It's Over

The final game was played on Sunday morning. It was a good game for us, not so good for our opponents. We defeated Chilliwack by a score of 8-3. Our team enjoyed a wrap-up party later that afternoon. And just like that the season is over. We had fun. Sam learned a lot, I think. He certainly had the best year of hockey that he has ever had in five years of playing the game. He had a personal record of 6 goals!

Kane and I found out at the wrap-up party that Sam had been in the running when the team voted for the captain and assistants. We were stunned. Out of 16 players on the team, ten different names were put forth by the players in the way of votes! I find that amazing and a perfect example of why we had such a great year. So unlike last year when the coach's son received no votes but was "chosen" as captain.

During the wrap-up party, Kane and I talked with all of the coaches. What good men they are! I have enjoyed their approach and philosophy all season, but they continued to carry those qualities through even in the dying minutes of our final game and at the wrap-up party. While I know that it is highly unlikely to happen, we would simply love for Sam to be on a team with any of these gentlemen in the future.

It was a very good year!

Score!

Sam scored his first goal of the season last night! He also had several very good opportunities last night and the night before.

Last Game of the Year

Sam's hockey team had their first official loss on Saturday, but it was close. Unfortunately, I wasn't at the game as I had to work. Sam was the captain of our team for that game and played forward. However, they won handily last night. They now have time off for Christmas holidays except for a short practice/party tomorrow night.

Hockey Review

Sam's team had two scheduled games over the past weekend. The first game was exciting. Our previous game against this same team resulted in a tie, and this game also ended in a tie...barely. We dominated the game. We should have had the victory, but we almost handed it over on a silver platter in the final few minutes of the game. Since there is no such thing as video replay in minor hockey, we skated away with a tie instead of our first official loss!

Sunday's game will probably go down in the record books as nothing at all. Both teams showed up, warmed up and were ready for the first drop of the puck; however, there wasn't a referee to be found. So, both teams carried out practice drills for an hour before deciding to play a game of scrimmage without any officiating. Our coaches mixed up the lines a bit which resulted in Sam playing forward instead of his usual defensive position. I'm sure he was excited by the upward move, and he did a good job. To my dismay, he also was on the receiving end of a bone-crushing elbow/body check; however, I was pleased to see our coaches immediately shout out that hitting wasn't allowed. It isn't but it still happens even with referees. Sam was okay, got up and continued on. We finished the game with a 3-1 win, although I'm sure it won't count for anything. Actually, the game ended rather abruptly. One minute we're watching the game. Suddenly, our coach calls our guys over to the bench and sends the entire team out to center ice lined up for the handshaking. I thought that our time was up, but Sam said that our coaches decided to end it because the game was getting too rough.

Wow!

I love our coaches this year! They are awesome. They work the boys hard during practices, but they have such great attitudes and expectations. They're demanding without being overbearing. They wanted a team of 'good' kids with good attitudes and a willingness to be coached. They encourage and build up our kids without becoming sappy and soft. They stick up for our kids.

We lost one of our players last week. The hockey executive made the decision to execute a trade between our team and another team. We received one of their players and were forced to give up one of ours. The problem is that our player has chosen to quit rather than play on that team as he has serious problems with a different player on that team. It is a messed up situation. Our hockey executive has created this problem and rather, than dealing with it at the root, has decided to make the most disruptive and damaging decisions. They don't care if our player quits hockey; they'd prefer to ban him than let him continue to play with us. How sad is that?!

Our coaches wrote a letter of formal complaint which all our parents and players signed. The situation creates a natural discomfort for the new player we have on the team, but our coaches and players are more than accepting of him.

Also, I was so impressed to learn that our coaches ended Sunday's game because of the roughness (mostly from the other team). Two years ago, Sam's team was in a similar position of having no referee for a scheduled game. The only difference was that a coach from each team put on their skates and acted as referees. It was one of the most brutal games I have ever seen my son play in. Those coaches did call a few penalties, but they let so much go and it was too far out of hand. After that game, our coach that refereed laughed it off saying that he just wanted the kids to have fun and play the game. Yeah...only it isn't fun to be crushed into the boards when you're supposed to be in a 'no body checking' league. So, it is refreshing to hear that our coaches this year have a vastly different philosophy about hockey and fun and what is acceptable on the ice. Our coaches aren't pansies. I did hear our coach shout out to one of our defensemen that he needed to keep an opposing player from pushing him around. There is a big difference between defending your territory and throwing your body into a kid much smaller than you. I'm glad our coaches know the difference!

