Being a Hockey Parent [Archive] - Page 2 - Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum

Ahbroody

01-22-2011, 11:40 PM

Hell no. He got a hug and a kiss on the head after the game same as always brother. :tu Went to the net as usual, skated with his head up all game, set up shop infront of the net looking for the feeds. Love watching him use his brain out there and not be a mindless puck chaser. The only time I ever talk to him if he isnt moving his feet. Even then I always try to put it in positive terms.

End of game was classic he stayed back as they were winning by one. I was proud to see him do that without anyone saying anything. When I asked him, he said the goalie needed help. One of their kids gets a mini break and starts skating towards him. coach is yelling clear the puck. Micah decides to be a human bowling ball and takes out the kid. Hit him pretty good. :r Puck goes to the wall game ends. I love that he loves to hit already, but pretty soon I think he may take a penalty. I think he gets away with a little more cause the kids that ref the game seem to like him.

Al I was watching a PSU game on justin.tv last night while at work. I think they stream most the games. I could only watch for a few minutes then got some calls for service.

E.J.

01-23-2011, 09:33 AM

Few pics from the County Rec game last night... Had a goal and an assist. The team actually played really well and had a shot at taking out the #1 team in the league. In the end, it was not to be. Fun game all the same.

He breaks down the ice in this, takes it into the corner and sends a really nice pass to a kid going to the net, who puts it in. Then the celebratory hugs at the end....
http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/7530/assist1h.jpg
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/9421/assist4.jpg

Camped in front, kid in the back threw him the puck and he had the wide open net as you can see....then a thank you.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7094/goal1u.jpg
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/651/goal2.jpg

J0eybb

01-25-2011, 06:37 PM

Yes, Utah Grizzlies:tu

83 penalty minutes last night for the Grizz last night....66 for the Thunder. Everyone in the starting line-up for both teams dropped the gloves 2 seconds into the game last night....and it didn't end there.

Still have 1 point on the Wranglers, but not for long if they don't start playing better.

Totally forgot, my daughters favorite player, Hugo Carpentier, now plays for Utah. When they came to Vegas he picked a few PIM, and we got to chant "Hugo Sucks". My daughter just about cried. I laughed at her.

Ahbroody

01-26-2011, 05:26 PM

New rig for the little man. Dont even know why I grabbed ot as its discontinued. He tried it at lax yesterday and liked it.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0357.jpg

E.J.

01-27-2011, 11:06 AM

Looking good, Mike!

E.J.

01-28-2011, 10:21 PM

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/720/mvpc2.jpg

Tough loss to a BAD team.... Not so sure it will actually go down as a loss, as the game was called with 2.5 minutes to go with us done 2-1. We had a 3 on 5 w/ 2:30(1:45 to go in the penalty), but there was a throwdown, with kids coming out of the box(not off the bench) and they called the game.

What do you do....??? Gave the LM a hug(he was REALLY upset about his shifts in the 3rd) and gave him the drink he ask for before the game.... He is still disappointed about his shifts in the 3rd.......
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1725/mvpc4.jpg
http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/470/mvpc6.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5973/mvpc9.jpg

Ahbroody

01-29-2011, 09:09 PM

So I am guessing the kids that fought will be suspended?
Guessing it was a pretty big fight for them to call the game.

Micah got a goal today, but more importantly played super hard. Buzzed around the ice, involved in everything. Had some good scoring chances. Was glad to see because this on monday at practice I had to talk to him about being disruptive during drills and half aszing everything. Mainly the disruptive thing pissed me off. Its my job on the ice to wrangle the $hitheads during practice. I was definitely upset I had to talk to him on more than one occasion about being a $hit disturber. Something I never have to do. He definitely seemed to respond to what I said.

He wants to skate and shoot everyday. I am in discussion with my wife on how to address this. I dont want to burn him out. As it is we take some of the boys to a little 25x50 sheet for a private little kid gretzky hour on Sunday for an hour, Monday he has practice, every other thursday I take him to a 1/2hour small group skating class and Saturday he plays games. He skates atleast 3 days a week. Sometimes he rollerblades in the garage. He asks to everyday, but I tell him no somedays. I know up North many kids skate everyday. His favorite thing to do is play games. There is a small rink 15 minutes from our house that has a little 9 and under inhouse league, very informal. They practice friday nights and play sunday mornings. You can join anytime. I think if given the choice this would be his first option. I would pull him out of the pond skate on sundays and his skate class every other thursday if I did this. Its cheap. The ice isnt great, but he would like it. Guess I am looking for some feedback from some older dads who have already been here. I dont know that he should be skating more than 4 days a week at this age.

ahc4353

01-30-2011, 07:16 AM

E.J.

01-30-2011, 08:58 AM

If he wants to be on the ice I say give him all he wants as long as it's fun and he wants to be there.

X 2

So I am guessing the kids that fought will be suspended?
Guessing it was a pretty big fight for them to call the game.

Yes, we lost 4 kids....

3 games in 24 hours... 1-1-1

Going through the pics now...

E.J.

01-30-2011, 12:21 PM

Few from the first game yesterday.

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/7254/jvvsviewmont6.jpg

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8913/jvvsviewmont3.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6901/jvvsviewmont4.jpg

Ahbroody

01-30-2011, 03:47 PM

If he wants to be on the ice I say give him all he wants as long as it's fun and he wants to be there.

BTW Mike, the fish bowl is going to cause mental problems down the road. All the churping he's going to have to deal with is going to cause some serious issues. :D

Took him to the little rink today and watched it for a little while. The head coach of his team also brought his son. I think I understand what your saying though as he mentioned today that his son said he didnt want to skate as much and had complained about skating so much. This came up when I was talking to him about my concearns regarding skating too much. Then we went to the pond skate. On the way home I asked micah what he wanted to do. He chose the game option. No Al I have never once forced the boy on the ice. Just to give you an idea. "Do I have hockey today" is usually the first ghing out of his mouth every morning. If yes the next words are "is it game or practice". Hes a very competitive child. I think we will try it out for a few weeks and see how it goes.

As to the fish bowl. I been watching a little college hockey lately. Seen plenty of boys rocking the bowl. Seems Cali boys often rock the fish bowl.

E.J.

02-01-2011, 07:28 AM

E.J.

02-03-2011, 11:44 AM

Thought I shot my last HS game of the LM's season on Saturday(JV Squad is done), but guess who got called up to skate with the Varsity Wednesday night....:chr

He is really downplaying it("I'm skating 3rd line, I'll be lucky to get 2-3 shifts"), but I am pretty excited. I don't care if he gets one shift, I think it will be a good experience for him.

Coach told him last night before team dinner.:tu

Played GREAT...and A LOT. They rolled three lines all game long. He played every other shift(switching in with another FR who was brought up) at RW on the 3rd line for the first 2 periods and then the same rotation at RW with the first line in the 3rd.

It was apparently in the 3rd that the coach and the kids on that first line were trying to get him a goal, but it was not to be. Best chance, he was sliding in from the right, was sent a great pass and whiffed on what was as open of net as you will see....:r I thought he played REALLY WELL, better than I would have hoped going in.

Long story short, it was a fun night. He had a great time, from the locker room before, to the game, to the locker room after.... I am sure it will be a nice confidence boost going into the Summer season and next year.

I am filled with pride.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5928/murrayhockey2.jpg

Ahbroody

02-03-2011, 02:02 PM

Awesome brother.
As Al would say, there is more to hockey then scoring goals, but we know puck bunnies love the goal scorers. :r
Tell him Micah and I are pulling for him.

E.J.

02-03-2011, 06:38 PM

Thanks, Mike....and I will!

Going through the pics last night and I really like this one.... I shot from the penalty box, so I had a little different view. Have to say that it is more difficult to catch stuff down there, but some stuff turns out way better...
http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/3289/dakotabrown.jpg

Ahbroody

02-03-2011, 07:15 PM

Just grabbed this for Micah.
The Sioux Jersey is probably my favorite College Jersey. Kind of sad they have to change it after yhis year.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rt=nc&nma=true&item=380313661439&si=fdeONMELUPi5OFlSoDYA3OSCEAg%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

Ahbroody

02-05-2011, 02:16 PM

Not the best day. He skated okay at ice, but just didnt play that well. He had fun though. :tu cannot really complain at his age.

He had been excited all morning because I told him he could play roller hockey at rollinice after hockey this morning. He played his first roller hockey game and scored three goals all breakaways and had a atleast 7 other breakaways where the goalie made saves. They have older kids play goal for.the games. After the game the coaches were talking to me about him as they had not seen him before. I explained he played ice hockey primarily. There is definitely a difference in style of play from ice to roller. He also played a little more physical then is the norm out there. He had a lot of fun and deeked some kids pretty bad. :r Good times.

E.J.

02-05-2011, 03:34 PM

Ahbroody

02-08-2011, 02:28 PM

I guess the wife was right. I have always focused on him having the right gear for him. He has gotten so accustomed to his Graf boots, he asked me if Graf makes roller boots as he doesnt like his reeboks. Says they are a little tight and cramp his feet a little on the sides. I dont like where this is headed. The idea of buying 2 pairs of Graf skates and converting one will be sticker shock for sure.

E.J.

02-12-2011, 06:14 PM

Found the back of an empty net today.....

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4065/goalw.jpg (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/goalw.jpg/)

Ahbroody

02-17-2011, 02:40 PM

Forgot to post a pic of this.
Most sundays we let a small group of kids go out to a place called "the hockey pond" we try to let the kids play with minimal guidance for an hour. We dont say anything unless sticks get up or it gets to physical. Small sheet, but the boys get the pond enviornment without worrying about a larger kid smoking them with a slap shot.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0410.jpg

E.J.

02-17-2011, 02:52 PM

Is that synthetic ice, Mike?

Ahbroody

02-17-2011, 03:48 PM

Nope its real. About as bad as a pond or synthetic on the edges though. The kids friggin love the pond though. They skate for an hour straight only taking breaks to hydrate. We have to drag them off at the end of their hour. $60.00 for the hour usually 6 -8 boys. Micah likes his skates sharp. With doing the pond, a practice and a game we are sharpening his skates atleast every other week. Throw in the occasional skate lesson and yeah.

The kid in the Crosby Jersey is our resident bender/duster. The boys make up their own games. That was Micah and Ryan battle on the boards while Alex and Daniel wait for the feed and battle infront of the net. Not bad for three 6 year olds and a 5 year old. The kid playing goal is one of the better kids in our league. Normally we actually have a kid who plays goal with full gear. Then it got all fugged up by crosby. :r still though they really work hard out there and have a lot of fun.

