I didn’t know it would end this soon, this quickly. I didn’t know his last game would be his last game. I didn’t know his last scraping up the crease would be the last scrape. I didn’t know those splits stretches would be the last stretches. I didn’t know the last plate of pre-game pasta was the last routine pasta. I didn’t know those navy-blue dress pants, white dress shirt and navy and yellow tie would be worn for the last time. I didn’t know the joy I feel when I watch him play would be felt in a game setting for the last time. I didn’t know the last glove save he made would be his last. I didn’t know that last coming out of the crease to challenge would be his last challenge. I didn’t know that last in game photo I took would be the last. I didn’t know my last time literally holding my breath in final seconds of the game would be my last. I didn’t know the last medal presentation would be the last. I just didn’t know.

I wish I had known it all. I would have looked at him in his jersey longer. I would have taken more photos, more videos last season (and since the beginning). I would have taken in all his movements and how he studies the game. I would have clapped longer and cheered louder. I would have watched his warm-up. I would have paid more attention and 10000% I would have cried!

Yes, my ’05 has decided to move on. He has decided to put all his work ethic into his final year of HS and working and preparing for the next stage of his life. I wish he would have chosen to also finish his final year of minor hockey, but he is doing what is best for him and his future and while I am extremely sad, I am so proud of the responsible young man he has become. And, while he is moving on the memories we have will stay with us forever. Quebec, what an honor it was to play against the best minor hockey teams in the world – a 10 day tournament that we will always remember. Every single medal that was placed around the neck, including that very first one of your rep career, a gold in Peterborough over a sunny Thanksgiving weekend against a very strong Oakville team. Every single tournament, every Christmas party, every community event, the blood, sweat and tears, the roller coaster ride, all of it, it will never be forgotten.

Even with all the amazing memories that were made, the road was never easy, the season you broke your ankle and battled back in time for playoffs, your bout with covid this past season and once cleared to play battling through extreme fatigue and fighting until the end, the extreme pressure you always put on yourself , the unfortunate politics along the way, but you faced every single obstacle in beast mode and never gave up. Your character never changed. Your loyalty never waivered

Goalie moms everywhere, here is my advice to you. Do not think there is all the time in the world, don’t think that there are many more seasons ahead because there are not. Its cliché to say but it is the absolute truth, time flies, days, months, years it all flies by. In the blink of an eye the little kid who you once had to wake up at 5 am for practice in their hockey jammies will become U18, driving themselves to practice. In the blink of an eye the little kid who stepped on that bus with their team with eyes like it was Christmas morning will become a young adult. In the blink of an eye the little kid who you would sit watching learning to skate, fall and get back up and try again who could barely see over the boards, will become 6ft tall and do incredible things on that same ice.

To my #1 I cant thank you enough for the journey, the wonderful journey our family took right along side of you and with you. I am forever grateful to be a goalie mom…your goalie mom. I hope you always know and remember the pride Dad and I felt every single time you put that jersey on, the incredible respect you showed to the game itself and everyone around it, and your commitment to keep learning, growing and achieving.

I don’t know what happens next for you, but one thing I am absolutely sure of is that whatever you do you will be amazing, you will be great…. you are after all a goalie!

Thank you my son for making me a GOALIE MOM!

This article is dedicated to my “baby beluga” in the blue and gold.

“Sometimes you never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory”

