Tag Archives: ontario

Save an Old Barn from Extinction

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A campaign is under way to save the Belleville Memorial Arena which is a classic old rink and one of my favourites from days gone by. I wish the same type of group had been organized to save our own local rink, which has since been replaced by a shiny new fire station.

Check out the The Belleville Memorial Arena Preservation Society and I urge those with a nostalgic nature…and who doesn’t have that when it comes to our grand game…to check out and support the campaign to preserve a bit o’ hockey history.

#imahockeydad

Character Buildings

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Having chauffeured the Boy and the Devil all over the province for the past ten years, I thought I had seen almost all of the rinks there are to see, particularly those within 100 kms of where we live, and yet somehow in the first few weeks of this season I have been in three arenas I’ve never visited before.  I really enjoy walking into the different barns, new or old, and getting a sense of the atmosphere and history of the building. You can see the history on the walls, in the rafters or prominently displayed in cases in the lobby.  Every rink has a local hockey hero or fabled team who brought home the hardware.  Many pay tribute to sons, brothers, daughters and sisters lost, but publicly memorialized. Each building has its own unique character and story to tell.

New rinks like a couple in our hometown have all the modern amenities; big dressing rooms, working hot showers, stick racks, relatively comfortable seating, computerized scoreboards, sound systems and standardized safety features. Most of these ice pads are built as part of larger community centres complete with gymnasiums, pools, walking tracks, fitness centres and in some, extremely civilized cases, full-blown sports bars overlooking or adjacent to the action.  I can think of at least six facilities that I’ve been to over the last couple of years that have anywhere from four to six ice pads and the aforementioned bar for spectators.  These are full entertainment facilities that host weekend long tournaments where visitors are presented with more than just the hockey they’ve come to watch as well as convenient between game options.  New facilities certainly do aim to meet the varied wants and needs of their patrons.

But, in my humble (if not slightly nostalgic) opinion, none of the fancy new rinks hold a candle to the character and ambiance of many of the old arenas we’ve visited over the years.  I was reminded of this fact just this past weekend when the Devil played in a relatively old city rink where a couple of the her teammates father’s had played as kids. They were both able to recall, in detail, specific games and plays that had occurred over 25 years ago. They could still picture how a hockey puck would react to the boards or could hear the sound of skates cutting circles in the rock hard ice. They remembered playing with old so-and-so who had a cup of coffee in the NHL. Ahh, those were the days.

Older rinks always seem to have the hardest, quickest ice that the newer facilities typically aren’t able to duplicate due to apparently overarching need to accommodate the warmth demands of spectators. As a coach and rec hockey player I have been on some ice surfaces where water wings and flippers were required equipment. 

Having grown up and played on a few outdoor rinks in north eastern Manitoba, I must admit I’m partial to watching hockey games in sub-zero conditions. There are more that a few arenas we’ve been to, including one in our hometown, that certainly accommodates that preference; rinks that require extra gloves or touques under helmets. Ice surfaces that leave your toes stinging in remembrance half an hour after you’ve left the building.  Those outdoor Manitoba rinks caused tears of pain to flow on the drive home for up to an hour later.

Older rinks also each have their idiosyncrasies that leave you wondering how the game and its players must have differed back in the day.  One old rink we’ve visited had the front row spectator seats pretty much level with the boards.  While watching one of the Boy’s games at this rink, I had the brief inclination to reach over and pull him back on side when I noticed he had crossed the blue line without the puck. This same arena had the narrowest hallways that led to the smallest dressing rooms which made me imagine this arena had originally been built for a league of dwarfs.  And yet, the single entrance from the players bench to the ice surface was at least two feet above it.  Our boys played there when they were younger and more than one toppled headlong to begin their shift; while others needed to be lifted onto the bench by coaches at the end of theirs. However, my favorite aspect of this arena was the giant analog clock at one end of the ice that hearkened back to a simpler, pre-digital age; not unlike the fabled manual scoreboard at Fenway Park in Boston. 

Other older rinks both the Boy and Devil have played on have been noticeably undersized or misshapen.  They’ve both played on a couple of square configurations where a puck fired into the corner can take any number of unusual caroms; which certainly serves to keep players on both sides on their toes.  Home teams have a decided advantage in getting to know how to play the bounces.

In some towns coloured circles at both ends of the rink signal that these hockey surfaces also double as sheets of ice for Canada’s other belove Winter sport – curling. Where some cities don’t have enough ice for hockey, these small towns apparently don’t have enough hockey for ice.

