Little Hockey Player

Now the real wrinkle in the family schedule comes when I start coaching my other son’s team. Right now, I am “just a parent” on Hockey Player’s team, and really, I am quite happy to be “just a parent”. Mind you I do find myself “coaching” in my head during the games that I have watched, getting’ antsy when someone tries to shoot the puck up the middle of the ice instead of around the boards, for instance, but I do know my role on this team.

I heard someone say it beautifully as to what the role of the parent is; “Your job is to drive the player to the rink and get them there on time!”

Little Hockey Player wants to play select hockey this season. He did play select 2 years ago but didn’t make the team last year. I volunteered to coach the team for this coming season and as you know; “Coaches kid always makes the team!” The association will have its first “open skate” this weekend where anyone and everyone that is of the right age can come out and skate for an hour. I declined to run the skate myself and have hired Outside Guy, former NCAA player, to come out and do it for me. I know him quite well and have used him in the past and I think that he is very good with kids of this age; he’ll make it fun. I have asked Outside Guy to “use” Hockey Player during the hour to demonstrate and help set up the drills etc.

The drill for Little Hockey Player, once his season gets going, is that he will have 1 select game a week, 1 select practice a week and 1 house league game a week. The house league game and select practice both happen Saturday mornings so that makes the schedule easier to follow and only “ruins” one day. The games could be scheduled any time during the week, except Saturday, and could be at any number of arenas around the city- that is a whole post unto itself!