Hockey

I laced up a pair of skates at a very young age and always enjoyed skating. I especially loved skating on our slough or even on the river when I was young with our neighbours. We cleared a lot of ice in those days. In school Phys. Ed. we had skating at our local arena. I never did play hockey but eight of my brothers and sisters took to the ice, learning the game’s language through swift passes, slap shots, the odd fight and the relentless pursuit of victory. Sometimes I tagged along and cheered them on. The passion for hockey didn’t stop with my brothers and sisters and if there’s a position with a special kind of magic, it’s the goalie. My husband guarded the crease for years, facing slap shots and breakaways and developing a goalie’s unique blend of courage and composure. He and his teammates have many stories. Our son inherited that same dedication, standing tall between the pipes, and now he and my two grandsons proudly take their turn in net ready to be the last line of defence. There is something almost poetic about watching the next generations don the same gear and take interest in a long tradition. My daughter, meanwhile, found her place off the ice but still at the heart of the action as a hockey team manager for a U-15 team. She coordinates schedules, attempts to keep everyone organized, and ensures the games run smoothly. It’s a role that demands patience and attention to details.

Did you ever try to watch a hockey game and feel like everyone’s speaking a secret language? Yes, they have their own lingo. Before I learned the essentials, hockey talk sounded more confusing than trying to skate in flip-flops. Everyone can pick out the “referee”. He’s the brave soul dodging flying pucks and angry players while enforcing the rules. The “linesmen” are like referees, but less likely to get yelled at for calling a penalty. I learned that “off-side” was the art of arriving at the party before the puck, “icing” was shooting the puck really hard and far down the ice causing players to grumble as they go back to where they started, “face-off” when two players come face to face waiting for the official to drop the puck; winner gets the puck. A “goal” is the reason everybody came, and the “assist” is the person who does all the work so another person can score, “shoot-out” is where the players face off with the goalie one-on-one. There are many more words like blue line, high sticking, boarding, tripping, elbowing, cross-checking, goalie interference, slapshot, backhand, wrist shot, forecheck, backcheck, bench minor, power play, puck handling, and slashing.

There is a “soundscape” to hockey too; the sound of pucks sliding across fresh ice. The sound of skates gliding methodically and their sudden “hockey” stops create a dramatic high-pitched scrape with a shower of ice chips. Throughout the game, you can hear the crisp tapping of sticks on the ice as players signal for a pass, orchestrate a play, or alert teammates to their presence. Sometimes they shout and it echo’s across the rink, cutting through the background noise. Coaches are heard directing changes, and hockey fans are experts at yelling advice from the stands. Then there’s the cheering section, and that’s my only offering. I can’t give advice, but I can sure cheer.

Hockey is our national winter sport, and in my family, it’s a tradition, a competitive sport, and a source of endless stories. And so, while I may never have scored a goal myself, I have cheered and played my own important part in Canada’s great game.