Perhaps one of my favourite recent discoveries occurred at a rink where the local authorities had obviously been tasked with installing safety netting to protect the hockey fans; a general rule that was implemented nationwide some years ago after a tragic fatal incident at an National Hockey League game. But in this particular centre’s case, they either didn’t have the resources or desire as the protective barrier was hung only on the home spectator half of the ice. Visiting fans are obviously meant to fend for themselves. I’ve a good mind to open an umbrella the next time I’m there taking in a game.

The old rinks are fewer and far between these days as the public demands the latest and greatest.  I, for one, am generally not opposed to the four-pad with the bar. But I, and I know many others, appreciate walking into an old rink chalk full of history and memories. They tore down the oldest rink in our town a couple of years ago as it was well worn and sat on prime land. In its last days, I heard many young players declaring their love for the old rink, its rock hard ice and high wooden rafters. A shiny new two-pad surrounded by glass, ambient light and great sightlines has been built at the other end of town, where the majority of my kids’ home games are played.  We, and others, who visit and play here will live and create the stories that will give these buildings their unique characters as time marches on; digitally or otherwise.

#imahockeydad

Character Buildings

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Having chauffeured the Boy and the Devil all over the province for the past ten years, I thought I had seen almost all of the rinks there are to see, particularly those within 100 kms of where we live, and yet somehow in the first few weeks of this season I have been in three arenas I’ve never visited before.  I really enjoy walking into the different barns, new or old, and getting a sense of the atmosphere and history of the building. You can see the history on the walls, in the rafters or prominently displayed in cases in the lobby.  Every rink has a local hockey hero or fabled team who brought home the hardware.  Many pay tribute to sons, brothers, daughters and sisters lost, but publicly memorialized. Each building has its own unique character and story to tell.

New rinks like a couple in our hometown have all the modern amenities; big dressing rooms, working hot showers, stick racks, relatively comfortable seating, computerized scoreboards, sound systems and standardized safety features. Most of these ice pads are built as part of larger community centres complete with gymnasiums, pools, walking tracks, fitness centres and in some, extremely civilized cases, full-blown sports bars overlooking or adjacent to the action.  I can think of at least six facilities that I’ve been to over the last couple of years that have anywhere from four to six ice pads and the aforementioned bar for spectators.  These are full entertainment facilities that host weekend long tournaments where visitors are presented with more than just the hockey they’ve come to watch as well as convenient between game options.  New facilities certainly do aim to meet the varied wants and needs of their patrons.

But, in my humble (if not slightly nostalgic) opinion, none of the fancy new rinks hold a candle to the character and ambiance of many of the old arenas we’ve visited over the years.  I was reminded of this fact just this past weekend when the Devil played in a relatively old city rink where a couple of the her teammates father’s had played as kids. They were both able to recall, in detail, specific games and plays that had occurred over 25 years ago. They could still picture how a hockey puck would react to the boards or could hear the sound of skates cutting circles in the rock hard ice. They remembered playing with old so-and-so who had a cup of coffee in the NHL. Ahh, those were the days.

Older rinks always seem to have the hardest, quickest ice that the newer facilities typically aren’t able to duplicate due to apparently overarching need to accommodate the warmth demands of spectators. As a coach and rec hockey player I have been on some ice surfaces where water wings and flippers were required equipment. 

Having grown up and played on a few outdoor rinks in north eastern Manitoba, I must admit I’m partial to watching hockey games in sub-zero conditions. There are more that a few arenas we’ve been to, including one in our hometown, that certainly accommodates that preference; rinks that require extra gloves or touques under helmets. Ice surfaces that leave your toes stinging in remembrance half an hour after you’ve left the building.  Those outdoor Manitoba rinks caused tears of pain to flow on the drive home for up to an hour later.

Older rinks also each have their idiosyncrasies that leave you wondering how the game and its players must have differed back in the day.  One old rink we’ve visited had the front row spectator seats pretty much level with the boards.  While watching one of the Boy’s games at this rink, I had the brief inclination to reach over and pull him back on side when I noticed he had crossed the blue line without the puck. This same arena had the narrowest hallways that led to the smallest dressing rooms which made me imagine this arena had originally been built for a league of dwarfs.  And yet, the single entrance from the players bench to the ice surface was at least two feet above it.  Our boys played there when they were younger and more than one toppled headlong to begin their shift; while others needed to be lifted onto the bench by coaches at the end of theirs. However, my favorite aspect of this arena was the giant analog clock at one end of the ice that hearkened back to a simpler, pre-digital age; not unlike the fabled manual scoreboard at Fenway Park in Boston. 

