The Hockey Fanatic will be featuring guest posts from hockey fans, hockey parents and yes hockey players on our site. If you are interested in contributing a guest post to the Hockey Fanatic, please contact us at: thehockeyfanatics at gmail.com. Follow us on twitter at @hockeyfanatics.
Here is our first guest post on the great experiences of being a hockey mom. Special thanks to Randi Chapnik Myers for the post. Follow Randi on Twitter at: @stixandpux
TOP FIVE REASONS I LOVE BEING A HOCKEY MOM
Being a hockey mom is demanding work. It’s hard waking your kid up before the sun to get to a freezing arena, keeping his spirits high when his team gets creamed, and spending your Sundays driving from rink to stinky rink. But as much as I can’t help but complain sometimes, there’s no denying the fact that I love being a hockey mom. Here’s why.
5. It’s our time. I love the adventure of leaving the house with my child in the car, anticipating the game ahead. We chat about everything from school to sports to friends, and if we have time, we stop off for coffee and hot chocolate on the way.
4. The pride is overwhelming. Seeing our last name on the back of my kid’s jersey when he glides onto the ice gives me chills every time. I still can’t believe he skates faster backward than I do forward. Cheering at the top of my lungs when he makes a great play or scores a goal is nothing short of cathartic. His grin, when he does his best after hours of hard work, is a gift.
3. I love that he loves it. I see the joy my child takes from the sport – not just on the ice, but in the dressing room, at tournaments, on TV, and shooting pucks in the backyard. Checking hockey videos and scores in his pjs is his first order of business every morning, and his teammates are some of his best pals. At 10, he says, “hockey is my life.”
2. I respect the adults in this world. Although I sometimes disagree with their calls, I’m in awe of the refs and coaches who make the game possible. When I’m in the stands cheering or booing with other hockey parents, I feel as if we’ve all be friends forever.
1. We are learning perspective. Just as in life, there are wins and losses, and the values of sportsmanship, team play, and humility are the hardest lessons to learn. Through hockey, we’re getting there, and even though 35 years separate us, we’re getting there together.
SO? WHY DO YOU LOVE BEING A HOCKEY PARENT?
BIO: Toronto writer/editor Randi Chapnik Myers is a hockey mom who started the site STIXandPUX to connect hockey parents everywhere. Come join us at www.stixandpux.com as she shares the highs and lows of the season from one hockey mom’s view from the stands. You can also follow her at www.momfaze.com where she dishes about life with tweens and teens.
