player tips

It’s been a tough start to the season, what are hockey parents and player missing most during the pandemic?

We all have taken for granted going to the rink for practice or a game. Or to watch a brother, sisters, son, daughter or friend play a game. Or maybe you just made a trip to get skates sharpened or to buy a roll of tape at the pro shop. Many have also been known to simply drop in to see who is practicing or playing a game. And maybe that’s what we miss most. Just being at the rink. 

Puckless Pandemic & What We Miss Most

(in no particular order)

1. Watching the resurfacer clean the ice in anticipation of the game or practice. 
2. Arena steaks. Otherwise known as hot dogs at the ice rink. The official meal of hockey parents everywhere! 
3. The people. The players, the coaches, friends, even the referees. Hockey people are the best people!
4. The smell. Maybe not the smell of equipment, but there is a distinct smell inside an ice rink!
5. Becoming a better hockey player. There is great satisfaction in leaving the rink knowing that you are just a little bit better than you were when you walked in. 
6. The popcorn. Maybe it’s eating warm popcorn in a cold rink, but it just seems like popcorn always tastes better at the ice rink. 
7. Bringing Dunkin coffee to the rink. Because regardless of what anyone says, coffee from the ice rink tastes like that last cup melded to the pot at a 2 am truckstop. 
8. Snuggling under a warm blanket with family and friends in the stands of a super cold rink. 
9. The sounds. Skate blades carving into the ice, pucks clanging off the goal posts, into the boards and plexiglass. Whistles, coaches instructions and even the animated hockey parent barking instructions to their child or angst at the referee.
10. The arena manager. Even though the vision of an ice arena manager is a grizzled old guy with cheeks that you could strike a match on, admit it, you sort of miss getting yelled at for playing street hockey in the hallways and lobby or for rocking the vending machine trying to shake loose that bag of chips that got stuck. 
11. Playing without a mask. 
12. Watching your son or daughter make a great pass, assist on a goal or best of all, scoring the big goal.
13. The car ride home with your son or daughter….an experience that only a hockey parent can truly appreciate. 

Thank you for reading, and if you want more to read, we have plenty of great player development articles in our BLOG ARCHIVE.

Hang in there and let’s all look forward to brighter days ahead. And when we return to the rink under normal conditions, maybe we’ll all just appreciate things a little bit more!