Other older rinks both the Boy and Devil have played on have been noticeably undersized or misshapen.  They’ve both played on a couple of square configurations where a puck fired into the corner can take any number of unusual caroms; which certainly serves to keep players on both sides on their toes.  Home teams have a decided advantage in getting to know how to play the bounces.

In some towns coloured circles at both ends of the rink signal that these hockey surfaces also double as sheets of ice for Canada’s other belove Winter sport – curling. Where some cities don’t have enough ice for hockey, these small towns apparently don’t have enough hockey for ice.

Perhaps one of my favourite recent discoveries occurred at a rink where the local authorities had obviously been tasked with installing safety netting to protect the hockey fans; a general rule that was implemented nationwide some years ago after a tragic fatal incident at an National Hockey League game. But in this particular centre’s case, they either didn’t have the resources or desire as the protective barrier was hung only on the home spectator half of the ice. Visiting fans are obviously meant to fend for themselves. I’ve a good mind to open an umbrella the next time I’m there taking in a game.

The old rinks are fewer and far between these days as the public demands the latest and greatest.  I, for one, am generally not opposed to the four-pad with the bar. But I, and I know many others, appreciate walking into an old rink chalk full of history and memories. They tore down the oldest rink in our town a couple of years ago as it was well worn and sat on prime land. In its last days, I heard many young players declaring their love for the old rink, its rock hard ice and high wooden rafters. A shiny new two-pad surrounded by glass, ambient light and great sightlines has been built at the other end of town, where the majority of my kids’ home games are played.  We, and others, who visit and play here will live and create the stories that will give these buildings their unique characters as time marches on; digitally or otherwise.

#imahockeydad

They’re Certainly Not All Fair and Even

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Tonight the girls played a relatively weak and decidedly shorthanded team.  It was only an exhibition game, so apparently half the players from the other side opted to play in a soccer match, which probably carried more weight.  The Devil’s team had a full complement of fifteen skaters and a goalie, while the opposition was only able to field eight meaning one spare defenceman and two spare forwards.  Compounding the lack of numbers was the fact that this team is likely to be designated a B team.  Our girls will be rated BB putting their general skill level slightly higher.  Our girls burst out of the gate and scored their first goal within a minute.  They would tally four more in the opening frame, while their opponents struggled to get a shot on net. After two more unanswered goals in the second period you could start to feel piercing stares from a couple of parents at the other end of the bleachers in response to muted cheering. Proud parents, particularly early in the year are eager to clap and raise their voices following a Summer break.  But the final two goals received but a smattering of praise and the players likewise scaled back their post goal celebratory head patting.  One has to question, knowing the circumstances, why the opposing coach would even schedule such a game; what benefit could his charges have received from being trounced.  It’s one thing to be challenged and quite another to not have a chance.

One of the Boy’s teams a number of years ago entered a Major level tournament meaning the majority of teams were from the 2nd year of a two year age division.  However, in one of their games they were put up against a Minor level American team from a non-hitting league. Our boys, some of which were almost two years older, over a full head taller and upwards of 50 pounds heavier had been playing contact hockey for a couple of years.  It was not pretty, but the tournament format counted goal differential so the boys were not instructed to ease up.  I believe the final score of this game was in the 13-1 range and I found myself apologizing to some of the parents of the other team; who were in turn none too happy with their coach having entered such a mismatched tournament in the first place.  This team had traveled over six hours to get there and I’m pretty certain their other games had similar results.  Placed in their shoes, I’m quite certain I would have had more than a few well chosen words for our coach and manager.