Dear Hockey,

I am missing you a real lot right now. Let me re-phrase that, we are missing you a whole lot right now.
As 2020 is ending, it is still surreal and unbelievable that our hockey season has been lost. Right about now we would be in our holiday tournaments and gearing up for both OMHA and LLFHL playdowns.
Besides the absolute obvious, here are some of the things I have missed the most…
• The late-night car rides home with my ’05. Now that he is in his mid-teens he has started to open up and talk some more (like real conversations), these conversations have made the drive feel like it was our time together (he is way too cool to hang with me when I am not his chauffeur)
• Dryland with my ’09 , I always find this so much fun and humorous , the personalities of the younger girls are so much more fun than the seriousness of the older boys.
• Followed by our dressing room dance parties 😊
• Arena poutine…yes, I said it, the expensive, really not good for you arena poutine, you can never go wrong with a poutine after all – Pickering, you are still my fav!
• Wearing my UGGs (I know, I know I have spoken of my Uggs in pervious posts, but these babies are my go to hockey boots), and being in quarantine and now lockdown there has been no use for them
• Team Christmas parties. I love the annual team Christmas parties. Its always nice to see people in regular clothes without big bulky jackets, and the kids without helmets and in a different element. I love watching the kids with their gifts, and even the speeches by coaches. I always feel so blessed to be a part of this and our hockey family
• The sound of freshly sharpened skates on the fresh ice – I.LOVE.THIS.SOUND.
• The most beautiful look in the world – a fresh clean sheet of ice, there is nothing better! And, waiting for my 2 x goalies in their white masks with their team logos on it to lead their teams out to the cheers of the crowd, and their speaker intro’s
• Routine. My ’05 has a crazy pre-game routine that always makes my giggle. Watching him prepare for success warms my heart
• The actual game itself, I mean come on this is what I live for as not just a goalie mom but as a hockey mom. I love listening to the crowd, the cheering, the clapping, the parents yelling out my kid’s names after they make an awesome save, and cheering for beautiful goals scored by our team
• Followed by a big W, those final seconds and then the sound of the buzzer, and our teams rushing to crowd and hug my goalies, and watch them bask in those few moments
• Nerves, is it weird I miss feeling nervous?! I really do! I miss those seconds leading up to a penalty shot as the shooter takes their spot, and my goalies tapping their posts getting set. I miss a 2-1 lead with 2 mins left and my body swaying back and forth and my hands holding up the collar of my jacket over my mouth. I miss going into the semis / finals of a tournament with the hour before of just sitting in solitude thinking and praying for my goalies to have a wonderful game
• Jerseys. I miss their beautiful and expensive game jerseys and garment bags. I always love after the laundry is done placing both the home and away jerseys in their bags and the sense of pride I feel
• The hustle and bustle of tossing bags in the car, grabbing toques and mitts and green apples, rushing to change out of my work clothes and into a Roots tracksuit and heading out in time to be at the rink well ahead of arrival time
• Just general hockey parent conversations. I miss people. I miss these conversations
• My normal managerial tasks. I love planning out the parties, and team events and meals. Attending the scheduling meetings, team meetings, and even prepping game sheets 😊
• O.M.G…..TOURNAMENTS! I could not miss this anymore than I do. Our hotel dance parties in the evening, our cocktails, our early morning rink arrivals all bundled up, playing hallway euchre, watching the kids hit the waterslides, visiting new arenas, competition, team meals, hotel breakfasts, grabbing our Tims coffees and hot chocolates, and just the general bonding and comradery of every kid, parent, and sibling. But, what do I miss most of all…..that would be the obvious, seeing my children do what they love, watching their passion, their excitement their strength, their resiliency, and their goaltender bravery.
Covid 19, you may have taken away our “regular” season, but you have not taken away our love of hockey or our desire to be at the cold rink. Our passion for the best game on Earth remains. We will be back, and we know there will still be so many more memories to be made!
Dear hockey, I miss you…

“I love everything about hockey” – Wayne Gretzky

I can’t believe I am wiring these words “Hockey & Covid”. When I stated my blog and writing articles a little over a year ago I never in my wildest dreams would think I would have to write about a deadly disease sweeping the globe. But, the truthful reality (and, yes, it is truthful, and yes, it is reality), is that I am writing about it. So how, do we move on with a Global Pandemic and keeping our kids involved? How do you keep the love of the game going? And, most importantly how do we keep our children safe? The questions really are endless……

I am the Team Manager of my daughter’s team (OWHA), I can tell you there has been an abundance of Q&A’s, zoom calls, emails, working with the town, the organization all while following the Provincial guidelines. We thankfully live in Ontario, Canada, and are very thankful that we have kept Covid somewhat under control and can slowly begin getting the kids involved again. While it is amazing to bring the girls back, there is a lot to learn and accept with the “new norm”, these include the following:

• Getting dressed in full gear outside at your car (my daughter is a goalie; you can imagine how this goes)
• The above includes skates – skates are even being put on outside and then guarded by the skate guard to walk
• Completing a Covid health screening form
• No spectators
• Entrance in 1 building door, and exit through a different door
• A rink employee coming outside to “collect the team”
• Enter the building together, exit the building together
• No hockey bags etc allowed in the building, just the fully dressed player and their own water bottle
• No games

Both of my children are part of the representative / competitive world. We / they are used to plenty of travel, their pre-game team rituals, their dryland training, their team functions and team events, and most importantly their tournaments. So far, it appears that all the mentioned is off the table. This is devastating. The kids deserved better. We all deserve to not be living this nightmare. Hockey for us, and for many others across the world is a release from everyday life, it provides immense joy, entertainment and helps our children grow as people. As a family we will miss everything involved in our “usual” hockey world, yet at the same time be thankful that at least they will still be developing on the ice at least.

