Real Hockey

Since before Barrett could ice skate, he's been begging us to play hockey.  I don't know if it's because his dad plays, because we watch so much St. Louis Blues hockey, or because he just likes doing anything active.  Maybe it is all of those things.  I have no doubt, however, tath Barrett loves hockey.  He took ice skating lessons and played hockey in the garage with his dad to help him prepare, and this fall, he did is first learn-to-play.  Frankly, the first couple of practices, I thought we'd thrown him in too early.  Many of the other kids were older and could skate a lot better.  Suprisingly, that did not deter Barrett at all.  Every time, he came off the ice grinning ear to ear and bragging about how sweaty he was. 

At the end of that session, he still didn't seem ready for a league, so Billy did some one-on-one skating with Barrett, he took more lessons, and we signed him up for another learn to play this winter.  The progress was good.  He could skate well enough that he could spend more energy focusing on how he was using his stick.  After each practice, he would beg us to let him play in a "real hockey" game.  He wanted to do a league so badly.  So like any good, push-over parents, we signed him up for a spring league.  This is the more relaxed league and has a mix of ages, so it seemed like a good entry point into the league world. 

From the moment we told Barrett he'd get to play in a league with games, he told everyone he saw that he was going to play "real hockey."  It would not just be practice drills anymore.  He was going to play games.  He had a couple of initial practices, and each time he left them very frustrated, because he just wanted to play "real hockey."  So, the week leading up to the first Saturday they would play games, that's all he could talk about.  That also happened to be the same weekend as Audrey's birthday, her sleepover party, and his best friend's birthday party.  So, a few days before, he asked me if I knew why he was so excited about the weekend.  My initial thought was his sister's birthday party.  Wrong!  Then, I guessed Presley's party.  Wrong again!  "Mom, it's my first real hockey game," Barrett told me as if that absolutely should have been the first thought that came to mind.  Well, I guess I do know his priorities going forward. 

Today was the first day I had been able to attend his game.  Barrett played pretty welll, especially considering it has been less than 1 month since he started playing in a game format.  He fell down a lot.  But, he tried really hard, got really sweaty, and came off the ice grinning.  So, I'd say it was a successful day!

In the photos, Barrett is in the black sweater with black socks, #11. And  yes, he is one of the youngest and smallest kids in this league! He doesn't care though.  He just loves playing real hockey.