But then there are, of course, those other occasions when the tables are turned or fate intercedes to command the outcome of a game. One such game occured when I was assistant coach for one of the Devil’s former teams. In yet another tournament, we faced a small town team who came into our game having narrowly lost their previous two encounters. We’d been told they had a “hot” little goaltender who had kept those matches close. In the first period of our game, the girls were dominant firing shot after shot on or narrowly by the net.  The opposing forwards and defence, on the other hand, did not manage to make it out of their half of the ice. The fabled little goalie held true to her billing and kept the puck from reaching the waiting mesh behind her. The lopsided trend continued into the second period until about four minutes in when one of our defenders fell down and one of the other team’s forwards found herself on a breakaway; a breakaway which resulted in the opponents’ lone shot and unwittingly, a goal.  As we approached the end of the second period and the little goalie continued to “stand on her head”; I looked over to the head coach and silently mouthed “We’re not going to score.”  He nodded in equally silent agreement. The rest of the game would see the girls have several more shots on net and equally as many near misses, but none of which would serve to pull us even. The final unofficial shots on net, as reported by one of the parents maintaining stats in the stands, were 30 to 1. And the final score was indeed 1 to 0.  

While not quite a David and Goliath scenario, the game certainly proved why all games need to be played to their conclusion.  Sometimes one player or one set of circumstances can make all the difference and level the ice rink so to speak. We can only hope for more of the last example as it was truly a game worth remembering; while the other two are better forgotten.

#imahockeydad

They’re Certainly Not All Fair and Even

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Tonight the girls played a relatively weak and decidedly shorthanded team.  It was only an exhibition game, so apparently half the players from the other side opted to play in a soccer match, which probably carried more weight.  The Devil’s team had a full complement of fifteen skaters and a goalie, while the opposition was only able to field eight meaning one spare defenceman and two spare forwards.  Compounding the lack of numbers was the fact that this team is likely to be designated a B team.  Our girls will be rated BB putting their general skill level slightly higher.  Our girls burst out of the gate and scored their first goal within a minute.  They would tally four more in the opening frame, while their opponents struggled to get a shot on net. After two more unanswered goals in the second period you could start to feel piercing stares from a couple of parents at the other end of the bleachers in response to muted cheering. Proud parents, particularly early in the year are eager to clap and raise their voices following a Summer break.  But the final two goals received but a smattering of praise and the players likewise scaled back their post goal celebratory head patting.  One has to question, knowing the circumstances, why the opposing coach would even schedule such a game; what benefit could his charges have received from being trounced.  It’s one thing to be challenged and quite another to not have a chance.

One of the Boy’s teams a number of years ago entered a Major level tournament meaning the majority of teams were from the 2nd year of a two year age division.  However, in one of their games they were put up against a Minor level American team from a non-hitting league. Our boys, some of which were almost two years older, over a full head taller and upwards of 50 pounds heavier had been playing contact hockey for a couple of years.  It was not pretty, but the tournament format counted goal differential so the boys were not instructed to ease up.  I believe the final score of this game was in the 13-1 range and I found myself apologizing to some of the parents of the other team; who were in turn none too happy with their coach having entered such a mismatched tournament in the first place.  This team had traveled over six hours to get there and I’m pretty certain their other games had similar results.  Placed in their shoes, I’m quite certain I would have had more than a few well chosen words for our coach and manager.

But then there are, of course, those other occasions when the tables are turned or fate intercedes to command the outcome of a game. One such game occured when I was assistant coach for one of the Devil’s former teams. In yet another tournament, we faced a small town team who came into our game having narrowly lost their previous two encounters. We’d been told they had a “hot” little goaltender who had kept those matches close. In the first period of our game, the girls were dominant firing shot after shot on or narrowly by the net.  The opposing forwards and defence, on the other hand, did not manage to make it out of their half of the ice. The fabled little goalie held true to her billing and kept the puck from reaching the waiting mesh behind her. The lopsided trend continued into the second period until about four minutes in when one of our defenders fell down and one of the other team’s forwards found herself on a breakaway; a breakaway which resulted in the opponents’ lone shot and unwittingly, a goal.  As we approached the end of the second period and the little goalie continued to “stand on her head”; I looked over to the head coach and silently mouthed “We’re not going to score.”  He nodded in equally silent agreement. The rest of the game would see the girls have several more shots on net and equally as many near misses, but none of which would serve to pull us even. The final unofficial shots on net, as reported by one of the parents maintaining stats in the stands, were 30 to 1. And the final score was indeed 1 to 0.  

While not quite a David and Goliath scenario, the game certainly proved why all games need to be played to their conclusion.  Sometimes one player or one set of circumstances can make all the difference and level the ice rink so to speak. We can only hope for more of the last example as it was truly a game worth remembering; while the other two are better forgotten.