Ahbroody

02-19-2011, 05:49 PM

Rape is not a strong enough word to describe what happened. :r

Boys played two games. Most of our good players went on vacation for school holiday. The other teams good players all stayed home or decided to leave after the games. Not our kids parents :td

. We had the worst kid on our team playing goalie and 8 skaters. I honestly dont believe he stopped a single shot on net in the first game. Micah was double shifted all game. First game they lost 9-2 micah scored one and another boy scored early and then they just started slowing down and the beat down was on. Game two they lost 6-0. The coach tells micah to play defense game two. The end result was no offensive production. Had to have a pep talk after the games as he started slamming his stick on the ice and got into an argument with one of the kids on the other team.

With all that he wanted to go play roller after. I guess he was pissed. In a fourty minute roller game he scored 10 goals. 8 of his teams first 10. :r. They stopped counting goals at 10 but he kept scoring.

Eleven

02-20-2011, 10:09 PM

I'm getting a little better at taking decent hockey pics, but this one was through glass, above the ice. What a strange rink, there was no seating in the rink, only an upper level to look down on the action, and it was enclosed. You couldn't hear anything going on in the rink.

Look above the goalies head, near the white support bar, the puck is in the air. My kid had a gimme on that goal :)

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/4219/058qf.jpg

E.J.

02-21-2011, 09:46 AM

Mike, nice bounce back for Micah!

Scott, good capture. Pics are getting better!

Ahbroody

02-21-2011, 11:33 PM

Nice pick Scott.
I got to get a good camera. My wife doesnt like me touching her slr.

E.J.

02-25-2011, 11:18 PM

Well, the boys lost in the final four of the State Tourney tonight.... It is sure tough to watch those final minutes for the seniors....

I have 3 more years, but don't mind saying that I was watching and thinking.... "This is happening too fast." I just remember the trustee contacting me last Jan/Feb asking if the Little Man was going to play in the Summer with them....

Ahbroody

02-26-2011, 08:01 PM

Thats why I am living it up now EJ. Not looking forward to the day he plays his last jr game.

Micah had a great game today scoring 2 and had a nice little assist. He had his wheels today and was flying around the ice. A teamates parent taped the game and I want the footage. He had a scoring chance where he was on the left wing got past two kids came across the front of the net with the puck on his stick and then.............. aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh couldnt pull the trigger in time and hit the post on his shot. I just stood there though thinking HSh!t he almost went epic for his age. I guess him wakjng up at 6am and turning on nhl network really is "where I get my moves from"

He got got a talking to from a ref today. A kid was going to the net with the puck and he was chasing the kid. As the kid was about to shot he used his stick and pushed the kids right skate and the kid went wobbly and never shot the puck. I have not had time to sit and talk with him, but looks like I neex to. On one hand its crazy and a little cool to me he has figured out some of these things, on the other hand its just not okay at this age group. Guess tomorrow we will have a talk.

Al if you read this what do you think?

E.J.

02-26-2011, 09:54 PM

He got got a talking to from a ref today. A kid was going to the net with the puck and he was chasing the kid. As the kid was about to shot he used his stick and pushed the kids right skate and the kid went wobbly and never shot the puck. I have not had time to sit and talk with him, but looks like I neex to. On one hand its crazy and a little cool to me he has figured out some of these things, on the other hand its just not okay at this age group. Guess tomorrow we will have a talk.

Not sure how Al will respond, but I wouldn't say a thing, Mike.... If he gets sent to the box....so be it... He's not putting someones health at risk, just pushing the envelope a bit....

Little Man played his first Rec game in forever today.... Dominated the ice....was being a little too physical and spent a bit of time in the box because of that. But it was a good day.

Also spent some time out on the ice with some special needs kids with the HS team. This is the second time they have done this, whoever has set it up needs some kudos. I think it is as important for the HS kids, as it is for the special needs kids.

E.J.

02-27-2011, 05:21 PM

The Little One was out there again today, started level III of Start Smart. She kicked tail and I am convinced that she will be the best skater in the family when it is done.... She has an internal drive that is unexplainable.... I am very much enjoying watching her progression....

Found out that they do have some women only teams locally. I have no interest in them at this time, but at some point, assume she will do both.

E.J.

02-27-2011, 05:25 PM

....as I type, I hear something in the backgroung....what????....she is banging the chit out of a door downstairs with a ball.....

Nobody tells you that it isn't just equipment, it is household fixtures that figure into the costs....:r

Eleven

02-27-2011, 06:19 PM

My son's team hosted a round-robin get together this weekend, with the TPH Thunder (Huntsville) and Affton Americans (St. Louis) coming to Cincy.

Our boys didn't do too well, but other than the first loss they hung in with the other teams for the rest of the games. TPH is a great team. Affton is tough and getting better every time we see them.

Our boys are on the left, TPH in the middle and Affton on the right.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8509/104ke.jpg

E.J.

02-27-2011, 06:33 PM

Good stuff Scott!

What lens is that shot with?

E.J.

02-27-2011, 07:25 PM

Well, the boys lost in the final four of the State Tourney tonight.... It is sure tough to watch those final minutes for the seniors....

Finally started going through the photos from Friday night.... Tough to go through and just a reminder of how rough it is for those seniors.... Man we are going to miss some of those kids...

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/PLow.jpg

Eleven

02-27-2011, 09:31 PM

Good stuff Scott!

What lens is that shot with?

I have the Canon Rebel XS, that was the EF-S 18-55mm that came with the camera. Another hockey parent tried to get the same shot, and for some reason she used her telephoto lens and couldn't get far enough back on the ice for the shot.

Eleven

02-28-2011, 04:46 PM

Here is my pic with graphics added by our team mom to make it look official:

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6973/winterclassicteamsphoto.jpg

Ahbroody

02-28-2011, 11:51 PM

Good stuff.

Anyone got a cure for ripped pants on the front thigh pad. Micahs right thigh has a rip. I took it to a shop that does stitching, but they said buy a new pair. They are not selling these anymore and I want to use these as long as he can. The pads have great oversized tailbone pads and he loves the fit and they are broken in.

BTW total hockey has some good deals on sticks right now.

ahc4353

03-01-2011, 05:14 AM

Mitch is headed to Fitchburg MA (D3) next year. Coach really wanted him and said he would get a lot of ice as a freshmen. Nice to be wanted. He's happy and that's all that matters to me.

Ahbroody

03-01-2011, 09:00 AM

Al no Arizona?
Figured sunshine and pretty girls with hockey would win the day.

ahc4353

03-01-2011, 09:12 AM

Al no Arizona?
Figured sunshine and pretty girls with hockey would win the day.

No guarantee of a spot. Coach said he would more than likely make the team but Mitch didn't want to move that far away on a maybe.

Ok by me as he'll only be 4 hours away. :D

E.J.

03-01-2011, 09:41 AM

BTW total hockey has some good deals on sticks right now.

Man, I am late on this... Would have picked up 1-2 of those Louisville X-Lite Composite Stick just because. Though I am still fired up with TotalHockey for the skate fiasco back a few months...

Did some weekend shopping at The Monkey due to Jackson needing (ie wanting) some socks. Long story short, that ended up costing me a few items for Abby(stick and helmet).... Came VERY close to picking up those youth Bauer X60 12.5EE's as well....:r

Mitch is headed to Fitchburg MA (D3) next year. Coach really wanted him and said he would get a lot of ice as a freshmen. Nice to be wanted. He's happy and that's all that matters to me.

Good for Mitch....and ultimately, good for Al and the Misses...

Ahbroody

03-02-2011, 12:10 PM

Discussion on another board about this I know the great stick handlers run short sticks. Micah has been using a long stick because at his age I believe it has allowed him to keep his back straight and as a result head up. He has great awareness on the ice and moves around kids with little effort. I think its because his stick is a little longer and hes never bent over. That said his elbow is bent when hw stick handles and this goes against classic logic. His style of play is strong on boards and camps the net and digs so I thought longer would be better. That said he is very fast and getting faster. One of fastest in the league. When hes flying his back is down like in the pic, but when skating in the open his knees are bent, but back is straight. Im worried about a shorter stick leading to bend while skating in the open at this age. This is a trait I want to avoid. I always want him to have his head up.

When there is a scrum for the puck I see all the kids get tied up bunch togeether. Many times he will skate in reach in with the stick pop it out and skate away as he has reach and space. As I said at this age I am more concerned about his skating and his understanding how important keeping his head up to see as much of the ice as possible.

Anyone have a take. Im far froma good player and dont have sick dangles

Ahbroody

03-04-2011, 08:31 PM

So I cut down Micahs old stick that he uses in the garage and didnt tell him.
I retaped it and we went into the garage to screw around. As soon as he picked it up and startex to skate he said something was wrong. I then took a photo of him and sure enough he was more bent over when stick handling and his head was more facing the ground. I took a photo with his othee stick and his back was straighter and head was up.

I know the many of the great stick handlers have shorter sticks, but Kids at 5&6 atleast mine cant remember to many steps. So some of us are just keeping the sticks longer. I guess I care more about him skating with his knees bent back straighter and head up then being a dangler. He also prefers this skating position.

Of course this goes against this webpage and proven stars as someone pointed out on another board.
http://www.cuthockeysticks.com/

E.J.

03-05-2011, 03:27 PM

I've always just gone with the nose without skates on.... Just did it again today....

Where are you cutting it for Micah(skates off)?

Ahbroody

03-05-2011, 05:29 PM

eyes with skates on. Kind of between average and long.
http://www.hockeyreviewhq.com/hockey-resources/hockey-stick-length-guide/

He got 1 at ice today and 5 at roller. The roller goalie was 10 though, not a regular goalie, but kid was like wall against the little kids :r When we came home he wanted to shot pucks. Wife commented he has the sickness bad.

Hes really excited after weeks of him asking we are skipping the pond skate and letting him play in that small U9 house league at a different rink. He wont stop asking and as we are considering moving him up to the mite league 7-8 league next year so he can stay with his friends hes been playing with for the past 2 years we figured its a good way to gauge if he will be intimidated playing with some bigger kids.

Ahbroody

03-06-2011, 01:31 PM

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0468.jpg
End of the bench

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0466.jpg
Behind the kid in white with the puck.

