Hockey Try Outs - First Stage

I suspect if you woke up tomorrow with a new born son (or daughter) and decided you wanted to give them the Best Hockey Training in the world you would move to Oakville, Ontario, assuming you preferred staying in North America (you don't like Borsch). OK, I can agree that at least you would move to Canada.

The Oakville Rangers "ice" four Rep hockey teams. AAA is the best, then AA, A and AE. MacDaddy has played two years in the Oakville House League program. At 8 years old, MacDaddy has skated for 3 years. From his first time on skates where he fell 50+ times at practice to NOW has been an amazing improvement... and he has done it with the support of his parents, but without the help... we know very little about hockey. We are learning but do not have the frame of reference.

It is probably that lack of experience with the sport that allowed me to let MacDaddy try out for the AAA Rep Oakville Rangers hockey team. I suspect the team was mostly picked before the practice. Last night MacDaddy was one of the 75 kids that tried out for the team. 17 make the team. As I told MacDaddy, I guarantee he was the only kid at try outs born in Texas. I actually asked him after if the coach asked "anyone here born in Texas?"... MacDaddy said "no, he didn't ask". I was surprised.

Most of the try outs were skating drills with a 4-on-4 game at the end. I am not sure I had ever seen MacDaddy do some of the skating drills in his house league practices, like skating backwards with a puck.

It was pretty obvious to me that MacDaddy was not going to make the team. He said he had "fun" and we will be more prepared to the AA, A and AE try outs, and even knowing what to prepare/expect for next year. I am a big fan of going to as many try outs as you can because you learn how to try out. I am REALLY PROUD of MacDaddy. What a great kid.