#imahockeydad

Tournament Play

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The first test of the new season for the Boy’s team is an early bird tournament that started this evening about an hour from home. Tournaments are generally good because teams have an opportunity to play against teams they wouldn’t play during the regular season.  Pre-season tournaments are good because there are fewer expectations and less pressure to win. Of course, the GOAL is still to WIN.

Every tournament is a little bit different in the way its structured.  Some differ in the way they assign points for games won, periods won, goals for or goals against. Sometimes the criteria for advancing beyond a preliminary round can be a little confusing.  The myriad of tie breaking scenarios is quite often enough to make one’s head spin. 

I immediately recall two tournaments in particular where the scoring formats produced some curious results.  

In one instance, the Boy’s team was able to advance to a playoff round despite having recorded no wins (one tie and two one-goal losses) in a three game round robin preliminary format.  It seems they were able to amass enough points by having won or tied individual periods to beat out two other teams; one of which actually had a round robin victory.  To make matters worse, this was the Boy’s teams home tournament and onlookers undoubtedly raised a Spockian eyebrow at the home teams good fortune.  How could a team with no wins advance? A final rusty nail in the proverbial coffin would find the Boy’s team going on to win the entire tournament as they managed to play progressively better from match to match all the way to a victory in the championship final.

The other odd situation I recall found the Boy’s team on the opposite end of a wonky points per game won/points per period won situation.  In this tournament, the Boys came out strong in each of their three round robin games and built up commanding leads in the first period of each. However, in two of those three games, although the Boy’s team won, the opposition came back hard and won or tied the second and third periods.  As fate would have it, one of these two opponents would win their other two games and a majority of the periods in each; thereby vaulting them over the Boy’s team on the basis of aggregate game plus period points.  What seemed to be a very successful tournament ended with a bewildering THUD.

If this all sounds confusing that’s only because it is.  There will always be groups of fathers, coaches and tournament officials huddled around the posted game results, which are usually prominently displayed on a main arena wall, trying to figure out all of the permutations and who the potential playoff opponents will be.  If Team A beats Team B by 3 goals but then loses to Team C by 2, ties Team D and mercies Team E; what’s the square root of Pi and Who’s on First?

Last season the Devil’s team was playing in a tournament, which was run at multiple arenas (as most are). Early on we were told game results were being dutifully updated on a tournament Web site. Going into their final game, the Devil’s coach knew there were a couple of events that needed to occur in order for the team to advance to the playoff round.  First off, the Devil’s team needed to produce a convincing (at least four goal) win against a tough opponent. Secondly, a game starting 30 minutes earlier at one of the other rinks had to have a specific winner.  With this in mind, I was asked by the coach to check score of the other game on a laptop out in the arena lobby, so he would be able to determine whether or not they had a legitimate shot to progress.  Halfway through the second period of the Devil’s game, I was given the secret signal from her coach to go out to the lobby and check the score of the other game. Of course, we were not dealing with real-time results and I spent the better part of 15 minutes hitting <REFRESH> and ultimately coming up with nothing in the way of a score.  When I returned to the action a fellow spectator promptly reported that the Devil had scored a superlative goal and had a fine assist to go with it – both of which I missed during my fruitless sojourn to the arena lobby. Post-game I had to tell a white lie and say that, “Of course I saw the beautiful top-shelf goal.” The Devil’s team did surprisingly win their game quite handily and the right team did also claim victory at the other rink; thereby allowing the Devil’s team to move on. However, moving on meant a third game in a 12-hour span for a bunch of dead-tired 12 year olds. So that’s where that tournament ended.

The Boy’s first game this evening was a white-knuckled, edge-of-your-seat, 2-1 victory.  The team looked pretty good in their first official game as a team. We’ll hope they fare as well or better in their next two outings.  I’m not sure whether or not periods won has any bearing on the tournament standings, but I’m sure coaches and parents will eventually be huddled around the bristol board covered wall, pulling out scientific calculators or multi-colored abacuses to see which teams will face off in the quarter finals.

Did I mention that I love spending my weekend on my way to or in a rink? Which is fortunate because the Devil has three exhibition games of her own in the next three days. We should be drawing straws at some point tomorrow to figure out exactly who is going where and when.

#imahockeydad

Tournament Play

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The first test of the new season for the Boy’s team is an early bird tournament that started this evening about an hour from home. Tournaments are generally good because teams have an opportunity to play against teams they wouldn’t play during the regular season.  Pre-season tournaments are good because there are fewer expectations and less pressure to win. Of course, the GOAL is still to WIN.

