Maybe She Knew Something

About 3 months ago Lil Lefty asked me if she could play hockey this year. She had played two years ago and had an "ok" season. A-Mac and Lil Lefty both played the same year, once and only once. A-Mac had scored two goals that year and Lil Lefty hadn't scored a goal. Lil Lefty had her first game last night. She played center, took the face-offs and controlled the ice. I helped on the bench, opening and closing the doors and getting the kids out and in at the shift changes. Let me rephrase that, I learned the first two periods and then helped in the third after the more highly skilled coach had to leave. Unfortunately, I was unable to take pictures of the game... I experienced the game from ice level.

In her first shift, Lil Lefty scored a goal, her team's first. I thought I saw #9 roughing it up in front of the net and pushing in the trash... but that couldn't be my sweet daughter. In her next shift she did not score a goal and the assistant coach, and her softball coach, asked her jokingly, "why she didn't score again"... the next time on the ice Lil Lefty snapped a shot toward the goal that was deflected into the goal and Lil Lefty earned an assist. She followed up with a break away goal, outskating her opponents, for her second goal of the night.

She was good... first game, two goals and an assist. In the car ride home she told me she had been playing a lot of ball hockey in front of our old house... her skating skills still need to improve, but she showed a lot of desire to score... maybe she knew something when she asked to play 3 months ago...

Picture Day?

Today is Picture Day at the kid's school. Why do we still have picture day? I could understand that when I was a kid picture day may have been the one time during the year when you had a portrait opportunity. With the proliferation of digital cameras everyday is picture day. I have learned from MacMom that the "best" pictures are the natural ones that aren't posed. I suspect during my childhood I appeared in 100-200 pictures. I further believe that my kids are in 2000+ pictures each, already, sitting on our hard drive, and backed up to an external drive. No more need for picture day.

Sometimes You Have to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Both A-Mac and Lil Lefty started their hockey seasons this past weekend. Both girls have played one season of hockey and skated for only one season. Hockey is a great opportunity for conditioning , developing eye-hand coordination, balance, core training and strength training. They finish their practice or games, soaked in sweat. It can't be bad. Neither have started with confidence in their hockey or skating skills.

A-Mac is #9 in black below. She had her first game Saturday night at 9:00pm and her first practice Sunday at 1:45pm.

A-Mac is playing on a team where she doesn't know anyone. She had several good plays in her first game. She needs to try hard and make mistakes. When in Canada do as the Canadiens... (note the spelling)

Lil 'Lefty, which will now be confusing because she plays hockey right handed, is in the blue "sweater", a Canadian term and dark blue helmet. She is fortunate to be on a team with a friend from softball and her Dad, who is also the softball coach,helps out during practices. Lil' Lefty volunteered to play center during their practice. Her first game is tonight. Lil' Lefty is #9 in blue below.

Slap shot, it's a GO!

Hamburgers, Hotdogs, Hockey and even a dip in the pool...

The weather held out (rain was predicted) and we were able to celebrate Andrew's 9th Birthday Party, finally! MacDaddy celebrated with 20 boys from baseball, hockey, school and neighborhood friends. The boys played 5 on 5 street hockey with no goalie. Shifts were two minutes. The boys worked up an appetite and had hamburgers and hotdogs and then hit the pool.

Over the river and through the woods...

MacDaddy led me on a 45 minute bike ride Saturday that he usually goes on with the boy next door. We took the trail by our house into the woods to Erindale Park, toured Mississauga's UT Campus, cut back over to Mississauga RD, and back home. Needless to say, we never got to grandma's house.

Indoor Blazer Practice

Video from iPhone whilst driving to Blazer practice. ("Look at the squirrel")

Indoor batting training.

Dog AND Boy on window seat

MacDaddy First Home Game

MacDaddy played in his first Home league game as an Erindale Spitfire. The parking lot was full and there was much more active than a few weeks ago. Hockey season has started. We see neighbors and friends at the games. It costs $4 per person to get in, including MacDaddy and you can eat a full meal at the concession stand. It is the Canadian version, toned down, of Friday Night Lights, the Texas High School football phenomenon.

The team wore thier home, white jerseys. I overheard in the locker room the boys saying whites were bad luck because they have yet to win a game in whites. Apparently, the boys didn't want to upset the pattern. They lost decisively to Lorne Park.

MacDaddy is #13.

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Dog on Bench

Walk by Creek

A-mac and I took Coco for a walk by the creek. We had hoped to see jumping salmon. We saw a half dozen fishermen, two frogs and no fish. It was good exercise.

First League Game = First Win

MacDaddy's team, the Erindale Spitfires Minor Atom A, won their first league game 2-1. It was a very exciting game and showed some definite inprovement over their first three tournament games. I continue to enjoy the whole hockey experience. Hockey is a great team work game. To be successful everyone has to do their part. MacDaddy is #13.

First Time in the "Sin Bin"

MacDaddy first time in the "Sin Bin", also known as the penalty box... Two minutes for hooking. He played really well tonight... Showed some spunk.

Lil Lefty First/Last Medal of the Season

You could say that Lil' Lefty either finished or started her softball season with a silver medal in the Brampton Fall Blast. Technically, new teams have been formed and move up, but Lil' Lefty is playing with 7 girls from her team last year. They need some work...

Below, combined teams picture with the Brampton Blazers. Lil' Lefty plays on the Mississauga Tigers Squirt I team.

A-Mac, Put the "F U N" back in Softball!!!

A-Mac finished up her best full tournament as a Brampton Blazer. She played first base the entire tournament. She hit well. The video clip shows a line drive to left field for an out but a great hit.

Between games a new "helper coach" took the team to an adjacent school and had then re-work on fielding and footwork. He was pitching warm-up tosses to A-Mac and told her to "get a bigger bat", he said "it looks like a toothpick". Pictured below is A-Mac swinging the 33" Anderson she used two year ago until she was told, against my better judgment, to get a smaller bat.

Confidence is high and results even higher.

Way to put the "FUN" back in softball.

MacDaddy Dryland Training

In between his sister's 6 softball games today,MacDaddy found time, with the help of Taxi driver, MacMom, to attend his hockey dryland positioning training. Training was held at a tennis court near our house. Saves us cost on rep fees...Don't have to pay for ice time. The boys had fun and at the end of the practice coach let them play a game a ball hockey. No coaching, just ball hockey!

After practice, the kids got treats from Coach Ron.

Lil Lefty in Brampton Too!!!

Lil Lefty is back with the same Mississauga Tigers team playing at Squirt I level. The finished 2nd in their pool play and need to win two games tomorrow to win the tournament. Lil Lefty pitched like she hadn't pitched in 6 weeks... which she hadn't.