:r kid has no damn fear and got rubbed out a few times by big kids on the wall. He got so much ice time. Fifty minute game no breaks. 2 lines per bench, 2 minute shifts. The big kids make the little guys skate their butts off. He had a lot of fun and said he wanted to do this instead of the pond skate. Fees are pretty cheap for here. 10 for the game. Place is very lacks, we didnt have to sign or pay anything. They said just go out and try it.

E.J.

03-06-2011, 06:14 PM

kid has no damn fear and got rubbed out a few times by big kids on the wall. He got so much ice time. Fifty minute game no breaks. 2 lines per bench, 2 minute shifts. The big kids make the little guys skate their butts off. He had a lot of fun and said he wanted to do this instead of the pond skate. Fees are pretty cheap for here. 10 for the game. Place is very lacks, we didnt have to sign or pay anything. They said just go out and try it.

:tu:tu:tu...SWEET Mike!

Good Job Micah!

Eleven

03-06-2011, 10:02 PM

The boy had his last Peewee game today. The coach rewarded him with playing Center the last 2 games. We couldn't have been more proud, and he didn't disappoint. He was literally like some unstoppable freight train on the ice today. I love this age!

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/8030/282kd.jpg

E.J.

03-07-2011, 06:57 PM

Your pictures are getting better every time Scott....

A few from my weekend....

The Little One is really loving being out there.... I may end up getting her some private lessons to work on her stride... As long as she is pushing to be at the rink as much as I will take her, might as well get the fundamentals dialed in.
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey12.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey13.jpg

The Little Man had his second to last house game of the season Saturday. They got crushed, but he did a little crushing of his own....(just missed this hit)
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/JB1.jpg

Little semi-breakaway that he didn't finish... A few nice chances, but couldn't convert.
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/JB2.jpg

Ahbroody

03-11-2011, 12:49 PM

EJ is that an adult or jr stick with your girl?
The stick lie is different on jr and adult then youth so it may be wrong. Blade is longer so it might give false length setting. Not sure I cant tell from pic.

I still say longer stick at thos age. I dont care about stick handling. I want knees bent back straight head up.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Youth-Hockey-Team-Accused-Of-Throwing-A-Game-117735114.html

Know a lot of families with kids in this organization.

E.J.

03-11-2011, 01:07 PM

EJ is that an adult or jr stick with your girl?

Youth....:tu Wouldn't spend any money on a nice Jr. stick until she can actually use it. It is easier to buy the youth stuff, because it doesn't cost any more(relatively). Paid $25ish more for that than the wood stick I just bought her.

I must have got cold feet when I was cutting and went long, because it is at her eyes without skates on right now. Will check this Sunday with the skates on.

Interesting stuff with that U16 game and the accusations. I am interested to see what is going to happen. If they already suspended the coaches, it appears that they are sure that the game was thrown. Must have been pretty obvious, as the other team just left the ice after the game... Bet this is a hornets nest for the league.

E.J.

03-11-2011, 01:08 PM

Last House League game for the Little Man this weekend.... Summer hockey should start in May, so we don't have that long of break....but it sucks all the same.

Ahbroody

03-11-2011, 01:37 PM

The kids admitted the coaches told them to throw the game.
I found it really interssting as some of the families I know who have kids in that program bash the jr. Sharks coaching. That program and the Jr. Sharks are the two high level travel programs in the area. A lot of politics involved.

The blackhawks start travel play at mite jr sharks are against mite travel. The blackhawks tend to be the better teams early on. Some of their kids have made the nhl and some minors.

Eleven

03-11-2011, 02:10 PM

Last House League game for the Little Man this weekend.... Summer hockey should start in May, so we don't have that long of break....but it sucks all the same.

My kid had his last regular games this past weekend, and Spring Hockey starts tomorrow!

He has Mid-Am tryouts in April I think, tryouts for next year also in April. We're sure he will make his team again, but he is trying out for another team as well, as encouraged by most of his coaches, past and present.

Assuming he makes his current team again, they start dry-land training immediately, and only take the month of July off.

In July, he has his regular hockey camp, and if he makes it through the Mid-Am tryouts, there is a camp for that in May in Pennsylvania.

We get less than 3 weeks in July of absolutely no hockey, that's it.

:noon

Ahbroody

03-11-2011, 02:32 PM

Im actually looking forward to those days. I must be sick.

ahc4353

03-12-2011, 05:32 AM

E.J.

03-12-2011, 08:37 AM

As I read the last few posts.....It makes me smile and remember how fortunate we all are. Regardless of age or level, watching your children grow up on the ice is pretty stinking rewarding.

Al, you have a way of writing that makes me feel like I am there....and at the same time, wanting the clock to slow down on the few years the LM has left...... I look forward to hearing about the progression to Fitchburg.

Ahbroody

03-12-2011, 04:37 PM

Mitch played his last game as a NJ Rocket on his home ice at Devils arena. Time to move on to college.

After the game ended he skated off and headed for the locker room. I stayed in the stands for a moment to think back on all the years of watching the both of them play. Next thing you know I see him show up on the ice, takes a skate and stops at the blue-line and just looks around. A moment by himself, on ice that he will never skate again. I wonder what was going through his head at that moment.

It's funny how some images will stay with you for the rest of your life.

That is one of those.

Way to go jerk. Made my eyes well up and got a little lump in the throat.

Agreed EJ I am happy at the lessons hes learning already.

Micah scored one today at ice from his office in front of the net. His coach made him number 5 which is our designated D man as hes good at shutting down breakways. He stopped some rushes. Next thing you know hes getting shuffled on the bench to the 5 spot over and over. In a way I was proud he was given the job the bigger older kids get, in a way I was frustrated he was being prevented from getting scoring chances. No one scored when he played d. :tu

Didnt have any issues with him hooking or tripping kids this week after we had a talk so thats good. Tomorrow he gets to play in the U10 house league again.

First Tball game today. Micah got the game ball. Played first and caught some throws to make legitimate outs which I guess is rare at this level. Boys a gamer.

Ahbroody

03-20-2011, 06:37 PM

Micah is still playing. Game monday 2 goals. Game Saturday 1 goal. The only goal his team scored. Uggggly game. He had a few breakaways he didn't score on. Laughed after one he shot into the goalies pads he slammed his stick on the ice and was obviously talking to himself. We didn't have our two other kids who are pretty good so he was trying hard.

Today we did the U10 game. The guy who runs that rinks mite travel team was on the ice during the game. He started feeding micah pucks on breakouts. After the game he came over to talk and micah got recruited for their mite team next year. I explained he's only 5 now and wont be 6 till Oct next year and had no real interest in having him travel at 6. He explained there are only 3 weekends they travel all season and its usually not to far. Explained still not to excited about traveling. There's two mite travel teams local, both are losely following the usa hockey adm. This is the lower one. I did tell him I wanted him to practice with the mite team and would let him play locally with the team. Micah is getting to practice with the mite team for the last month of the season for free. I asked him if he wanted to skate with mite travel kids. He was excited to put it mildly.

icehog3

03-21-2011, 07:41 AM

Congrats to Micah!! :wnr

Ahbroody

03-22-2011, 08:33 PM

Micah played yesterday in the house league and got 2 more. He will hit 25 goals by years end. Should have him in the top five goal scorers for the year.

Today he practiced with the mite travel team.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0022.jpg

Dad explained he was receiving a privilege on the way there and to not screw around and pay attention. Coach called them in and he got right up front. :r
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0018-1.jpg

He's right in his face. He skated well and did okay. He had issues on the more complex drills, but that's an age issue. Physically he was not out of place.

Funniest thing. As he steps off three ice and sits down on the bench his first words are do I have a game or practice tomorrow. Nope. What about the next day? Nope. Dejected look on the face. :r.
He loves the rink.

Ooooo. Tom he says thank you.

E.J.

03-22-2011, 11:31 PM

EXCELLENT Mike.... Excited for both of you!

Ahbroody

04-03-2011, 06:29 PM

The fun continues. Very possible Micah will skate more this summer then he did all year. Today Micah was given the chance to skate with the SC Blackhawks in their Mite Summer Skate program. Its a 1 hour practice with a half hour scrimmage after practice. This was a test run as he is the youngest kid by 1.5 years and does not meet the minimum age requirements. A buddy of mine pulled some strings to get him in. The wife came and she was beyond impressed with the structure and tempo of the practice. The little man got gassed at one point and needed a little pep talk, it after that he did fine. He scored a goal in the scrimage at the end.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0073.jpg
He's the little guy obviously.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0078.jpg
He's on the boards at the red stripe in this one. He was proud and happy at the end and wanted to continue coming. Signed him up. :wo

He's also skating in the other clubs mite skate starting on Tuesdays soon.

We are debating a local hockey day camp this summer.

I was so damn proud of him. Many of the kids played mite travel this year and he held his own. I was not sure how he would do given the tempo and age difference.

E.J.

04-03-2011, 07:06 PM

YES!!!!!!!!!! So excited for Micah, Mike.... Not as much for the accomplishment(not that that is bad), but for the ability to skate with this competition regularly... That is going to be going to be the win here....

GOOD FOR Micah!!!! My hear aches for your wallet the next 13ish years....:r

Ahbroody

04-03-2011, 08:19 PM

ahc4353

04-05-2011, 10:15 AM

The pocketbook is already hurting. This is 300 for 13 sessions. The other mite skate will likely be close to the same cost. Then there is the decision on the camp, and if we let him do summer hockey just games. The cool thing was the wife is onboard after watching him today and was open to the day camp in the summer which she was not sure about before.

Only odd thing was we got some looks when we entered the locker room before the skate do to the obvious age differences. Didn't get those looks after.

Ooooo and answer your damn text messages

Well Mike it's all over now. Just figure that all family vacations are hockey camps. Enjoy the car you have it's the last one for a long time. No more taking the wife out. Purchases like clothes are now done. And your headed for gas station cigars.

The time spent together and the memories it leaves are worth every sacrifice.

Enjoy the time my friend it will be gone before you know it.

Wanger

04-06-2011, 06:33 AM

Today he practiced with the mite travel team.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0022.jpg

I see a SIOUX jersey! :D

In some respects, I'd have loved it if my kids were interested in playing hockey, but with the cost, and the level of competetiveness here (mostly by the parents) in MN, I'm kind of glad they aren't. I was a hoops guy back when I was younger, but do kind of wish I had played hockey (I'd have been a goon, though).

