Meetings have already been held between league officials and team coaches. Initial indications were that there would be no movement of players; presumably to maintain the aforementioned team balance. However, now there are rumblings, significant rumblings at that, indicating that there will be permanent player movement; which to me makes no sense. While I agree that every player should have an opportunity to play at the highest level he or she is capable; I don’t believe one standard (i.e. team commitment) should be sacrificed for another (i.e. personal development).
We often rightly say that this game should be governed by what is best for the kids. In this case, I don’t believe mixed messages are the answer. Now, rather than one team in turmoil, there will be three as each team will see the departure and introduction of new players. Judging by the rumblings, this is already happening. While difficult, I believe the top team should simply play the hand they’ve been dealt or more accurately, the one they’ve dealt themselves. The coaching staff of this team should do their best to turn these negatives into positives; make this situation a rallying cry and encourage the team fight through. After all, it’s not supposed to be about winning or losing; but simply competing.
But alas, my inclination is that there are other factors at play here. Records, reputations and personalities are involved, as always. Minor hockey yet again becomes soap opera with behind the scenes conversations and back-door deals amidst kids who are supposed to be playing a simple Winter game with their peers. And so, in the grand scheme of things, perhaps I shouldn’t really care, but the higher lesson here, for my Boy and Devil at least, is about commitment to your team and teammates. I’m prepared to stand behind that principle as I’m confident it will serve them well into the future.
Now let’s just get back to skating, passing, shooting, scoring!
#imahockeydad
Team (Un?)Building
I wasn’t going to go off on this subject, but there’s been some stuff going down lately that makes me wonder about the why’s and wherefore’s of minor hockey once again. So what else is new you ask? There’s been a situation brewing around the Boy’s team and his larger age division for a few weeks that has the entire congregation buzzing. In short, the team which competes at a level above the Boy’s has lost several players; some to injury, but also some who have simply decided, for whatever reason, to quit the team they tried out and were chosen to play for. This, of course, has left the team severely short-handed and in need of stand-in players. The normal course of action is to call up players (aka APs) from the lower divisions, in this case primarily from the Boy’s team, to fill in for the missing or otherwise unavailable players. These temporary call ups are just that, "temporary", as their first commitment is to the team they were chosen to play for at the beginning of the year. This is one of those unwritten rules, and methinks, a good one.
Sometimes call ups are not available as there are conflicts with practices or games either on the same day or at the same time. The Devil’s team ran into this dilemma recently when they lost their only goalie. They had to frantically scramble to find a substitute who was not already committed to play elsewhere. They were fortunate to find a willing and more than able substitute from a nearby town. A few procedural hoops needed to be jumped through, but when all was said and done the emergency back up performed admirably. She has backstopped the team through a few games while the regular keeper was on the mend. This weekend may mark the return of the original netminder depending on how well her injury has healed. After this weekend the team has a two-week hiatus so the jury is still out on whether or not the regular goaltender should rest for one more game just to be safe. Ultimately, at this age, we have to rely on the player to tell us whether or not he/she is ready to step back on the ice. We’re all just glad this has been temporary.
Back in the Boy’s division, the situation is a little more complicated, as three of the missing players in question are not going to return, leaving the team at the higher level permanently short. The Boy’s team, however, is also short two players for an extended period due to injury. One suggested solution is to permanently move a player (or two) from each of the lower levels up one level higher. The problem with this “solution” is that we are more than ¾ of the way through the season and team dynamics have been created; at least at the two lower levels where no one has quit. Rather than just one team being affected, the proposition is to affect the balance on all of the teams. Meetings have already been held between league officials and team coaches. Initial indications were that there would be no movement of players; presumably to maintain the aforementioned team balance. However, now there are rumblings, significant rumblings at that, indicating that there will be permanent player movement; which to me makes no sense. While I agree that every player should have an opportunity to play at the highest level he or she is capable; I don’t believe one standard (i.e. team commitment) should be sacrificed for another (i.e. personal development).
We often rightly say that this game should be governed by what is best for the kids. In this case, I don’t believe mixed messages are the answer. Now, rather than one team in turmoil, there will be three as each team will see the departure and introduction of new players. Judging by the rumblings, this is already happening. While difficult, I believe the top team should simply play the hand they’ve been dealt or more accurately, the one they’ve dealt themselves. The coaching staff of this team should do their best to turn these negatives into positives; make this situation a rallying cry and encourage the team fight through. After all, it’s not supposed to be about winning or losing; but simply competing.
But alas, my inclination is that there are other factors at play here. Records, reputations and personalities are involved, as always. Minor hockey yet again becomes soap opera with behind the scenes conversations and back-door deals amidst kids who are supposed to be playing a simple Winter game with their peers. And so, in the grand scheme of things, perhaps I shouldn’t really care, but the higher lesson here, for my Boy and Devil at least, is about commitment to your team and teammates. I’m prepared to stand behind that principle as I’m confident it will serve them well into the future.
