Playing ice hockey has it’s ups and downs but I love it. You get a great workout (If you hustle. I do sometimes but I’m getting old). You get to meet new people many of which have become my best friends. They help you on and off the ice with your personal relationships and in business. Currently I play in two hockey leagues (Beer Leagues) and they have introduced me to dozens and dozens of business owners, salesmen, IT techs, lawyers, investors, graphic designers, website developers, flute salesmen (I bought a flute in the hockey locker room last week for Elisa) and other professionals that I work with frequently.
But playing hockey also has many challenges. It’s tough to make it to late night games. I miss games when I travel for business. I often get severe bruises like I currently have on my right leg from getting hit by a slap shot. That bruise has many interesting colors that seems to grow and grow daily. Last year I tore a ham string badly that made it difficult to walk to for 8 weeks. But hockey has always been a great for me and something I really enjoy.
Never did I know coaching hockey with my daughter would be dramatically even more enjoyable.
My 12 year daughter Elisa started playing organized hockey this year for the Lady Sting Travel Hockey Team. At first it was just my job to get her to and from the rink and play street hockey out front of our house to teach her the basics. Then we’d have our talks to and from the rink about how much she was improving and what to work on to make her a better player and have more fun. Days at the rink with Elisa and our drives to and from are some of the best parts of my day.
Regarding Hockey and Life in general we have two very strict rules she and I live by:
(1) Hustle!!!
(2) Have fun!!!
She asked me, “Dad, shouldn’t having fun be Rule #1?”. I told her “no”. Having fun is close to Rule #1 rule but Hustle is Rule #1. If you don’t hustle you will never get better. I told her, “Trust me hustle and you will have more fun. And after you score your first goal then you can tell me if it was worth it.
Shortly after watching several of Elisa’s practices I was told I could skate with the team. I am really more of a volunteer but I’ve played hockey most of my life so I think I help out pretty well. I often empty and fill the water bottles and get the pucks out for the team. The kids call me “coach” and their head coach Laura (she’s awesome) calls me “coach” but I’m really just a volunteer. I never knew skating with my daughter and her teammates could be so much fun and teach me so much. They skate 3-4 times a week and have off ice training at “Laura’s House of Pain”. It’s great for the kids. It teaches them discipline, teamwork, and how to be a better person. All things that I believe our youth needs more of. And as a proud father I’d also like to add that Elisa recently joined the swim team. So on top of 3-4 hockey practices a week she swims (90) mins per practice Monday – Friday. This means frequent practices for two sports in the same day. She’s in the band at school and is just finishing act classes. These were all her choices. We do not push her. She pushes herself. And if you were to ever see her on the ice you would notice she’s not the best player on the team but she always has a huge smile on her face. Well maybe she gets a little fired up when she gets bumped or knocked down but most of the time it’s all smiles.
How does a 12 year kid doing so much and still get straight “A”s in school. That’s where her mom comes in.
Hustle does pay off. Elisa scored her first goal a few weeks ago and it was amazing. I knew I would be excited when she scored but not until it happen. I was unconsciously jumping up and down in the stands with both arms raised above my head until I realized exactly how excited I was. That drive home from the rink was special. And yes we agreed Rule #1 is Hustle. It made playing hockey that much more fun. She’s was again all smiles.
Hustle. Work hard. Bust your ass at everything you do and life will be more fun. But most importantly spend time with your kids. It’ll pay off in ways you could never imagine.
Thank you for reading my blog & taking a moment to allow me to share one the few things I’m more proud of than the Motor City Spindle Repair Team. My daughter Elisa.