To all my hockey family near and far, we will get through this. Our hockey loving kids are about to show us just how resilient they truly are. Our coaches are going to show us patience and kindness all while learning and navigating through these times themselves, and our managers are going to show us even more than ever just how much work they put into the team. I can tell you firsthand, these Covid forms are not fun. To my fellow goalie moms and even hockey moms in general, I wish you good luck in whatever the 2020/21 season looks like, and one thing is for sure, no matter what the season looks like we will still be their number 1 fan!

Stay safe – wishing you all a healthy remainder of the year.

“Kindness is realizing that we are all in this together”

Writers Note: I realize this is not every organization, this article is based on my own experience with my children based on where we reside.

Did I just take my very last bus trip with my ’05 – I feel like I may have. Since he is an ’05 he enters his Minor Midget season next year, which means very quickly he will begin driving, begin having girlfriends hanging around the rink, and furthermore not want dad and I cramping his style.

So, Tuesday night was special. His team (and parents) took a bus for their very late evening game in Kingston. I tried to soak it all in as I quickly realized while loading that this probably was our last bus trip together. I quickly remembered back to our very first one together back in Minor Peewee. I remembered having The Mighty Ducks playing (part 1 on the way down, and part 2 on the way back). I remembered not being able to see their heads over the seats, and the excitement and very innocent conversations with their “little boy voices”. I remember some of them not being able to even lift their own bags to put under the bus. And, I definitely remember my son waiting all week for this bus trip because it made him feel like he was in the NHL. I remembered a lot of tired little boys who fell asleep on the way back.

This trip was different, not in a bad way, just in a different way – they are teenagers now after all. The Mighty Ducks was replaced by their IPhones and their snap chat groups, and their pre-game tunes. Their heads are now well over the seats, they are now more visible than us Moms! These sweet little boy voices have been replaced by their now established deep toned voices, and the conversations are now about their HS course selections, upcoming math tests, the new girl they are interested in etc. They now toss their bags under the bus effortlessly and look incredibly dapper in their suits. The excitement of “just going on the bus” has now been replaced with, it doesn’t matter how we get there, there is work to be done, there are 2 points to pick up, lets go. Even though we arrived back into town after midnight there was no little heads sound asleep, instead we listened to their music playing, and the raucous of their big W and being one W away from OMHA semis.

Did I just take my last ride with my son and his team – I think so. And, while this brings a tear to my eye, I am extremely happy that it is not totally over for me yet – I still have my ’09 goalie girl and hopefully many more fun trips ahead!

To hockey parents everywhere, be sure to soak it all in. The early mornings, the late nights, the lugging of equipment, the long distance drives, the highs, the lows and everything in between.

Take.it.in…..all.of.it.

Before you know it, in the blink of an eye these days will be behind you and the memories will forever be in your heart!

 

 “We didn’t know we were making memories; we just knew we were having fun”

Don’t forget about “them”. You know the kid donning the mask, the kid who has the heavy equipment on and does those pop-ups in an instance (impressive feat), the kid who’s heart is beating out of their chest watching the clock wind down, the kid who keeps bending over saying a silent prayer to themselves….”them” don’t forget about “them”.

Who is “them” you ask? They are your goalies! The one’s that feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, the one who feels they carry an entire team. The one who sits alone after a loss, the one being told by coaches “we need you”.

I am writing this article to hockey players everywhere with reminders (because there can never be too many), on how to treat your goalie and show your appreciation to your goalie teammate.

• Game Losses / OT losses: don’t leave your goalie out there by themselves. Don’t race off the ice in disgust and anger, and leave your tender out there alone replaying what just happened. A loss wasn’t a loss because of 1 player. A loss was a loss because the team didn’t score enough goals, the team was undisciplined, the team didn’t have a strong enough work ethic that game, the team was off their game, or simply put the team was just outplayed etc ….key word the team, not goalie. Believe me when I say this….and I will say it over and over until I am blue in the face. The silence you give your goaltender after a loss is NOT the way to go …..ever!

