Learn To Play

I haven't ran in a couple of days.  I don't have time in the weekend mornings because my younger son Dusty has hockey clinics Saturdays and Sundays.  I have to wake him up around 6am to put his gear on and get him to the rink by seven.  I kissed and hugged him this morning, and he wouldn't budge.  Then I whispered, "Do you want to go to hockey?" and, with his eyes still shut tight, he gently nodded yes.

When I carry him downstairs, I am prepared.  I have a show playing on my computer, and that's usually what wakes him up.  In December I had the Flintstones Christmas Special and "A Muppet Family Christmas".  This morning, I had "The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!"  He just lies down staring at the screen while I put his gear on him.  

And then we're off to the rink.  Sometimes he'll go back to sleep in the car.  Sometimes he'll talk.  It's the same with my older one Rusty.  As a squirt he had a bunch of 7am games (or earlier!).  And it was just nice to have that shared experience with them.  It's still dark and the streets are empty when we leave, and when we get out, the sun is out and so are the people.

Sometimes we would go over some pointers.  And sometimes he would just say random stuff.  They're usually pretty entertaining and interesting.  Unfortunately, once we get to the rink, it's all about getting game ready and a lot of that conversation is forgotten about.  (I should have kept up with this blog more and wrote them down).

I got to know one of the parents at Dusty's clinic.  (By the way, I think if it's a single session, it should be called a clinic, but if it's a series of clinics, it should be called Learn To Play.)  It's their first time with hockey and I gave him some advice.  I told him to just relax and enjoy it.  I admit when Rusty was starting, I was comparing him to the other kids who were better skaters, or could stick handle or had better awareness.  This time around with my younger one, I don't even know or care which kid can do what already.  I just see Dusty out there scraping the ice with his stick blade and then smiling and having the time of his life and I don't want to interrupt that.  I'm afraid I've ruined so many moments like that for Rusty by yelling out to skate or chase the puck.

The parent assumed that the coaches' kids are the best players, and I told him it's not necessarily so.  I said, in the end, it's all about the kid and how motivated they are.  And I told him to give his kid a little push even if he just wants to stay home and play video games.  And to just practice.

After the clinics end, Dusty still wants to hang around and watch the Zamboni.  When it comes around, he waves to the Zamboni guy and the Zamboni guy waves back.  And then we get going.  He pulls his hockey bag behind him, and he likes to roll it down the stairs and have it go bump, bump, bump.  He asks to stay at the playground for a few minutes, but it's too cold.

Big brother is now also in a roller hockey team.  Little brother napped in the car on the way to the games.  At least he got some of his sleep back.  As for big bro, he kinda has to learn to play roller hockey.  They use a lighter ball, so he is not used to controlling it.  And the surface is not the same as ice, they are not moving as fast.  And without ice skates and blades, they can't stop and change direction quickly.  But at least they get to be active and be around their friends.  And yesterday, a parent brought donuts!

I wanted to go out this afternoon and play some roller hockey on our street, but after five total sessions in the cold all weekend, I decided to stay inside and warm up my toes.  So no exercise for a couple of days for me.  Hopefully I'll be well rested for a long run tomorrow morning.