Now let’s just get back to skating, passing, shooting, scoring!
#imahockeydad
Team (Un?)Building
I wasn’t going to go off on this subject, but there’s been some stuff going down lately that makes me wonder about the why’s and wherefore’s of minor hockey once again. So what else is new you ask? There’s been a situation brewing around the Boy’s team and his larger age division for a few weeks that has the entire congregation buzzing. In short, the team which competes at a level above the Boy’s has lost several players; some to injury, but also some who have simply decided, for whatever reason, to quit the team they tried out and were chosen to play for. This, of course, has left the team severely short-handed and in need of stand-in players. The normal course of action is to call up players (aka APs) from the lower divisions, in this case primarily from the Boy’s team, to fill in for the missing or otherwise unavailable players. These temporary call ups are just that, ”temporary”, as their first commitment is to the team they were chosen to play for at the beginning of the year. This is one of those unwritten rules, and methinks, a good one.
Sometimes call ups are not available as there are conflicts with practices or games either on the same day or at the same time. The Devil’s team ran into this dilemma recently when they lost their only goalie. They had to frantically scramble to find a substitute who was not already committed to play elsewhere. They were fortunate to find a willing and more than able substitute from a nearby town. A few procedural hoops needed to be jumped through, but when all was said and done the emergency back up performed admirably. She has backstopped the team through a few games while the regular keeper was on the mend. This weekend may mark the return of the original netminder depending on how well her injury has healed. After this weekend the team has a two-week hiatus so the jury is still out on whether or not the regular goaltender should rest for one more game just to be safe. Ultimately, at this age, we have to rely on the player to tell us whether or not he/she is ready to step back on the ice. We’re all just glad this has been temporary.
Back in the Boy’s division, the situation is a little more complicated, as three of the missing players in question are not going to return, leaving the team at the higher level permanently short. The Boy’s team, however, is also short two players for an extended period due to injury. One suggested solution is to permanently move a player (or two) from each of the lower levels up one level higher. The problem with this “solution” is that we are more than 3/4 of the way through the season and team dynamics have been created; at least at the two lower levels where no one has quit. Rather than just one team being affected, the proposition is to affect the balance on all of the teams. Meetings have already been held between league officials and team coaches. Initial indications were that there would be no movement of players; presumably to maintain the aforementioned team balance. However, now there are rumblings, significant rumblings at that, indicating that there will be permanent player movement; which to me makes no sense. While I agree that every player should have an opportunity to play at the highest level he or she is capable; I don’t believe one standard (i.e. team commitment) should be sacrificed for another (i.e. personal development).
We often rightly say that this game should be governed by what is best for the kids. In this case, I don’t believe mixed messages are the answer. Now, rather than one team in turmoil, there will be three as each team will see the departure and introduction of new players. Judging by the rumblings, this is already happening. While difficult, I believe the top team should simply play the hand they’ve been dealt or more accurately, the one they’ve dealt themselves. The coaching staff of this team should do their best to turn these negatives into positives; make this situation a rallying cry and encourage the team fight through. After all, it’s not supposed to be about winning or losing; but simply competing.
But alas, my inclination is that there are other factors at play here. Records, reputations and personalities are involved, as always. Minor hockey yet again becomes soap opera with behind the scenes conversations and back-door deals amidst kids who are supposed to be playing a simple Winter game with their peers. And so, in the grand scheme of things, perhaps I shouldn’t really care, but the higher lesson here, for my Boy and Devil at least, is about commitment to your team and teammates. I’m prepared to stand behind that principle as I’m confident it will serve them well into the future.
Now let’s just get back to skating, passing, shooting, scoring!
#imahockeydad
Calgary Hitmen – Teddy Bear Toss
Calgary Hitmen – Teddy Bear Toss
Link
Lots of Good Hockey
The Boy and the Devil have both been on the ice a bunch this week. Both have seen some team and personal success.
The Boy’s team won all three of their games bringing their record in the last ten games to 8 wins, two ties and only one loss. This week’s victories included one against the top team in the league, which is important as they’d lost their previous three to the same side. We’ve all a pretty good sense that any playoff run will have to go through this team, as it has the past three seasons, so you don’t want to have lost all of your games against them during the regular season. This loss marked only their second of the entire season to this point. Suffice it to say, they are strong. But now we all know they can and have been beaten.
The Boy, for his part, picked up a few points, a few big hits and a few shifts on defence, which is all fun for him and me alike; though I don’t poke fun at his unique backwards skating technique quite as much as I used to. To say he was unorthodox would be kind. At no point could you say he lacked effort, but he certainly wasn’t going to get any style points either. That being said, what he lacks in style, he generally makes up in hockey sense so he’s able to compensate and generally be well positioned. Going way back to his brief stint as a goalie, he’s always been somewhat defensive-minded, which has served him well. As they say, good defence breeds good offence. In fact, the team’s recent wins can be attributed to their stronger defensive play.