 

• Ice Entrance: Ok – this may sound silly to non-goalies, however, a pretty big deal to the goalies. Goaltenders should always lead the team onto the ice. They are the captain of the ship that day. There should be no player who is racing and pushing ahead to be on that ice before their tender (unless there is something special taking place for another player). This entrance also looks like a unified team.

 

• Pre-game Warm-ups: For the love of God – do not shoot at your goalies’ head – why does this continue to be a thing, why? This is your tender, your friend. This never makes sense to me. We have all seen the “How to warm up your goalie” post, but time and time again this remains an issue. Your goalie needs to feel the puck – that’s all – feel the puck – not feel the most amazing clapper you have ever taken – go try that clapper during the game!

 

• Dressing Room: Did you know that most goalies often feel alone? They are alone in their own thoughts, they are alone when they are plugged in doing ball toss, they are alone when they are in their crease. Often alone in their own warmups as opposed to with the team. Please don’t alienate them in the room – include them, and include them whether you just collected a W or L. The goalie is either relishing is sweet victory or is in complete heartache. It doesn’t matter which emotion is happening, check on them, chat with them, joke with them…..you are all on that ship together. You are all teammates.

 

Its play off time! It’s a stressful time of year to say the least, stressful for the whole team, but even more stressful for 2. Please, please I encourage all players, coaches, trainers, parents etc to support your tenders. Let’s also remember that they are children, and that they are human and make mistakes also. Let’s be mindful that they have given their best effort, and if they had an off night, they already know that, it doesn’t need to be pointed out. Hockey is such a thing of beauty to watch, the ultimate team sport! Hockey is an amazing sport – truly the best sport – let’s make sure we ALL know that! Let’s ALL support each other – it doesn’t matter if we are on the ice, on the bench, in the stands, following along at home, watching on the Go Pro – it doesn’t matter, feeling like a part of it is what matters, and supporting every single kid wearing a jersey is what matters. Teammates supporting each other is what matters. Lifting each other up to achieve glorious results in what matters. Being a friend is what matters! Very simply put, being kind and supportive matters.

 

“We work for each other, compete for each other, we battle for each other”

– Sergei Bobrovsky

He took one look at a fresh, shiny ice surface and his life changed. He was all of 7 years old, standing in his new equipment with his Toronto Maple Leaf jammies underneath. He had super cool bright laces in those tiny little skates. He looked up at dad struggling to speak through the mouth guard and asked if the door could open yet as the Zamboni driver made his second last lap.

Because he saw this ice, he knew he wanted to do incredible things on it. He wanted to dream big, push his limits and make new friends. He wanted to tell himself anything is possible and that with hard work and determination ALL things are possible. He wanted to fail in order to succeed, he wanted to learn how to work as a team, and to trust one another and lift one another up as needed. He wanted to work out and begin training his body, he wanted to eat right and always be prepared. He wanted someone to tell him he couldn’t do it, just so he could prove he could. He wanted the sweet smell of victory and thunderous roar of applause. He wanted to play for the name on the front of the jersey – which is far more important than the name on the back. He wanted to represent his community proudly. He wanted to make mistakes so he could learn and correct those mistakes. He wanted to study technique. He wanted to build character and become a leader. He wanted speed, agility and strength, both physical & mental.

It’s simple, when he saw this ice, it gave him more than just hockey. It gave him courage to choose a sport and position so admirable. It gave him bravery to stand tall in that net, and to be a fearless competitor. It gave him determination to give every single ounce he’s got. It gave him life lessons. It gave him memories that will last a lifetime. It gave him a strength he never knew he possessed. And, above all else, it gave him passion!

You see, hockey to us was never just a game, it is how we have watched our son grow into someone great, and reminded us all to dream big, and to always believe, for on that ice ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

I am forever thankful for that “fresh, shiny ice”!

“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them” – Walt Disney

 

As I sat watching game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs (Congratulations St Louis Blues) last night I couldn’t help but think of every proud hockey mom watching her boy play in the biggest game and biggest stage of their career; and it got me thinking.