Every tournament is a little bit different in the way its structured.  Some differ in the way they assign points for games won, periods won, goals for or goals against. Sometimes the criteria for advancing beyond a preliminary round can be a little confusing.  The myriad of tie breaking scenarios is quite often enough to make one’s head spin. 

I immediately recall two tournaments in particular where the scoring formats produced some curious results.  

In one instance, the Boy’s team was able to advance to a playoff round despite having recorded no wins (one tie and two one-goal losses) in a three game round robin preliminary format.  It seems they were able to amass enough points by having won or tied individual periods to beat out two other teams; one of which actually had a round robin victory.  To make matters worse, this was the Boy’s teams home tournament and onlookers undoubtedly raised a Spockian eyebrow at the home teams good fortune.  How could a team with no wins advance? A final rusty nail in the proverbial coffin would find the Boy’s team going on to win the entire tournament as they managed to play progressively better from match to match all the way to a victory in the championship final.

The other odd situation I recall found the Boy’s team on the opposite end of a wonky points per game won/points per period won situation.  In this tournament, the Boys came out strong in each of their three round robin games and built up commanding leads in the first period of each. However, in two of those three games, although the Boy’s team won, the opposition came back hard and won or tied the second and third periods.  As fate would have it, one of these two opponents would win their other two games and a majority of the periods in each; thereby vaulting them over the Boy’s team on the basis of aggregate game plus period points.  What seemed to be a very successful tournament ended with a bewildering THUD.

If this all sounds confusing that’s only because it is.  There will always be groups of fathers, coaches and tournament officials huddled around the posted game results, which are usually prominently displayed on a main arena wall, trying to figure out all of the permutations and who the potential playoff opponents will be.  If Team A beats Team B by 3 goals but then loses to Team C by 2, ties Team D and mercies Team E; what’s the square root of Pi and Who’s on First?

Last season the Devil’s team was playing in a tournament, which was run at multiple arenas (as most are). Early on we were told game results were being dutifully updated on a tournament Web site. Going into their final game, the Devil’s coach knew there were a couple of events that needed to occur in order for the team to advance to the playoff round.  First off, the Devil’s team needed to produce a convincing (at least four goal) win against a tough opponent. Secondly, a game starting 30 minutes earlier at one of the other rinks had to have a specific winner.  With this in mind, I was asked by the coach to check score of the other game on a laptop out in the arena lobby, so he would be able to determine whether or not they had a legitimate shot to progress.  Halfway through the second period of the Devil’s game, I was given the secret signal from her coach to go out to the lobby and check the score of the other game. Of course, we were not dealing with real-time results and I spent the better part of 15 minutes hitting <REFRESH> and ultimately coming up with nothing in the way of a score.  When I returned to the action a fellow spectator promptly reported that the Devil had scored a superlative goal and had a fine assist to go with it – both of which I missed during my fruitless sojourn to the arena lobby. Post-game I had to tell a white lie and say that, “Of course I saw the beautiful top-shelf goal.” The Devil’s team did surprisingly win their game quite handily and the right team did also claim victory at the other rink; thereby allowing the Devil’s team to move on. However, moving on meant a third game in a 12-hour span for a bunch of dead-tired 12 year olds. So that’s where that tournament ended.

The Boy’s first game this evening was a white-knuckled, edge-of-your-seat, 2-1 victory.  The team looked pretty good in their first official game as a team. We’ll hope they fare as well or better in their next two outings.  I’m not sure whether or not periods won has any bearing on the tournament standings, but I’m sure coaches and parents will eventually be huddled around the bristol board covered wall, pulling out scientific calculators or multi-colored abacuses to see which teams will face off in the quarter finals.

Did I mention that I love spending my weekend on my way to or in a rink? Which is fortunate because the Devil has three exhibition games of her own in the next three days. We should be drawing straws at some point tomorrow to figure out exactly who is going where and when.

#imahockeydad

And we’re off…

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The Devil’s team had their first exhibition game of the new season this evening.  It looked like most new team’s first games with plenty of caution and trepidation.  In my biased hockey dad opinion, the Devil could have skated harder and played her position, albeit a new and somewhat foreign position, a little better.  In many instances, you could tell line mates and team mates weren’t quite in sync.  Passes were a little off and support, when needed, was a little delayed. All of these players are talented and have strengths on their own, but it is quite another thing to couple those individual skills with the trust and confidence it takes to play as a team.

