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April 17, 2009
Arcticulates ®
Focusing on Alaska's Beauty
Author: K. Fields
~ ~ Hockey Junior Style ~ ~
Well...
for the first time ever.... I sat and watched Hockey
games.
I have heard of Hockey and seen a few plays on the news or
something on TV but never have been to a real live game. Till
now.. Well ... sorta... I got to watch the State Hockey Tournament
involving the littlest newest Hockey players that we will be reading
about as
the future" famers" of Hockey... The ones just learning how to skate,
and carry a big stick with out killing themselves or others near them.
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These
little guys and some gals took the game seriously... They worked
out with energy and zeal. The team I followed is the
one where I live. Very active 8-11 year old kids. They
worked really hard, listened to the directions of the coach and
assistants and then went out on that ice and played hard. It
didn't matter that they fell countless times on the hard ice, into the
walls and all over each other, they still got up and kept on
playing.. A winning spirit if I ever saw one.
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The
game of Hockey is a very popular sport in Alaska.. go figure.. a
game on ice... popular here.. .Of course, many people know that now,
after
Governor Sarah Palin announced that she was a Hockey mom... Which is a
whole other post.. Hockey moms and dads are pretty darn amazing
people... I have been to some of the most professional Hockey
rinks in the state and they are amazingly large... and cold.
Okay.. Some were not freezing cold... some were... other;
the seats were cold until you sat on them long enough to have a warm
spot.. But that never lasted long, because of jumping up and down,
shouting at the top of your lungs... and pacing when things got tense..
who had time to sit for any length of time.
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The
gear these kids wore on the ice was phenomenal.. I am wondering
how they could even skate with all that padding and layers on.
They had elbow pads, wrist pads, ankle pads, knee
pads, stomach pads that tied on like a corset.. pads on there shoulders
and around their helmets, and they guys had to wear cups to protect
their privates, and most of the padding was taped on with
lots of athletic tape so they wouldn't come loose during the game and
fall off. Plus their uniforms and gloves and they also were mouth
guards
to protect their teeth, not to mention the heavy skates.. You didn't
even recognize the kids when they were finished getting ready for the
game. Yet even with all that on... They skated and played as
if it
were nothing. Absolutely amazing to watch
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They
played their little hearts out and they won almost all the games
they played, those that they didn't win they tied. So during the final
game in the
tournament the tension was thick with the boys, because
they would be playing against the team they tied against, which was a
really tough game... The score stayed tied though out the whole game,
both
teams played hard and they were a good match against each other. So my
team was feeling a little tense about playing them again.. but that's
okay because I knew the other team was feeling the same way..
The final game of the season was the deciding factor of which
team wins the Alaska State Championship..
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It
had already been a long 4 days of playing against other
teams, and even though my team was winning, the one or two games a
day.. plus being away from home. Being overtired from the
excitement etc.. etc.. started showing a little wear and tear on the
kids and their parents.
But
it sure didn't stop that winning spirit they had. They
played hard and didn't even retaliate when the other teams
started to use Cheking (pushing against a player at full force to knock
them down... which is not allowed in the younger kids games) and using
hockey sticks to trip up a skater. Which the instigators were caught
and penalized, but someone would end up getting hurt just the same,
upsetting all the team members. Their coach who was a
great guy... told them while looking at their tired, hurt, mad, little
faces...
that the best way to get even is to score. Which rived up the
boy's spirits and off they went and they did score... again and again..
and in the end their good sportsmanship ended up winning them the State
Championship..
One
of those players is our grandson whom I think is awesome..
Well
done! Jesse! To you and your Hockey teammates this year!
Later...
K
Fields
See Also: Baby!
It's Cold Outside?
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Thank You!
I look forward to meeting you and reading your thoughts.
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