I thought of all the immense sacrifices that are made (I could really use a new MK bag), the lack of sleep (I really need a solid 9 hours, and to be home from the rink by 8 pm), the mileage on the car (Poor Caravan never saw this coming), the dwindling bank account ($500, $500, $500, $500, $500, $500 x 2), the amount of poutine eaten (but God I love Poutine), the smelly hotel rooms as equipment is airing out (no words required), frozen toes and frozen noses (why are the heaters not on in January?). Pacing around the rink for 90 mins prior to game time (this is where the Poutine is eaten). Painfully watching the last minute of a 2-1 game with an extra attacker (literally holding my breath, literally). And, of course so.much.more, but…..I wouldn’t change it for the world!

I thought about all the amazing moments (too many to count!). The tears in my eyes watching the gold medals be placed around the neck of my child (I still tear up every time). Our fans yelling out my child’s name and whooping them up after an amazing save (tendy support is always needed). Overcoming adversity and showing a new crowd that you belong (hard work always pays off). Winning a huge game and teammates racing over for goalie hugs (melts me). Winning a medal game after an 11-round shootout (I will remember this forever). I thought about the guts and courage it takes my kids to place that mask over their face and do whatever it takes, and …. I wouldn’t change it for the world!

Most importantly I thought about how moms support the dreams and aspirations of their young athletes. I thought about how incredibly lucky I am to be a sports mom. I thought about how blessed I am to be on this wild and crazy ride. I thought about how I will continue this journey for as long as my athletes have desire and passion, and of course… I wouldn’t change it for the world!

Last night, I thought about all these moms, not only in Boston at the game, but across the globe. These amazing passionate hockey moms, and I know we would not change it for the world! To Hockey Moms everywhere – here’s to you and these unbelievable / memorable moments! It’s always, ALWAYS worth it! I wouldn’t change it for the world!

“Hockey is like love; full of emotions, full of surprises, full of happiness, full of heartbreak, and full of the unexpected”

 

-My own quote-June 13, 2019

Volunteers!  Without these wonderful people there is no team for our children. There are no drills for development. There are no team Christmas parties and end of season celebrations. There are no line-ups. There are no games scheduled. There are no restaurant reservations. There are no uniforms. Basically, without these incredible men and women behind the scenes working oh so tirelessly there is no team, and without a team means there is no success, no unforgettable moments, or life lessons.

Thank you to the Head Coach who so bravely wears this hat. They step into the line of fire and field endless complaints. They lay awake at night wondering if they made the right decision. They feel like a great big bag of dirt when they know they must cut a child, knowing they have in turn hurt their feelings. Your head coach tries with everything in him / her to come up with the winning line-up knowing not everyone will agree with it. Endless hours on taking courses in order to receive all the requirements to coach often eating away their own weekends with their families. This individual also advocates for your child and will do everything in their power to ensure the safety of your child. They will be your child’s voice, sometimes paying a heavy consequence. They also know they lead by example and are role models, and even if they are having a bad day they come with a smile and lead the way.

Thank you, Head Coaches, everywhere!

Thank you to the Assistant Coaches, who just like our head coach is taking on a tough role. They are there game in and game out. Their heads are always in the game to ensure everyone is getting ice time and recognizing when to line change while monitoring a tired player, a long shift etc. Again, they take their own personal time to enroll in courses to have all required certification to teach and demonstrate drills at practice accurately to ensure development. They come to games in dress pants, a dress shirt and tie, while I am sure they would much rather wear track pants and hoodies. They know they are being counted on by the Head Coach as well as all the players.

Thank you, Assistant Coaches, everywhere!

Thank you to the Manager, who never stops working! Managers work all summer long preparing everything for the next season (something I don’t think many people realize). Managers who attend meetings to create a 6-month game schedule. Managers who while others are in the bar having a pre-game drink are at the rink preparing game day lineups, paying referees, paying timekeepers, chatting with coaches to ensure everything is good to go, and after the games submitting scores and stats. These managers plan parent meetings, team bonding events, write and send emails around the clock, and work on fixing any and all issues. They manage Team Snap and oversee keeping 17 players, bench staff and all parents in order – this is not an easy task. We (yes, I am a Manager), book restaurants reservations for 50 and submit food orders for 50, and even help the wait staff direct the meals to the right individuals. We organize weekend hotel stays, working on deals for good pricing, and finding hotels that are in safe neighbourhoods while being local to the rink. Managers arrange for team photos, Christmas parties, tournament fun, end of season parties, gifts etc. Plain and simple they never stop.