Good luck to everyone and your kids in all their endeavors on and off the ice. You all seem like the right kind of hockey parents, from what I see here. :) Well, except you, Al. :p

Ahbroody

04-06-2011, 11:02 AM

Well Mike it's all over now. Just figure that all family vacations are hockey camps. Enjoy the car you have it's the last one for a long time. No more taking the wife out. Purchases like clothes are now done. And your headed for gas station cigars.

The time spent together and the memories it leaves are worth every sacrifice.

Enjoy the time my friend it will be gone before you know it.

Thanks Al. My wife made a comment about just the other day I was teaching him to skate. Funny at the start of the season she was against him playing at this level and wondered why I would want him to play travel. After that practice she was so proud of him and his skill already. I had to shush her in the parents area. She went from unsure to really wanting him to practice and eventually hopefully play with the Hawks because of the tempo and quality of the practice. Then she blurts out in the car we should start looking at RVs for instate travel while he's young. I had this wtf moment, she just went full hockey mom from pride. She's normally the grounded one. :r

As to the budget, yup I am already getting ready for the hell/joy of cash poor memory rich. We dont vacation really anyway and are homebodies so that shouldn't be a big deal. I am really glad there will be almost 6 years between our two sons. The cost would be near impossible if the little one takes after the older one.

Ooo and yeah its a Sioux Jersey. He also wears a St. Cloud Jersey as his black Jersey for practices. He's wearing it in the Sunday pics. Dad is a Sweater whore and he's always got cool ones.

ahc4353

04-06-2011, 12:56 PM

The RV is not a bad idea. Wished I would have done it. Thought about it years ago and never thought it would pay off. I just never had a clue how far they would take it. How wrong I was! I have never put a sharp pencil to what all the travel has cost (rooms - food from restaurants) us over the years (I don't really want to know :). ) but it would have paid for one friggin nice RV!

E.J.

04-08-2011, 12:46 PM

Walked into the shop to get a sharpen and walked out with new skates for the Little One today.... They usually have almost no yth sized skates, but they just had a shipment and had her size. We we're close to, if not into, the market already....so guess it all worked out for the best....

Then she blurts out in the car we should start looking at RVs for instate travel while he's young. I had this wtf moment, she just went full hockey mom from pride. She's normally the grounded one. :r

That's awesome....:tu

Ahbroody

04-08-2011, 01:58 PM

How can you post that and not say what you got?
Talk about a tease. Do yourself a favor and have them radiused and given a forward profile. Micah is so fast and has a great stride and I swear this was a contributing factor. Kids need it more then adults to help prevent bad habits.

I keep looking at these for Micah
http://www.totalhockey.com/Product.aspx?itm_id=6528&div_id=11

But I know his Graf 370s fit him awesome, he loves the color scheme and fit and it's kind of cool being the only kid with those skates in the area. Add in the fact that they are the best built skate for youth I have ever touched and its tough not to stick with them. Was playing with the adult 370s the other day and they are pretty much the same damn thing.

http://www.brunoshockeyshop.com/products/graf-supra-370-tyke
With lime green laces :r his signature touch

E.J.

04-08-2011, 03:29 PM

Yea, I didn't even mean to do that.... In fact, I was going to post a picture...

I assumed we would order these....
http://www.totalhockey.com/Product.aspx?itm_id=5862&div_id=11

But ended up with the One 60's, which is what they had in stock, in her size. IMO they are meh... But the Little One wanted them and price wise, I figured that even if she grows out of them by the start of the season, we're good. http://www.totalhockey.com/Product.aspx?itm_id=4186&div_id=11

I didn't know they made the Crazy Lights in YTH. When I picked up the Little Man's G5's, there was a guy at the shop who was all over those, saying he thought they were the best skate out there(they were just hitting the shelf at the time, if I remember correctly).

E.J.

04-08-2011, 03:34 PM

Oh...and just off the ice. Decided that we'd kill a little time at free skate.... A little exercise before I go fire up a cigar and make myself a drink!

Ahbroody

04-08-2011, 05:14 PM

Wow well if she can wear Bauer stay away from the ccm U+. Even in kids sizes it is more like the old tacks. Wide, deep, low to no arch. High volume boot. Exact opposite of Bauer. Micah can't even get his foot into a Bauer usually and lacing them doesn't happen. Between the arch and shallower depth his foot cramps at the bottom and goes numb on the top from lace bite.

I would definitely recommend radius and profile Bauer's are very neutral. I can't wear them, but have skated in them a few times and felt like I was going to fall backwards.

Side note I thought my G35s in wide were comfortable until I tried on a pair of 709s. Ooooooo baby. Me and my hobit feet were in heaven. Definitely my next boot. Of course its their biggest boot and apparently it was a wide also. May want to have Jackson try them out. Felt like sneakers no joke. Definitely not the lightest boot, but all I do is help coach now so what do I care.

E.J.

04-08-2011, 05:21 PM

E.J.

04-17-2011, 06:11 PM

Last day of Start Smart III. I was off to dog day with friends, but wanted to watch them scrimmage. They kept doing drills, so I finally got up to leave(mom was staying), but as I was leaving the rink, they split up and started. It took about 8 seconds for her to take the face off, skate down and put the puck in the net..... That was enough for me, I was off to smoke a H.Up#2.....
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey14.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey15.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey16.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey17.jpg

ahc4353

04-17-2011, 07:04 PM

Keep the pics of the little ones coming!! It's awesome to follow along as they grow!

Ahbroody

04-17-2011, 07:05 PM

Nice EJ!
micah got one at the hawks practice he got tripped infront of the net hes on the ice when a kid shoots puck off the stick, up and in.
Tomorrow is his last minimite house game. Going to get a picture of him screening the goalie.

Eleven

04-18-2011, 06:22 AM

Love those pictures! Reminds me of the good ol days.

My kid went to USA Hockey Mid-Am tryouts in Columbus this weekend, my boy is an average size '98 but my goodness they grow them big in other areas. Kids from Cleveland and Pittsburgh were there too. There were '98 boys as tall as me.

Ahbroody

04-19-2011, 01:32 AM

So proud of the little man. His team is down a goal with a minute left. He gets moved up so he can skate the last shift. Right before the change I tell him I need him to skate as fast as he can and get a goal. He and his buddy come of the bench like two kids possesed. His buddy gets a shot through to the net he crashes getting the his buddies rebound his first shot is blocked he gets his own rebound and beats the goalie. 20 seconds left. they get the tie. He was jacked up after the goal as was his buddy. Last game of the season.

From the other day
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/playingD.jpg

Earlier in the game tonight crashing the net like usual.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/crashingthenet.jpg

E.J.

04-19-2011, 08:33 AM

EXCELLENT!!! Tell Micah GREAT JOB!

Ahbroody

04-19-2011, 10:15 AM

So pissed my wife let me take her slr. I had the settings all wrong so almost all the pics came out bad. Had some good ones to. Stupid autofocus thingy. Apparently I hit a button and screwed it all up. Forgot to mention. Yesterday hes skating up ice and one of the older boys comes over and says something to him. He didnt like what was said and puts his shoulder into the kid and gives him a good shot knocking the kid of balance. Too much NHL network. :r

On sunday at the Hawks skate was talking to a dad who was an assistant coach for another mite travel team in the area called the blackstars. They were restarted last year and beat everyone in the area but the Hawks. We got to talking about Micah. The Stars have a development program like the Hawks sunday skate. Micah will be trying it out this Thursday. :wo.

Kind of lame, but the boy got his first award the other day voted on by the parents.
There were two awards given MVP and Most improved player. He was given MIP. I think it was lame. Basically the other boy got MVP because he scored more. The parents wanted Micah to get an award so they gave him MIP. The kid scored a hat trick in the first game so not to sure how he improved. It was cool he got recognized though.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0120.jpg

Gophernut

04-19-2011, 10:27 AM

Very cool to be recoginzed! Congrats to Micah!

E.J.

04-19-2011, 10:29 AM

Nice hardwear!

Ahbroody

04-21-2011, 11:03 AM

Pretty sure you are not supposed to wear out the blades before the kid out grows the skate.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0122.jpg

Toe is getting to small and seems finding new holders will be near impossible. Didnt want to buy new boots yet as he still has a few months left in these and I am a stickler for skating in proper sized skates. Dont want to buy another pair for a few months. Given all the skating he is doing this summer got to do something.

He has a mite clinic skate with a different team tonight. Was told I have a few more sharpenings and its already an issue as is.
Got an email in to graf and Brunos Hockey Shop to see if they can source me a new pair of holders. If anyone has any ideas lmk.

J0eybb

04-21-2011, 11:14 AM

EJ, I showed my 4 year, about to be 5 old daughter, your pics in the other thread. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said softball, because she was wearing pink. LoL....

E.J.

04-22-2011, 07:37 AM

Holy smokes Mike, are you sharpening after every skate...:r

EJ, I showed my 4 year, about to be 5 old daughter, your pics in the other thread. I asked her what she wanted to do, and she said softball, because she was wearing pink. LoL....

Nice!

Eleven

04-22-2011, 09:31 AM

Holy smokes Mike, are you sharpening after every skate...:r

I was gonna ask that as well.

I can't see how skates for such a small kid could be ground down like that, except for over-sharpening. You would think he would outgrow the skates faster than he would need them sharpened :)

There is a kid on my son's team, who thinks his skates need sharpened after every time on the ice. They go through a couple sets of blades a season. On the other hand, my son got his skates last October, and he has only had them sharpened about 4 or 5 times, IIRC.

ahc4353

04-22-2011, 10:08 AM

Hell Mike Grafs won't even be broken in by the time he out grows um! :D

Mitch wore Grafs for years. I tried to get him into a lighter skate for years but what did I know. Then one day he says, " I gotta get a lighter skate". Who would of thought. Anyway get him out of those boat anchors and into something that will let him really show you how fast he is.

Al used Bauer 4000 series for years. Light, comfy and wore like iron.

Just a thought by a semi-retired hockey dad.

Ahbroody

04-22-2011, 10:28 AM

No but he was skating about 4 times a week and has had them for approaching a year. I accidentally bought them a touch big. Not realizing how big the 370s run. He could probably move to a bigger skate, but He skated in them all summer league and this season he was often averaging four days a week and I was averaging once a week.