Tournament #1

Well, once again, the photos are not showing in the order that I loaded them. I guess that's okay.

We made it to Nakusp safe and sound. We left around 3:30pm on Friday, so it was dark before we had gone too far from home, and it snowed off and on during the four hour drive. The road was unfamiliar to us and windy, a typical mountain road, but the conditions were not too bad. In fact, I wasn't stressed once because of the conditions, although it would have been nice to have been able to see what was on either side of the road. Or not.

The above photo was taken on our way home shortly after leaving Nakusp. Of course, there were no pictures to be taken on our trip there because of darkness. It was actually kind of weird to drive home seeing the scenery for the first time. I would love to make this drive in the summer; it looks very pretty.

This is Abby and Casey walking back to our motel from the arena after one of Sam's games on Saturday. Nakusp is only a village of about 1300, so everything we needed was in close proximity to each other. Our motel was basically two blocks from the arena. I still drove to each game; I forgot to bring my winter boots! The snow was just deep enough and slushy enough to make walking in shoes a cold and wet affair.

Here's a picture of Sam...looks like he was eating a potato chip. We arrived in Nakusp around 7:30pm on Friday and since we didn't play a game until Saturday morning, we had time to just relax.

Shaking hands after our semi-final loss to the home team. We played well most of the tournament despite having three games in one day. We won our first two games (8-0 and 4-3) and lost the lost two (5-2 and 5-1). Sam is the short player in black in the middle.

Our next tournament is in January in Oliver, BC.

Tied

Tonight's hockey game was definitely the closest and most challenging game for Sam's team. We didn't lose, but we didn't win either. It was a 2-2 tie.

Our opponent did a fantastic job of tying up our players. I don't think our guys really knew what to make of this team. We lacked our usual speed and team work, although it was evident that they were still trying to work as a team. The other team just came out with nothing to lose and ready to put out their best effort. Our reputation precedes us; we are the team to beat.

Being undefeated is something to be proud of, and yet it is also a curse. Our team isn't perfect. There are flaws to fix and bad habits to break and plenty of coaching to be received, but a team that never loses can forget some of those things thinking that they can continue to win as they always have. Not so! Hopefully, our team will learn from today's game. We may not have lost the game, but we were only a whisper away from putting a '1' in the loss column.

Revenge!

Sam's hockey team was once again asked to play an exhibition game against the Bantam AAA girls team this afternoon. Apparently, the other AAA girl teams don't provide enough of a challenge to the Kelowna team. Thursday afternoons are their regular practice times and they love playing us because we do challenge them. Last week, we lost 6-5 in an exciting, hard fought game. Today, we won 5-3 and Sam assisted on our first goal!

He also hurt his wrist early in the first period though he played the entire game without complaint. It doesn't look swollen to me and he can move it without too much pain, so I'm thinking that it is probably a sprain or something like that. He iced it as soon as we got home. Hopefully, he'll be good as new by the weekend. He plays his best friend's team on Sunday, and I know that Sam will want to play well in that game.

6-0

Sam's hockey team won their sixth game this afternoon and kept their record perfect. They did lose a game last Thursday (5-4), but it was an exhibition game against the Bantam AAA girls team. Sam's team is only a Bantam house team, so we really can't count that loss in their regular standings now can we.

Today's game was a very good, close game. The final score was 6-4; however, we had to work hard to come back from a deficit and take the lead. My little Sam was dealt a hard bodycheck in the first period and put his team on the powerplay. There is no bodychecking in house league! I gasped as I watched my son fall to the ice, but he got back up and stayed on the ice for the rest of his shift. He worked hard this game and is improving all the time.

I brought the camera to the game and took several shots. When I get the film developed, and assuming the photos turn out, then I'll post them here. I have my eye on a particular digital camera, but the price tag is a little steep and I'm not ready to sacrifice what I want for something cheaper.