Thank you, Managers, everywhere!

Thank you to our Trainers. Trainers who keep our pride & joy safe game in and game out, and are there to monitor practice and react instantly to any whether it be physical injuries, or nausea, flu etc. They keep our young athletes hydrated, and lug around heavy water bottles and awkward first aid kits. They assist with equipment issues, skate tying, helmet repair, pad straps etc. They are always prepared to make a quick-thinking decision and provide a calm re-assurance to players on the bench.

Thank you, Trainers, everywhere!

Thank you to the fundraising / sponsorship committee. Fundraising is not always a glamourous task but is so needed in the competitive sporting world. This committee and their efforts bring in much needed funds to the team in order to compete and have a fun filled season.

Thank you, Committees, everywhere!

Thank you to the team Treasurer for doing all that lousy banking that the rest of us do not want to even think about. Depositing cheque after cheque and handling the banking fees. They also create the end of season detailed report on the expense breakdown of where our money has gone to, while making sure that we as a team stay within the “green”.

Thank you, Treasurers, everywhere!

Yes, thank you a million times to all these terrific human beings who go above and beyond! And, thank you to those who weren’t mentioned (yes, I know there are more, statisticians, those who “work the music”, the on-ice helpers that come out when in need and many more). We salute each and everyone of you!

We know we are not perfect. We know not everyone will agree with every decision. But we hope you can and do appreciate all that is done, after all you don’t get to see your superstar do what they love without us! Next time you feel hot under the collar about something, please remember this, and hey, maybe even try volunteering your time as well – it is always needed!

“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless”

 

 

Yup, it’s time to feel the sunshine on my skin, time to sit around the bonfire roasting s’mores, time to hop on your bike and hit the trail, yup it’s time to hang up the skates because SUMMER is HERE!

I LOVE HOCKEY! I love everything about hockey, but as much as I love hockey I know that we all need a break from it. My kids do, my husband does, and I do. And, this break is healthy, well deserved and definitely needed.

Kids need other activities during the off months. You see, summertime is so incredibly short, it often feels like you blink and its Labour Day. You as a family need to soak in May, June, July & August. You need to get to the beach and jump on that paddle boat. You need to lounge poolside with that book you’ve been waiting to read for the past few months. You need to take a hike to the local ice cream shop and listen to the neighborhood children play. You need to head out to watch your hometown baseball team on a hot and hazy Saturday afternoon. You need to sip a morning coffee on the deck watching a gorgeous sunrise, and end that same day with a glass of wine gazing at an amazing sunset.  You need barbeques with friends and families and laughter. Yes, we NEED this!

I just as many other parents and even hockey professionals themselves encourage you to let your children have their summer. Sports are all intertwined; baseball, lacrosse, track etc can all help with your hockey skills without even realizing it. You still require hand / eye coordination, speed, strength, and desire to name a few.  Many greats such as Wayne Gretzky & Bobby Orr have been very vocal about this topic and the importance of keeping active with different activities. We after all want to have well rounded children.

As for us and my little hockey family, we just purchased a mini home at the lake. My ’05 will fish with his buddies, and hit the golf course. My always ready to swim ’09 will hit the pool with her friends in their cute flip flops while munching on watermelon. My husband and I are going to be lucky enough to watch them do this – all of course while having icy cold beverages and running in the park with our new puppy! And, as for me the goalie mom Sunday morning Yoga on the beach is calling my name (not going to lie I am also waiting for an amazing strawberry sundae!).

Yes, summer is short. Before we know it, the leaves will begin to change and the feeling of the ice cold rink and frosty mornings with Tim Horton coffee stops will soon make its way back, and when it does we will embrace it. We will be refreshed and rejuvenated. We will be ready to BRING IT!

To all my fellow hockey moms, treat yourself with a lovely pedicure and enjoy every minute of your summer – you’ve earned it!

Deep breath…..here we go again….the two words we dread the most…TRYOUT TIME. Did you cringe yet? Did you gulp?

Tryout season, while no fun for anyone is especially hard on our young’uns. Our children work hard, train hard, and live and breathe the game of hockey. I am not going to sugar coat anything, tryouts are agonizing, they are painful, they are stressful and will have you and your family feel like they are on an emotional roller coaster.