Someone commented that the kids steel is really soft. He just seems to trash them after 4-5 skates. Not to mention the ice was really bad at the pond place we were skating at sundays. I know a lot of parents were getting done a lot when we were skating at the pond. I dont know 4 skates a week many times on bad ice once a week for almost a year. Guess I will try to get him to go longer between sharpenings. This summer though he will be on the ice most weeks 4 -5 days a week.

He does think the new ccm u+ crazy lights are "the hotness " imagine they are lighter. The issue is he cant wear bauer or easton the boot cut is wrong. That leaves the Grafs whos fit he loves or the CCM which may or may not fit. The boots seem to vary some years. No body around here has a decent kids selection either. Everything is mail order. Maybe I will grab him the new U+ CL from total hockey and see how it goes.

His feet match his Skates Al. Little boat anchors. Would be neat to see if a lighter skate made him faster.

Ahbroody

04-22-2011, 12:30 PM

Just to kind of explain. Micah has a wide, tall foot, with no arch.
Look at how shallow the bauer is. It also has an arch which he doesnt means it cramps the bottom and bites the top.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/hockeymonkey_2153_15925892.jpg

Easton has a little less arch and a little more depth but not enough. Also the holder on these is $hit it really is as tall as it looks in the pic. Like skating on stilts id imagine
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/hockeymonkey_2153_128603124.gif

Graf 370
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/Supra370Ty_0_medium.jpg

I actually think the CCM U+CL would work but my wife is wondering why I want to mess with his skates after we finally found a skate that he has zero issues with.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/hockeymonkey_2155_202028563.gif

He did thar Black Stars development practice last night. Burned some older kids with his boat anchors. I do wonder if lighter skates would make him noticeably faster. That would be interesting.

E.J.

04-22-2011, 01:01 PM

IMHO, I don't think that there would be enough noticeable difference in weight in a YTH/JR sized skate to ever make that part of the conversation. I could be wrong???

I'd also take fit over weight all day long.... Though that is not to say that the CCM's are not going to fit great...

I still want to see weights of the highest end skates.... Total One, APX, CL, G Series, EQ50's, 11k's bla..bla..bla...in a Mens 9/10ish... I really wonder about how much weight we are talking.... Like I said before, I can hold a TO and G5 in my hand and tell the TO is lighter....

Ahbroody

04-22-2011, 01:30 PM

E.J. i think Al was poking me a bit. I agree that comfort is generally more important then weight. Having been through the pain of finding the right skate I can say when the kids feet hurt they cant focus on skating.

E.J.

04-22-2011, 01:45 PM

No, I'm also not discounting the weight difference. I am generally interested to see how much less the others weigh. It is apparent in some, which would be neat to see what that noticeable difference is...and then what the difference in the less noticeable is as well...

If that makes sense...

Hell, I don't get to make the choices for the Little Man anymore, he makes the gear decisions now. I actually went with the Bauers for the Little One, though that was because it is what they had in stock and once she put them on....I had a hard time getting her to take them off.

Ahbroody

04-23-2011, 03:14 PM

Last night I didnt have work for once. I took l Micah to the Cupertino rink where they have the U10 league. Usually practice on friday nights. No practice because of the holiday. There was a private lesson on half the rink. The guy who runs the mite travel team let the boy and a few other boys out on the other half of the sheet for a little puck and stick time.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0128.jpg

The schedule for the next few months will be
Sunday Hawks skate 1.5 hrs
Tuesday Cougars skate 1.5 hrs
Thursday Black Stars skate 1.5 hrs

These are all development practice/scrim sessions organized by the clubs for kids hoping to make the club. We have decided to not have him tryout for tge Hawks or Stars and just do the Cougars. The othee clubs generally wont take younger kids and I dont think hes quiet ready. He will gwt a lot of ice with the cougars and will help him develop a lot

He wants to play games only on Saturdays in the house league, my wife wants this also because its his fun time for him. The Thursday practice is the furthest and likely the one we will skip occasionally if he wants a break. He has a mini mite / mite cross ice tourney next sunday. His headcoach stacked his team. I laughed its a 5-7 & 8-9 year old divisions. He set up his team with Micah and his teamate who both score a lot then two kids that play D well and a kid who plays goal well. The other team formed from our team is much weaker. I offered to put micah on the weak team but he said no. Dad has learned to keep his mouth shut at the rink this year so I let it go.

E.J.

04-25-2011, 06:04 PM

Had our first private lesson for the Little Man today(his request).... It was interesting to see him work on his stride and edging. Crazy how bad he looked....:r

We went during the last hour of school and the rink was empty, the instructor and Jackson had it to themselves.

I was kind of worried, watching, that when he was done, he may think it was too much work and not be interesting in continuing. When they were finished, he stayed on the ice by himself for 15ish minutes and worked on a drill that he struggled with. As soon as he came off, he was asking when he was doing it again.

I talked with the instructor and we will get a regular schedule for a bit.... This is going to take a bite out of my cigar budget.....;)

Also, got the message, have our first Summer Season hockey meeting on Thursday... Back at it!!!!!

E.J.

04-28-2011, 09:53 PM

So went tonight to the first HS Hockey Summer league kid/parent meeting.... It is so fun being part of this, I couldn't get the smile off my face watching the kids getting excited to get back on the ice after leaving with a loss February 27th.

Truth be told, I'm pretty excited myself....

Also got the Little One signed up for a Summer skills session that covers weekly ice time in May & then another weekly clinic that covers the rest of the Summer(June, July and August).

I am not 100% sure why, but I think Summer hockey may be my favorite as a parent in the stands.... There is something special about going to the rink in shorts and flip flops, possibly with the boat hooked to the the truck in the parking lot, waiting to hit the road for a weekend at the lake.... It is the best of everything....

Ahbroody

04-29-2011, 04:39 PM

Summer hockey is love/hate here. I love how good he is getting at transitions, edges and backwards skating. My wallet is crying and I hate it. His hands are getting a little better.

Well there are 3 mite travel teams in the area (40 mile radius) and he has now been offered a spot on two. :r Its funny the coach of the Stars had him out for a practice and was positive. Then he went to the Hawks skate and watched him in a scrim. The next day we got an email asking if we were going to have him tryout as he could make the Stars. I advised we really only wanted him to redshirt as while physically read we dont believe him to be mentally ready. Yesterday after the Stars practice the assistant coach who invited us out talked with me saying extremely nice things about micahs abilities and that he was able to play up. I explained that I just dont think hes ready mentally for that. As long as he gets to practice with a club or two I think he will benefit greatly this season.

I think most would agree. There are only 5 tournaments they play in, but why rush him this early.

Eleven

04-29-2011, 05:01 PM

Yesterday after the Stars practice the assistant coach who invited us out talked with me saying extremely nice things about micahs abilities and that he was able to play up. I explained that I just dont think hes ready mentally for that. As long as he gets to practice with a club or two I think he will benefit greatly this season.

I think most would agree. There are only 5 tournaments they play in, but why rush him this early.

We were told this as well, about the same age. Our son played up from that point on, until his first peewee year, so he actually played 3 years at squirt. The last of those was Squirt Travel.

We believe that he benefited mentally by being around slightly older players for 4 years, so for that reason I would recommend Micah playing up.

We ran into his coach from his first year of squirt, he asked how Cam was doing, how big he was getting etc etc. I told him and he then said 'Ah good to hear, I think the only thing holding him back was his size'...later that night I was trying to figure out why he said that. Although my kid isn't huge, he is very average for his age. Then I remembered at that time, this coach had 2nd year Squirts (96's), and my son was technically a 2nd year Mite (98) playing with them. Most were 2 full calendar years older.

At age 6 or 7, playing with 8 and 9 year olds does make a difference. Good or bad, you do mature a little faster, even if you don't physically grow faster.

Not to mention how they are physically pushed harder, they have to skate faster and be smart playing with older kids. We truly believe that playing up was the best thing we could for Cameron, and it's paying off.

His team is registering Tier 1 this next year, they have always played high level teams, but played Tier 2 the last 2 years. Now that they are moving to Bantam, the coach felt it was time and that all the players were ready to take the step to Tier 1.

Just my :2

:tu

Ahbroody

04-29-2011, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the feedback Scott.
In a way I want to push him because hes a gamer and fearless, but he is a young 5. He is a late October birth. He will be 5 when the season starts. Playing against kids atleast 7 as you know. He still has a year of minimite eligibility. He started while still 3. We held him out of Kindergarten this year as he was still 4 when school started and studies show boys do better if you hold them out vs putting them in early. So he will be a kindergartener playing against 2nd and 3rd graders.

Physically I have learned not to worry because he has become very tough on the ice and will take some punishment to get that goal. Holstrom would be proud of how he screens the goalies. But he is a young heart, the kid still watches focking Barney sometimes with his sisters. The other day he shoulder checked a kid. When I asked him why he said the kid said something mean. He didnt understand him, but knew it was meant to be mean.

I will let him play house mite as has played those boys the last two years. Everyone knows him. But the travel boys are that next level as you know. He will already be allowed to redshirt for atleast one of the clubs, getting all the benefit of practice with the better boys, I just wont let him do the 5-6 weekend tournaments. I am just wonderimg if the gain of 5-6 tournaments is worth my concearns. Hes not small, he is the size of most 6 year olds, but has not made that big growth jump yet. I think this year he will mentally develop a lot as we are seeing it start. He also appears to be growing so he may get there. I just wonder as he will be allowed to practice and scrim with atleast one club how much benefit he will get from the tournaments. There is just such a mental difference between a kindergartner and a second grader. Thats part of the comedy of it. In practice drills that are complex he will screw them up and look his age, then when they scrim or play a game he just understands the game and looks legit. Its partly because at 5.5 its hard for them to care about practice.

Perfect example on monday we tried a private skate lesson with a very good instructor. After 20 minutes he started to cry because he just couldnt grasp what the guy wanted him to do. The instructor said skill wise hes almost a 7 year old travel mite and should be there by end of summer. Mentally hes what he is a 5 year old about to start kindergarten.

E.J.

04-30-2011, 08:03 AM

I always enjoy reading what is going on with Micah.... I think you could not be handling it better, Mike.

Great feedback, Scott. I also love the updates on Cameron's team...

His team is registering Tier 1 this next year, they have always played high level teams, but played Tier 2 the last 2 years. Now that they are moving to Bantam, the coach felt it was time and that all the players were ready to take the step to Tier 1.

I'm excited to hear how that goes!

