Welcome To Hockeytown
By Wyatt Earp | July 23, 2009
Kyle, in his happy place.
Population: Kyle and Erik.
Well, I told the boys it would be difficult to go the entire season undefeated. In this case, it came at Game #2. Tuesday’s game was rained out, so the make-up game was last night. And it didn’t take long to tell which team was the dominant one.
Our first clue was when the coach’s wife told me, “Those kids tower over ours!”
She was right. Three kids on the opposing team were at least as tall as Kyle, and every one of them played very well. One of them, Kyle’s friend Jacob, was outstanding last night, scoring a hat trick. It was still good to see, though, because Jacob was on the team that didn’t win a game last season.
What was not so good to see was our team getting nowhere offensively, because their opponents were much too fast for them. I mean, when Erik can’t put a body on someone, something’s askew. The late start probably had something to do with Erik’s fatigue – it began at 7:15pm, and he goes to bed by 7:45pm – as did his non-stop running around the front yard before the game.
I tried to tell them that they should be like Dad: go to a quiet place, pump out some Ramones, and get focused – but they laughed at me. Figures.
Kyle and Erik’s team lost the game by a score of 5-1, but both of them played pretty well. Erik played defense again, and saved a goal with a last second clearing attempt when Kyle was out of position.
As for Kyle, I stopped counting his saves when he reached 20 by the end of the second period. He probably ended up with a total of 30 or so, but for a little league street hockey game, that’s a lot of pucks coming his way.
After the game, I went out to Dick’s Sporting Goods and purchased new goalie pads for Kyle. The ones he were using were good, but a little too big for him. These fit him better, and should give him some more confidence.
Just in time, too, because their next game is tonight at 6:15pm.
UPDATE: Dammit. The rainstorms came through again, and tonight’s game was postponed. And for those wondering, the construction hasn’t begun on the house yet, either. Rain again is the cause.
Topics: Ice Hockey, The Boys | 10 Comments »
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:29 pm
If nothing else, maybe a good learning experience…
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Hey, ho, let’s go …
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Back in the days when my young lad played goal in roller hockey, he wired up to “Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young. Yer makin’ me feel old, Wyatt. The young lad is gonna be a sophomore at Penn State. He still skates from time to time, when the books and his band allow. No more goalie, though. He’s strictly a D-man now.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Old NFO – Agreed. Kyle didn’t have an episode, either, which was good. he usually blames himself when his team loses.
Doghouse – Blitzkrieg Bop is my cell phone ringtone.
July 23rd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Bob – Erik has been playing forward and defense, but he likes playing defense – just like I did before I got old and slow.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:09 am
Glad the boys are enjoying street hockey so much.
As for the construction, expect a lot of delays and just be glad you do not have the complete moron that we had.
good luck with everything.
aunt noreen
July 24th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
My interests include geology so one of my big favourites is Rockin’ All Over the World by Status Quo.
And, YES, I know they can only play 3 chords (reputedly)
And, YES, they only have one nose between them
And, YES, they are as ugly as sin BUT
They love their fans and they don’t mind playing their hits again, and again, and …
(I remember one TV show where they played their hits to accompany a big firework display. You’d think the producers would have visual feed of the fireworks and sound from Status Quo. In their insanity they had sound from the fireworks and visuals from Status Quo – yuk!)
July 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
A piece of news from over here …
In a youth soccer game the players were so unruly that 3 were sent off and the game abandoned. The ref. was punched by one of the fathers. The father has just been given 18 months in jail!
Good for the Judge!!
July 25th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Aunt Noreen – Oh, we made sure we didn’t hire your knucklehead. I’d have to split him with a 2×4.
Alan B – I hate parents like that. What is it with football over there?
July 26th, 2009 at 5:21 am
Precious little to do with soccer – a lot to do with loss of simple values. Not, unfortunately, unknown in other countries?
Many years back a colleague was describing the experiences of his young teen-aged daughter where she was regularly being spiked by other “athletes” on the track. Parents acting as coaches to their dear little off-spring were teaching them how to do it without being spotted!
He advised her to go into swimming. There (with strict lane control) was no spiking, bumping, boring and all the rest. If you came last in an inter-club competition but beat your best time, you would be cheered to the rafters by your team. If you didn’t, you would meet with consolation and support.
Unfortunately, some sports seem to be more prone to abuses and I am sure that how the local officials deal with infractions has a lot to do with it as well.
Having a cop as coach would seem to have be likely to improve things …