After many years of tryouts, we have had some of which caught us by surprise, some of which ended in collapsing in tears, some of which were celebrated with joy, some of which brought heartache, some of which brought new excitement and all of which brought pure PRIDE.

My two children make me proud every day of their lives. They are smart, they are loyal, they are kind hearted human beings and their work ethic is bar none. However, I think I am most proud of them during the tryout season. I am proud of the poise they demonstrate. I am proud of the hustle they show on the ice (like, a crazy amount of hustle). I am proud of the determination they show. I am proud that they push us out the door to be there with enough time to prep. I am proud of the workouts they do to become faster and stronger (without coaxing). Most of all I am proud of how they conduct themselves both on & off the ice.

So, what is my advice for this time of year?

Conduct yourself properly. Parent cuts are a real thing. You do not want to be the reason your child who works hard is cut from a team they are deserving of being a part of.

Arrive early. With very high numbers of kids trying out (our center is in the 100’s) dressing room space is very limited (especially for our goalies).

Hustle! One thing my ’05 has been amazing at is showing how bad he wants it. In all his tryout years, he is always first to every station. My ’09 has followed suit in this also.

Teamwork. Even though your child is competing with others for the same spot, show respect. Hockey is a game of respect. Give props, tap gloves etc. It shows you will make a great teammate.

Don’t talk about the kids with your player. Believe me they are going to put enough pressure on themselves without hearing how amazing Johnny was tonight.

Nutrition. Make sure bellies are fed with proteins – but not too much, you want to avoid belly aches, and feeling weighted. I also recommend some fruit or protein bar also as a top up before hitting the ice.

Hydration. I feel like this is often lost. Hydration is so, so important. Don’t forget to bring your water bottle! The last thing anyone wants is to become lightheaded.

Sleep. Even though our players are anxious, nervous, excited etc they need to sleep. If the helmet numbers are not posted by your child’s regular bedtime, don’t wait up. They can always check the next morning; after all if your number is there you are going to need to perform again the next day.

Coaches. A good coach has already done their homework. A good coach knows what kind of team he / she wants to build. If your child has rocked a tryout and was not chosen, they just may not be what the coach is looking for, and that is ok. Life will still go on, and what is meant to be will be.

Coachability. This one speaks for itself. If your child isn’t coachable, its probably not worth the risk for a coach. Believe it or not, your child doesn’t already know everything there is to know about the game.

Understand that your player is going through a lot during this process. What you are going through, they are going through 10 times more. Give encouragement, give them strength, and give them unconditional love. Your child has ZERO control on who a coach chooses / does not choose. If for some reason your child is a victim of circumstance or politics, reassure them how great they really are, the kids are too young to understand / see the politics of hockey (and there certainly is a lot).

Let your child be. By this I mean if your child has just opened a letter indicating they have been cut, they are going to deal with it in their own way. I remember one year my son just wanted to be alone for an hour, and I didn’t understand it at the time, but realized that is what he needed. He needed to process things his way, he needed to cry in his own space, he needed to find that silver lining on his own. When he came out of his room, we were right there for him and he was completely fine.

Chatter. This is a HUGE one. Block out all the chatter. People love to talk, and talk loosely, and to be quite honest sometimes very stupidly. Don’t get caught up in it. Chatter is just that, chatter. The conspiracy theories, and the “did you hear, did you know” don’t mean a damn thing. The competitive sports world is ruthless!

And, to all my fellow goalie moms out there who watch our children battle for a position in which only 2 are chosen; cheers to you! Don’t worry your wine glass will be waiting when you get home from the rink!

I also want to give a special shout-out to goalies! These are the brave individuals donning the mask for every tryout. These are the individuals that are fighting for only 1 of 2 spots…think about that, let that sink in…1 of 2 spots. This is the epitome of stress for them. But this is what will build their character, this is where we see their miraculous strength. These things are why I am PROUD to be a GOALIE MOM!

Remember that our role as a supportive parent is to keep the dream alive. It is such a wonderful thing watching your child do what they love. Let them dream big! I think it is so important to remember that good things come to those who wait, everything happens for a reason, and when it is the right time, it will be the right time!

To all our hockey stars, good luck! We are proud of you! Remember to play and work hard for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back!

“Some may have more talent, but there is no excuse for anyone working harder than you” – John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leaf