What are we doing today, yep hockey....:r

Ahbroody

04-30-2011, 04:48 PM

Micah has a cross ice tournament this weekend. Had to leave before the first game. Wearing his Jersey from last year. The front is covered in signatures.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0033.jpg

I hear you E.J. we have been at a rink most days this week. This morning he was so jacked up for the tourney we asked if he wanted to go play roller hockey. Yup! So yeah he's a junky.

E.J.

04-30-2011, 05:26 PM

Where's the "8"?

Ahbroody

04-30-2011, 05:41 PM

Didn't get 8 last year, but 1+7= ehhhhhhh

In helmet nightmare right now. He is using a youth helmet, but want to move him up to a high end helmet maybe even messier project. His cage shield combo which he loves is a Jr. With the speed he plays out and how hard he goes to the net he gets bumped around a lot. The XSmall fit head okay, but not Jr cage and adult cages are loose.

Fak!

Damn coach who put the team together is not texting me game updates. Jackass!

E.J.

04-30-2011, 05:45 PM

Mini-Hockey Camp the past 2 days... The Little Man had a good time & that is what counts....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Camp1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Camp6.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Camp2.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Camp4.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Camp5.jpg

E.J.

04-30-2011, 06:03 PM

Didn't get 8 last year, but 1+7= ehhhhhhh

In helmet nightmare right now. He is using a youth helmet, but want to move him up to a high end helmet maybe even messier project. His cage shield combo which he loves is a Jr. With the speed he plays out and how hard he goes to the net he gets bumped around a lot. The XSmall fit head okay, but not Jr cage and adult cages are loose.

Picked up Abby an 8K from the Monkey on closeout for cheap.... Under $100 w/ cage...which was like 1/2 of what her brothers bucket/shield(Bauer 9900 w/ Bauer fishbowl) cost. She doesn't even want a fishbowl like her brother, which is more cost effective.

ahc4353

04-30-2011, 06:15 PM

Messier helmet = POS IMHO.

After Mitch's umpteenth concuss I bought him one of those. Would have made me feel better to just flush the money down the toilet

Just one mans opinion. :D

Did I say It's a POS?

Ahbroody

04-30-2011, 06:58 PM

Wait are you saying they are crap? :r

After his tourney ends tomorrow we have 6 hours till his Hawks Sunday skate. They are having it late because of tourney. I am thinking about taking him to a large shop 20 min away and have a helmet fitting day. They have most the helmets. He has a RBK 8k but it doesn't fit his Jr combo. May have to make the switch to cage. He just hates bars in front of his eyes.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0026.jpg

Yeah Al I know you hate Plexiglas, but during the college tournament I saw plenty of kids wearing full plexi.

On Thursday against a 9 year old learning goalie. He beat him a few times. Huge size difference. :r
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0020.jpg

ahc4353

04-30-2011, 08:02 PM

Ahbroody

04-30-2011, 09:25 PM

All BS aside, that Messier POS was thin plastic and the friggin padding just fell out!

All I'm sayin is you get more style points with a cage. :D

Mitch always liked the white cages when we could find um. Said he could see the puck better. Jr. always wore black. I say, whatever makes um happy. Hockey players are a strange bunch they are! :D

As my wife often yells at me "you turned that kid into a diva about his gear. Everything has to fit just right!" As I always respond when you aren't thinking about something fitting wrong you can focus on skating and playing. He may switch eventually, who knows. I know switching to a 50/50 increased airflow which he liked. That flow is long and his head gets hot.

Saw Drew Remenda sharks color guy this morning at the roller rink, bald as a babies bottom. He saw Micah and his hair and got the hugest smile on his face.

As to the tournament. They played 3 thirty minute games and destroyed everyone. Had two shutouts. Micah and his buddy went off apparently. Micah got 9 goals his buddy whos 7 got the same or one more. Conflicting reports have come in. The teams remaining they should take easily. So looks like they will take the tourney. Will get some pics tomorrow. From what I hear it was a steady dose of buddy taking his distance shots and Micah crashing the net banging things in and screening the goalie. Had a few breakaways also. :r

Ahbroody

05-01-2011, 04:54 PM

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0040-1.jpg
The boys destroyed their age division. They won all games and beat one team 2x. The kid who played goal looked good. It got so bad in all games today we were making them pass 2x before taking a shot on net.

Micah coming in on the right and shooting.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0040-1.jpg

E.J.

05-01-2011, 05:43 PM

Fine Job! Congrats to Micah and his team!

Eleven

05-01-2011, 06:08 PM

Fine Job! Congrats to Micah and his team!

Almost makes me want more kids.

Almost.

Ahbroody

05-01-2011, 06:37 PM

Yeah where am I right now?

The rink for Hawks Sunday skate.

E.J.

05-02-2011, 08:45 AM

Summer League Varsity schedule just came out(Little Man will play on both the Varsity and JV squads this year).... 4 of the 12 games(every Monday night game but one) are at our home ice(5 minutes from home) 15 minutes following the Little One's Summer Sessions....

Just enough time to change, while the Zamboni makes its rounds & out to watch a game....never having to leave the arena....

Funny how little things will make you smile in the morning......... In a nutshell, that makes those nights SOOOOOOOOO MUCH EASIER FOR DAD.

Ahbroody

05-02-2011, 05:52 PM

ahc4353

05-02-2011, 06:08 PM

Today I had to ban the boy from the garage.
He was trying to shot pucks. Trying to explain to a 5 year old you are worried about burnout is difficult . The Cougars mite skate starts tomorrow and I had to explain it was bad for him to play everyday.

As long as he's the one choosing to shoot I don't think you have to worry about burn out.

The burn out I have seen over the years is when the parents push to hard.

:2

E.J.

05-02-2011, 07:13 PM

Today I had to ban the boy from the garage.

:r:r:r..... I told the Little One enough, but that is because I get sick of hearing it....

I agree with Al, as long as they(kids) are seeking it out/pushing to play more/damaging your sheetrock and denting your garage door.....have at it....

Ahbroody

05-02-2011, 07:58 PM

As long as he's the one choosing to shoot I don't think you have to worry about burn out.

The burn out I have seen over the years is when the parents push to hard.

:2

I know but he was on the ice for about 5 hours yesterday between the tournament and Hawks skate. I just felt a day would be good. I actually worry about self burnout with him a little. He would play roller or ice everyday if he had the chance.

E.J.

05-05-2011, 09:48 AM

Ordered new gloves and a jersey/socks combo for the Little One. She is SOOOO much different than her Brother. He would go forever and just say "they're fine" when I ask about any piece of equipment, she tells me before I ask. "I need new gloves, these are too small."

She also informed me that she was sick of wearing her brothers old jerseys and needed her own... Anyway, she will get her way.

Today was a very "hockey parent" morning.... Up at 4:50 to take the Little Man to drop in, I was sitting drinking coffee at 5:30, well into the morning and thought to myself...yep, this is the expectation... Back to pick him up at 7:15, took him to a breakfast of champions at McDonalds and then dropped him off at school. Ran his gear home, pulled it to air out and shot off to work....

Ahbroody

05-05-2011, 11:18 PM

Yikes. 430!!!! fock I usually go to bed at 1230 1245. I am hoping to avoid the 430 am.

Yeah Totalhockey had that 20% off today. Combined with no shipping and no tax and me and Micah got us some new helmets on the way. I went with an easton S9. I was tired of my old CCM that was pure birth control. Out here lots of guys like to wear birth control helmets. Old ass Jofas, and other crap.

I almost bought the CCU crazy lights for the boy. My wife convinced me that I was focking with a proven skate which was just stupid given his feet problems.

E.J.

05-06-2011, 09:47 AM

I probably should have ordered a stick yesterday.... I know I am going to have to buy one SOON, so losing out on that 20% was just plain stupid.

I know you don't go with icewarehouse because of taxes, but I have been VERY, VERY impressed with them(this being my first order). Shipped same day and because they are close, standard shipping takes 2 days. Order a $10 t-shirt(one time) and you become a member of their club and all orders(including that one) are 10% off....

I hate to undercut my local hockey shop, but how do I turn down a 17% difference(10% plus 7% tax) on gear & all it costs me is a 2 day wait?

I think you are right to stay with the Graf's, at least for now.... If you REALLY wanted to, you can always try to find a closeout CL's at the end of the year and give it a try on the cheap. If it didn't work, you could dump them at a skate swap for close to what you paid.

Ahbroody

05-06-2011, 10:40 AM

Yeah the discount yesterday was impossible for me to turn down. When you way in 20% no tax almost 10% + no local shop markup of 10-15 per helmet. I think I spent 150ish and local I would have been over 200.

Adding in the fact the helmet selection for kids sucks here it just made sense. Against Als suggestion I am giving the messier project helmet a try. Mainly because it comes in extra small. So many kids are using small helmets which dont fit right. We tried a few different helmets local and both were not right. The only one that did was one of his buddies in the pic above. The kid who went to the net has a bauer helmet with a rachet system in the back. Forgot the model number but couldnt find anything close locally and definitely not in his size. A couple of kids at that tourney had the M11 helmets. Talking to some dads they said it fit extremely well because of customization. Went with the caged version and with the discount it was the same as a highend bauer. If we dont like it we will return it.

Actually should have gotten another stick, but to much in ice fees.

You see the brand new Graf G75? Not a fan looks like a bauer supreme one.

E.J.

05-06-2011, 11:11 AM

It is an eyesore..... Maybe just the photo...:sh Assume they will go with an entire line of them based off different boots....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/GrafG75.jpg

Looks like everyone has to have an $800 skate now....:rolleyes:

Ahbroody

05-08-2011, 09:34 PM

Yeah that shiz is ugly. The blue ribbon really fugs it up even more.

Mike spent friday night/ sat morning puking like a demon. Stomach virus. One of the girls has it now.
Worked friday night till after 11. Didnt get to bed till 1230. Micah started puking at 430. Never really slept from then till 630 when I left for work. Worked a special event from 7-3 for hockey money. and patrol from 3-11. 16 hours on 4 hours. Then back up this morning at 7 for Hawks Sunday Skate. Even after everything he wanted to go. I feel like crap. He is already asking about Cougars on Tues and Stars on Thurs.

E.J.