The Devil’s team for their part won two of their four games during the week, including two wins against a fairly strong rival who sit just behind them in the regular season standings. In one of their two losses, which I was unable to attend, I’m told they outplayed the other team for all but a few minutes in their third period which lead to their downfall. In all, they have managed to vault themselves up to third place in the ten team league.
Yesterday’s game, a 3-2 victory, saw the Devil score a pretty goal which would end up being the game winner. She and one of her teammates broke into the opposing team’s zone on a two on one rush with the Devil charging hard to the net without the puck. Her comrade to her left feathered a pass under the defender’s stick and to a spot that appeared to be beyond the Devil’s reach. But she lunged forward with her stick in one hand and was able to redirect the puck towards the net on her backhand. Lo and behold the frozen black disk made its way to the back of the waiting cage. I’m pretty sure the Devil was as surprised as we onlookers. Surprise turned to jubilation as we all realized it was indeed a goal making the score 3-1 with only a few minutes left in the game. The other team would come back to score another goal of their own. However, they ran out of time as the home team was able to secure the win.
After a hectic week, the Boy has the day off. The Devil was supposed to play, but poor weather forced their intended opponents from the south to cancel their trip and subsequently the game. So she is at practice now; which is likely fine with the coach who will always welcome a chance to hone skills and strategies. The same happened for the Boy earlier in the week. Winter weather certainly can play a factor in the scheduling and rescheduling of games.
A busy week now gives way to a couple of slow weeks as we hit the holidays. The boys have two games between now and Christmas while the girls only have one. The boys do have a tournament between Christmas and New Years before heading into the final regular season push before the playoffs. Still plenty of hockey to play for both as we’re really only about halfway through the season. It’s nice to see both teams rounding into shape and both kids enjoying the recent runs.
#imahockeydad
Lots of Good Hockey
The Boy and the Devil have both been on the ice a bunch this week. Both have seen some team and personal success.
The Boy’s team won all three of their games bringing their record in the last ten games to 8 wins, two ties and only one loss. This week’s victories included one against the top team in the league, which is important as they’d lost their previous three to the same side. We’ve all a pretty good sense that any playoff run will have to go through this team, as it has the past three seasons, so you don’t want to have lost all of your games against them during the regular season. This loss marked only their second of the entire season to this point. Suffice it to say, they are strong. But now we all know they can and have been beaten.
The Boy, for his part, picked up a few points, a few big hits and a few shifts on defence, which is all fun for him and me alike; though I don’t poke fun at his unique backwards skating technique quite as much as I used to. To say he was unorthodox would be kind. At no point could you say he lacked effort, but he certainly wasn’t going to get any style points either. That being said, what he lacks in style, he generally makes up in hockey sense so he’s able to compensate and generally be well positioned. Going way back to his brief stint as a goalie, he’s always been somewhat defensive-minded, which has served him well. As they say, good defence breeds good offence. In fact, the team’s recent wins can be attributed to their stronger defensive play.
The Devil’s team for their part won two of their four games during the week, including two wins against a fairly strong rival who sit just behind them in the regular season standings. In one of their two losses, which I was unable to attend, I’m told they outplayed the other team for all but a few minutes in their third period which lead to their downfall. In all, they have managed to vault themselves up to third place in the ten team league.
Yesterday’s game, a 3-2 victory, saw the Devil score a pretty goal which would end up being the game winner. She and one of her teammates broke into the opposing team’s zone on a two on one rush with the Devil charging hard to the net without the puck. Her comrade to her left feathered a pass under the defender’s stick and to a spot that appeared to be beyond the Devil’s reach. But she lunged forward with her stick in one hand and was able to redirect the puck towards the net on her backhand. Lo and behold the frozen black disk made its way to the back of the waiting cage. I’m pretty sure the Devil was as surprised as we onlookers. Surprise turned to jubilation as we all realized it was indeed a goal making the score 3-1 with only a few minutes left in the game. The other team would come back to score another goal of their own. However, they ran out of time as the home team was able to secure the win.
After a hectic week, the Boy has the day off. The Devil was supposed to play, but poor weather forced their intended opponents from the south to cancel their trip and subsequently the game. So she is at practice now; which is likely fine with the coach who will always welcome a chance to hone skills and strategies. The same happened for the Boy earlier in the week. Winter weather certainly can play a factor in the scheduling and rescheduling of games.
A busy week now gives way to a couple of slow weeks as we hit the holidays. The boys have two games between now and Christmas while the girls only have one. The boys do have a tournament between Christmas and New Years before heading into the final regular season push before the playoffs. Still plenty of hockey to play for both as we’re really only about halfway through the season. It’s nice to see both teams rounding into shape and both kids enjoying the recent runs.
#imahockeydad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBdO66187Os fuckyeahhockey: Not many good moments for the Oilers so f
Not many good moments for the Oilers so far, but this is a great one.
Watch Omark & the fun of the game.Linus Omark says it’s Jordan Eberle’s turn again in the “Ridiculous Breakaway Goal Challenge”.