And so, with this first game as an early bench mark, it will be interesting to watch and gauge the progression of these individual players and this team as a whole. Herein lies the challenge for the coach and his staff, who are tasked with melding these players’ skills and psyches into an effective unit – to make the sum greater than the parts.

Of least importance tonight was the final score; 2-1 for the wrong team from someone with another admittedly biased opinion. While wins and losses have some bearing on team success these are certainly not the only criteria when we’re talking about the development of young athletes and burgeoning adults.

#imahockeydad

And we’re off…

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The Devil’s team had their first exhibition game of the new season this evening.  It looked like most new team’s first games with plenty of caution and trepidation.  In my biased hockey dad opinion, the Devil could have skated harder and played her position, albeit a new and somewhat foreign position, a little better.  In many instances, you could tell line mates and team mates weren’t quite in sync.  Passes were a little off and support, when needed, was a little delayed. All of these players are talented and have strengths on their own, but it is quite another thing to couple those individual skills with the trust and confidence it takes to play as a team.

And so, with this first game as an early bench mark, it will be interesting to watch and gauge the progression of these individual players and this team as a whole. Herein lies the challenge for the coach and his staff, who are tasked with melding these players’ skills and psyches into an effective unit – to make the sum greater than the parts.

Of least importance tonight was the final score; 2-1 for the wrong team from someone with another admittedly biased opinion. While wins and losses have some bearing on team success these are certainly not the only criteria when we’re talking about the development of young athletes and burgeoning adults.

#imahockeydad

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Most times it’s the smallest things that have the biggest impact.

The Boy’s team had a tourney in Ottawa the year before last.  Our boys won their first two games and were doing quite well.  In the third game, they came up against a weak opponent and, with a semi-final berth secured, the coach decided to shuffle his players around for the third period. Defencemen were moved up to forward positions and forwards (including the Boy) were moved back to defence where they could get some experience and have some fun in a somewhat foreign role. The Boy, who is defensive minded, has played forward for the last several years, but was moved back to the blue line on this rare occasion.  This was also a year when all players began adding slap shots to their repertoire, invariably trying to mimic the booming blasts of NHL stars. But they all had a ways to go to reach Al MacInnis status (or even the much lesser known Bob MacInnis status, for that matter)  

As it turns out, this tournament also had an enterprising local businessman who would record and burn every game to DVD and then offer the same to proud parents for a “nominal” price. Our team took advantage of a special offer, whereby we would each get full recordings of all games for $20.  We would receive six DVDs in total as it turned out because the Boys made it to the Finals; so not a bad deal at all. Personally, the $20 I spent on the DVDs was simply justified by a roughly 10 second clip within a single game.

The particular game in question found several other fathers and I standing right next to the videographer who was dutifully capturing the sights and sounds on the ice below.

To paraphrase and somewhat colour commentate the 10 seconds of action provided herein, a puck sent around the boards by the other team in the offensive zone was intercepted by the Boy (top left corner of the video) who was pinching in from his new found defensive position.  Recognizing an opportunity to unleash a gargantuan blast from the point, the Boy loaded up and took a mighty swing……..  If you listen closely, you can hear several fathers and I bellowing out a resounding “Whoooaaas”, “OLEs!” and “Ha Ha Ha’s” as the Boy triumphantly misjudged the position of the puck or the length of his stick. In short, he flat out missed. Unfortunately, what you don’t see in the video is the Boy’s subsequent response to our emphatic “OLE!”, which is nothing short of classic.  At 13, the Boy had the presence of mind to give us a ceremonial middle-finger salute and I could see the grin on his face from across the ice. These are the images which shall forever be etched in my memory.  He immediately grasped the humour of the moment and played right along.

This seemingly simple snippet of time in an inconsequential game is the true definition of hockey for me and why I cherish watching my kids play. Had the Boy simply fired the puck into the corner or even put a decent shot on net, it wouldn’t have left the same idelible mark as that wondrous miscue and the honest reactions that followed. I should, however, point out that the “Whoas”, “OLEs” and “Ha Ha Ha’s” have come back to haunt me in spades as the Boy regularly looks and derisively comments on the rec hockey miscues of his 40+ Dad, which occur on a much more regular basis.

As I watch this clip again for the umpteenth time, I just wish I had more of this stuff on video.

#imahockeydad