05-09-2011, 08:04 AM

YUCK....the stomach flu is BAD NEWS. There are few worse ways to spend a weekend. It is doubly bad for me, I don't deal with other peoples, including my own children, vomit. Sometimes even watching someone puke will send me over the edge & I'll lose the contents of my stomach. Smelling it will almost guarantee it and if I actually have to clean some up....I just take a bucket with me.

Fortunately, Michelle is a nurse and she can deal with about anything without blinking an eye....

Ahbroody

05-09-2011, 02:01 PM

Yeah I have grown immune after having everything you can imagine all over me at one point or another. But working swings and raising the kids has been a great privilege. When first son was born I used to have wear a respirator to change him. I just laugh now.

As to next year, it has become apparent both lower clubs want him to play next year. No redshirt they want him to play up. So now my wife and I have to make the decision. What we will likely do is allow him to play up and play only in the cross ice tournaments as the pace is much slower then full ice. If they ask us to participate in full ice tourneys I will just say hes unavailable that weekend. So he will likely play for the Cougars because its the closest and cheapest and the Sharks house league mite with his buddies that are moving up. The Cougar practices are well run and I think he will get a lot from them. This will also allow him to play the Sundayu10 games for free as they allow all travel kids to participate in then at no additional cost. Looks like about 2500 in fees for next season between both. 1k for house and 1500 for cougars mite travel. We would do blackstars but its 30 min drive no traffic and return drive on weeknight practices in traffic is an hour to 1.5 hours

E.J.

05-09-2011, 02:47 PM

Looks like about 2500 in fees for next season between both. 1k for house and 1500 for cougars mite travel.

OUCH....

That said, I am excited for Micah....:tu

Ahbroody

05-09-2011, 05:33 PM

Lol from what I remember the Hawks are almost 3k for the season.
Part of the reason we will pick the Cougars less travel obligations, less cost, closer home rink and doing it he has access to unlimited pub skate at the house rink, Sunday house U10, friday house practices, and the Cougar practice all included. Bang for buck its the best deal and given all we want him to do is skate and have fun it seems the best option.

E.J.

05-10-2011, 10:16 AM

Crappy cell phone pic, but here is the Little One heading out on the ice with her new gear. We still need to get numbers and the "M" for her jersey, but she was pretty proud all the same...
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/NewGear.jpg

E.J.

05-10-2011, 10:23 AM

E.J.

05-10-2011, 08:43 PM

Summer Season starts tonight.... I am REALLY happy to have the High Schoolers back on the ice....seems like it has been soooo long, but really only 3 months. Anyway, I'm pretty excited and the Little Man is geeked...

UGH....snapped a stick tonight.... Luck has it, he is having one delivered tomorrow, but it also means that I need to order another... It is the one expense that sneaks up on me....

Crushed tonight. 1-6....:td

Ahbroody

05-10-2011, 09:49 PM

Ouch 1-6 no bueno.

Caught a break today with the Cougar mite skate fees. $200 he gets tuesday mite skate, friday U10 practice, sunday U10 games after Hawks MASS ends through summer, and he can skate in another regular hockey class before the tuesday mite skate if he wants. They definitely want him so I am sure thats why.

Tball tomorrow night.

Thursday blackstars skate.

This weekend is the norcal cup rollerhockey championships
He got recruited to play on a U7 team. May have to miss tball game saturday.

Ahbroody

05-10-2011, 09:49 PM

Ahbroody

05-10-2011, 10:14 PM

Wish I knew why my phone keeps double posting.

SPOS!

E.J.

05-11-2011, 09:52 AM

E.J.

05-12-2011, 11:23 PM

Much better night with the Varsity tonight.... 7-3 win. Played forward, which is different, but had a few nice chances. Here are a few photos...
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SummerHockey1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SummerHockey2.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SummerHockey3.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SummerHockey5.jpg

E.J.

05-13-2011, 09:50 PM

Recently found an OUTSTANDING online shop http://www.icewarehouse.com/ Have ordered twice, both times orders were processed same day and shipped. To me, that means standard shipping is two days.

No processing fees and shipping is free over $100. Also, if you join the IW Club or whatever it is(one time purchase of a $10 t-shirt), all orders are 10% off....

Long story short, I have been doing this for 8ish years and it is the best online shop I have dealt with.....

J0eybb

05-13-2011, 10:13 PM

Ahbroody

05-15-2011, 09:37 PM

Well he did the roller tourney today. There were four teams. They should have taken second, but the team that finished second had a ringer. They lost 7-3 or something and the kid scored all their goals. They did okay for a house formed team that never practiced together. But against the Quakes travel team who won out it was very obvious it was house kids.

Micah scored a fair number of goals, but at times just tried to stay back and play D. They got a medal so he had fun and was proud. He also got recruited by the coach of the house team who is forming a U8 team in the fall. The coach is a really great guy.

Micah is second from left and his buddy Alex who hes been playing ice with for two years and did the ice tourney with is behind him. Second row fourth in. They hung out all day and had a lot of fun.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0083-1.jpg

Ahbroody

05-16-2011, 01:27 PM

Forgot to mention. He got the messier project helmet and liked it a lot. Got the one with the cage and when he saw it he said he wanted to wear a cage like everyone else now. He wore it all day yesterday. At the end of the day he implied he may still want to wear his 50/50 sometimes.

E.J.

05-17-2011, 06:37 PM

Hockey last night for the girl, hockey tonight for the boy(crossing my fingers that the JV squad has a better outing)....

Private powerskating lesson tomorrow for the boy. I send them both out, because it is "free skate". Ab's goes to the other side of the rink and tries to mimic what they are doing....

E.J.

05-19-2011, 08:15 AM

You know I have been noticing it more and more on the ice and now when we went in to get new shoulder pads, we went another direction. It seems like kids are out there looking like they are wearing football shoulder pads.

We have been waiting for the 11K’s to hit the shelves here and they came yesterday. We drove down to pick some up and first think I noticed was the weight, they are HEAVY. The Little Man put them on and first thing he said, “I feel like a tank.” I kept pushing the shoulder cap down, we tried on a different size, bla…bla..bla…

Grabbed the CCM U+ Pro’s and put them on, ahhhhh….that is what a shoulder pad is supposed to look like. MUCH, MUCH lighter…. Has to be half the weight, maybe more? I am sure there is some sacrifice in protection, but????

Anyway, as it has become now….it was not my decision anyway and after going back and forth a few times, the CCM’s went to the counter…along with a new bag(last one was literally falling apart).

Ahbroody

05-19-2011, 10:00 AM

Very cool about Abby trying to copy. Thats great she has that passion. Its funny how they suprise you. As the off season has progressed and Micah is now practicing with the three clubs I have noticed he prefers the better tougher practices and wants to go to those the most. As I mentioned in the text he almost pulled off the spinorama during shootout practice tuesday. The coaches went nuts. Then on the way home he keeps talking about how he needs to practice in the garage more to get the move right.

As to the shoulder pads they are out of control. Its proven people use them as a weapon.

Ahbroody

05-19-2011, 10:15 AM

Kind of a spin on that we were talking about the checking age being raised by USA Hockey.
Scott said its a done deal. Having atleast one boy this will affect and possibly two I am okay with it.

I went out and got the boy a new helmet. We went with the Messier project helmet. Al isnt a fan of it and felt it was flimsy. I will say the rear lower section of the helmet has more play then I expected. It seems designed that way. The upper section seems well made. The helmet is also very heavy even with just a cage and it suprised me. It weighed noticeably more then his youth itech with a 50/50 cage. Its also a pretty big helmet size wise. We decided he really needed an upgraded helmet as he is playing with kids often a foot taller. Now I am wondering though if it was the wrong helmet. Last thing we want is him getting his bell rung this early. You can hit the helmet much harder then the Itech and he says it doesnt hurt.

Hoping Scott and Al chime in on the checking age issue as to pros and cons. As a whole I think its a good thing. I dont see much benefit in rushing checking.

ahc4353

05-19-2011, 03:21 PM

Hell, its been so many years I don't even know what age they start checking anymore.

I do remember I wished it was younger.

Ahbroody

05-19-2011, 04:08 PM

Micah likes the contact and hitting a little already. I just dont see the point. The age was 11 and they appear to be moving it to 13. I cant see younger then 11 benefiting from checking.

I may not stick with the M11. Will likely have him checkout the Bauer 9900 before the season starts to see what he prefers.

E.J.

05-19-2011, 05:31 PM

I watched a segment on ESPN's "Between the Lines" re: this. Seems like the players that they talked to, can't remember who they were, both said they were not in favor or the later checking age, saying kids need to learn how to do it and the sooner the better.... Think they were also concerned with not learning to keep your head up, making sure you weren't going to get hit...

Later you start worrying about that, the harder it is to teach or something.... I can't remember, other than them both being against raising the age.

Both sides made a rational argument.

Found the piece....

http://search.espn.go.com/outside-the-lines-youth-hockey/videos/6

E.J.

05-19-2011, 05:42 PM

Here is the discussion with Messier, Barnaby and King....

http://www.ovguide.com/video/are-concussions-unavoidable-in-hockey-922ca39ce10036ba0e117d36eef89c9f

....and speaking of Messier, take a look at him and then this mug...
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Messier.jpg

ahc4353

05-19-2011, 06:01 PM

At 11 or 12 or whatever they are bigger, stronger, faster. They have watched the older boys and pro's and can't wait to start checking. The problem is they don't know the first thing about giving a check or more importantly how to take, absorb or avoid one. For years they play with no knowledge of what checking is like then one day Johnny comes across the blue line with his head down and gets plastered by some big kid going 100 miles an hour just looking to clean his clock because he's waited years to do it. If they are taught early it wouldn't be such a "big deal" it would be just part of the game that they have learned like skating and stick handling.

Now, I'll open an even bigger can of worms, fighting. I think fighting should be taught as well, not so much the hitting but how to protect yourself. Kids that are talented can play at the Jr. level at sixteen playing against guys that are 20-21. Your kid is gonna fight if he wants to or not, it's going to happen. A sixteen year old getting his helmet ripped off and hammered by a 20 year old is not a pretty site. I had the boys work with a close friend that played for Boston College and played semi-pro on how to keep their balance, where to grab, how to clutch, how to fall, what to look for as far as what hand is going to be thrown etc. All in an effort to protect them from getting their a$$ handed to them. Mitch's first real fight was against a 20 year old and he was sixteen. He held his own, got in a couple and I would have called it a draw (I'm his dad :D). The point is he didn't get killed because he knew the basics of how to protect himself. He turned into a solid fighter that fought when he needed to protect himself or a team mate. I'm not saying I liked it, I'm just saying that I'm glad he learned the basics early.

