Breakfast Club: Session II - Week 10

Today was the last session. Can you believe it? Twenty weeks of training have gone by fast. Today is also the first day of Spring. It’s a good time to do a little progress check on your hockey career over the past 20 weeks. We all know hockey is a difficult sport with the skating, puck handling, shooting and game tactics; it’s hard to get it all working together. As soon as you feel comfortable in your skates, try it with a puck and then add the other players. Even the pros spend thousands of hours on the ice and still practice everyday. So, I've learned to measure improvement in terms of inches instead of yards. That way I don't get too discouraged and I keep motivated to play. Granted, on some days it seems like your loosing ground instead of getting better, so I look at it over time. Overall, I'm happy with my skill improvement and I feel more confident on the ice. I also know more about the game and what I should be doing on the ice. It may not be noticeable to others, but I know of the little things I'm doing better. Bottom line is after seven years of doing this, I still enjoy walking into the rink and have never regretted coming to the rink when I leave. Did I mention the fun factor? The Breakfast Club allows us to learn in our own way and our own speed. You can't learn this stuff playing in league all the time. Plus, even at open skates I'm concentrating more on not knocking over the four year old and making a big scene.

This is a milestone – the end of the fall/winter session – we made it and we are better players. This isn't the last chapter folks, oh no, remember we play year round. We are professionals; your family, friends and work understand this. Hockey is in your DNA. Spring session starts April 18th, that's in three weeks. I'm going to have a hard time making it through a week without Lyle yelling I mean instructing us. It's part of the weekly routine.

That's a wrap folks; it's been fun doing this. Another great thing about hockey is the people you meet and the new friends you make. See ya around the rink. Kirk out.