How I First got Involved with Hockey.

My family got started with hockey in 1999 when my son started to play. We thought it would be good for him to get involved with a sport. Some of his friends were joining so he thought that he needed to join too. Where we live, the hockey team is not part of the school system so you as the parent are responsible for getting them to practice and transporting them to their games. It is a very great club and it's like an extended family because you're with them from the beginning of November to the beginning of March.

My son's first year was a challenge. He was a kindergartner and didn't know how to skate. The first day of practice was an eye opener for him and me. With him being my first one in hockey I had no idea on how much equipment you had to put on this small little child. You have the chest plate, elbow pads, shin guards, hockey pant (also called breezers), hockey socks, jersey, helmet, stick and skates, so you can see as a first time mom at hockey this became a challenge. Luckily there were parents there that had a lot of experience with putting on hockey equipment and were nice enough to show me how to put it on.

The first year was great. I got to watch my son learn how to skate and start to learn how to play hockey. I remember his first game like it was just last year. They were playing against each other in the middle of a junior gold game. These little boys and girls were so excited about being able to play it was hard not to get excited with them. They got on the ice and tried to play the game like the big kids, but when they tried to hit the puck they would fall down. It seemed like when one of them fell they all fell, it was like a domino effect. At one time, one of the little players ended up falling on the puck and everybody was looking for it. They finally found the puck under the little guy’s bottom, it was so cute that everybody that was watching laughed and applauded. This is one of the most remember able games that he has ever played. Don't get me wrong, the following years that he had played' there was many memorable games; like the four overtimes at a state tournament for them to place fourth.

He has taken this year off due to his knee and he hopes to be back next year. He has played for the last 11 years and plans on going back. Hockey is a great sport. This part of my kid’s sports.