If checking and fighting are "part of the game" they need to be taught, early.

Ahbroody

05-20-2011, 01:05 AM

Good points Al. Good video links EJ.

I know Micahs age is likely affecting my view on checking. I dont know why I worry when he seems to enjoy the physical side of the game. I know they have checking clinics locally and they will let younger kids in on a case by case basis, but I think 7 turning 8 if very good and big enough was the earliest they will let them in. I know of one 7 year old who participated atleast in part of one. Not sure if any of the clubs work on it as well pretty sure his mite club wont.

Its funny the videos drive home the point and Al said this also, but kids skate with their head down too much. They also mentioned turning into the boards (like Sedin did the other night), as well as racing to the boards for the puck seemingly not worried about the forechecker or Dman whos coming right behind. My wife and I have been preaching to him about always keeping his head up. Practicing with the older kids these past months, and getting flattened a couple of times seems to have been huge for his understanding the importance. Oddly its when hes off the puck he has traditionaly had an issue. When he has it he seems to keep his head up looking for space. He works with the ball in the garage and its helped him to have pretty good puck control so hes not looking down. Today at the Stars practice the coach mentioned hes doing really well finding space with and without the puck by keeping his head up. He got one of his teams three goals in the scrim. So I am hoping all dads talks and getting nailed a couple of times by not looking around has helped. Will have to see if he develoos the other to habits so far he doesnt

Given hes already playing up and at the travel level I know there is a fair chance if he keeps the passion that he could play at some point where he may need to be able to fight. I know that will be tough for me. I actually thought about starting to work with him on balance while grappling on rollerblades in the garage. Never had a fight on the ice though only some grappling because only ever played beer league and wouldnt want to teach him something wrong. Wonder what age to start that at.

E.J.

05-20-2011, 02:06 PM

@ the bottom of the page here http://www.usahockey.com//Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=ET_03&ID=299508 you can take a survey about the proposed checking rules and then give any thoughts at the end...if you so choose.

E.J.

05-20-2011, 09:40 PM

Few from tonights game(3-1) loss. He was pretty disappointed that he missed this...

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Uintah5.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Uintah10.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Uintah11.jpg

E.J.

05-21-2011, 09:18 AM

Going through the photos for the team and popped these off.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Uintah22.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Uintah26.jpg

...and one more of a teammate... Looks good, but is went left...:td

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Uintah40.jpg

Ahbroody

05-21-2011, 03:29 PM

No ice today took micah to roller. They want him to move up and play with the mite level kids. Today I was disappointed with how he played. He did the one man show thing going end to end over and over and just hogging the puck skating around waiting for an opening. He scored enough but it made for bad viewing and it was embarrassing watching him have no sense of team. Other times he would just barely skate not getting back. The guy who coached him for the tourney was there and said he needs to move up because hes doing it because hes bored. He knows hes better and can just move through everybody. Next week we are supposed to try the older group.

Right now T-ball. Tomorrow Hawks practice.

Ahbroody

05-22-2011, 02:29 PM

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0106.jpg
He battled on the boards and broke up some clears.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0097.jpg
Bodying a bigger kid

He got two goals today in the 30 minute scrim.

E.J.

05-22-2011, 04:14 PM

Ahbroody

05-22-2011, 10:44 PM

Crap I need to figure out how to take some decent photos.
The culture here is you dont want to break out a camera at a practice people would look at me funny and likely catch little heat.

Maybe I will try to bring one to the practice Tuesday, but I dont have a good glass for the wifes Nikon. May have to buy some. :td
In speaking with some guys he really has no chance of making the Hawks. They dont take kids under age. In order for them to take you underage you have to be in the top 5 players of the age group. Its funny as he knows whats up and that its the best club and wants to try out. I am trying to explain to him they wont take him because hes not old enough and he will need to play Cougars this year. Banging head against wall. He wont quit. Trying to explain if he plays for the Cougars this year he could likely make it with ease isnt working so well either.

Going to order his skates this week.

So far he likes his Messier helmet. No complaiants about fit. I was smacking his helmet to see when he said it hurt. I stopped before he did. I see a few kids in the photos with the helmet EJ. $hit is birth control and kind of heavy.

E.J.

05-25-2011, 11:40 AM

This is neat stuff.... Hosting the 2012 US High School Hockey Championships. I look forward to watching!

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/51883543-77/utah-hockey-event-sports.html.csp

E.J.

05-27-2011, 07:11 PM

So about a month ago I sent an email to the guy that runs the rink closest to us('bout 5 minutes) and thus runs all hockey programs based there, asking if I could sign my daughter up for the 3-3 Summer Hockey. She will be a first year mite this October(first year she is able to play here) and I figured it couldn't hurt. I also wanted her attending organized ice time this Summer(so much easier than S&P or drop in).

He responded that she has not even completed a season of mite play and described 3-3 as being for "the advanced kids" or something of that nature. He said she was not done with Start Smart(all kids here are supposed to finish Start Smart before entering any league play) and he generally does not encourage Start Smart kids to play in the 3-3 because it is too fast paced. He also said that there was another session of Start Smart(I was not aware of this) and that would keep her on the ice in the Summer.

I am not new to the Summer 3-3 here, the Little Man did it for years....and his response sounded about right, but I admit that I was a little disappointed. I told him that I appreciated his candor and was just pleased that there was more Start Smart that would keep her on the ice bla..bla..bla...

Anyway, he sent out a request for goalies for the 3-3, apparently they need 2 for the Mites. Abby has been asking me about some time between the pipes and I thought, why not ask... I sent a quick note stating that I knew that he did not feel a 6 year old Start Smart kid was ready for the 3-3, but if he was really in need of a goalie, she'd be happy to fill in there in lieu of the shooter tutor that they'd end up using. This is a copy and past of his response. It should be noted that he is currently teaching Abby's "gap session", which is just a month between the last Start Smart and the next one.... It is the first time he has seen her on the ice.

"Abby is a pretty good Start Smart kid. I think she would be ok in the Mite division. She’s a competitor. Does she want to be a goalie in the League? We need goalies so if she wants to play as a goalie that would be fine. I would let he be a skater also but our biggest needs are goaltenders.

Let me know."

Put a huge smile on my face. Know what, no words describe her better.... "She’s a competitor."

Classic, as I am typing this, know what she just yelled at me....:r "Dad, can you get my bag down..... I need to get the goalie stuff on so I can practice."

E.J.

05-28-2011, 01:08 PM

Went to drop in today.... Had a good time, did okay for the first time in net. The loaner stuff is junk.....

She did make the stop in #4....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AG1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AG2.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AG3.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AG5.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AG7.jpg

Ahbroody

05-28-2011, 05:23 PM

So freaking cool brother. If she likes it go with it. Micah doesnt like being a hamster. He likes the pads but gets bored quickly. What size pads are those. I would recommend the vaughn 7100 pads depending on size she needs. Multiple kids who play mite goalie locally like them and have them. Great flex, light weight, real buckle straps not those snap pads, you can grab them from totalhockey for 139. There are some other pads that are a little better, but cost $70 to $100 more. Bang for buck Vaughn is great for the little ones. Micah wants a street pair for the garage. Ugggggggh

Today he played the older roller division 7-8. I still have not signed him up for ice games Saturday because hes practicing with the three mite clubs during the rest of the week. Roller are not set teams they just split them down the middle. The split was a fail today. His team lost 6-15. I am glad I moved him up though. He showed me something today and I was very proud. He scored one of the 6 goals and drew a penalty shot by skating hard, but didnt convert. Beauty of a deek on the shot to. They had a $hit goalie also. What I was more proud of and Al should dig this. He recognized his team was getting shelled and he changed from playing forward to staying back and playing an umbrella style D stopping a ton of the other teams rushes and dumping the puck deep for his team which resulted in 3 of his teams other goals. Once from his stomach. :tu. They only scored once on his goalie on his shifts after he started playing D.

After the game I asked him if the coach had asked him to play D. He said no. I asked why he started playing D. "Nobody was playing defense and our goalie was bad. I had to stop them from scoring." That got a kiss on the head and some praise from dad. Practicing with the travel clubs has improved so much more then his backwards skating, transitions and stick handling. So damn proud of that kid. Recognized the issue and put team ahead of self never being asked. For a kid who loves to score and his age it was a moment for me. I love the lessons this game teaches kids. Whats crazy is last Sunday at the Hawks club Ice practice the other team had two kids who did this to his team on a few of his shifts and kept them pinned in their zone. He took that and learned from it.

E.J.

06-01-2011, 09:25 PM

Nailed it.... Not quite, it is soft, but pretty close for a dad just shooting in the stands. The C putting the tying goal in the back of the net mid way through the 3rd. Ended 2-2.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/GameTyingGoal.jpg

Haven't even gone through the rest of the pics, but knew this was good when I shot it. He'll be pleased....

The Little Man had his best game of the Summer & was solid on both ends. Played both F and D. Stepped up his physical game, which was much needed against this team. That said, he got CRUSHED twice and his jaw is bugging him and he has a big headache.... Still awaiting his first point of the Summer...

E.J.

06-02-2011, 07:54 AM

2 of the LM

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/JacksonSH1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/JacksonSH2.jpg

Ahbroody

06-02-2011, 11:02 AM

Awesome pics as always. Tell that kid in the two color socks my son says thats dusty. :r

Finally went and dug out a few pics.
Last night Cougars practice. Was a boring practice not much to photo.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0035.jpg

This was that U7 tourney they did. Penalty shot.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0025.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0026.jpg

This was one of the last games of the year. thought it was cool because he is breaking for the puck of the faceoff and almost everyone has not even started to move yet.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0020.jpg

Hes got blackstars tonight. Even though we said it was not forseable that he would play for them this year they asked him to play for them in a scrimmage against a team from out of area. I am going to let him play. I think its cool hes getting recognized. This year is going to be awesome for him.

E.J.

06-02-2011, 12:11 PM

Nice, always love the pics Mike! Micah needs to continue with the lime green laces, it makes it easy as can be to pick him out of a crowd!

E.J.

06-03-2011, 06:24 PM

DROID X2... I'm going to be a posting fool...

Ahbroody

06-04-2011, 02:06 PM

357

06-06-2011, 07:59 AM

Well you got the fool part right. :r

Totalhockey.com is selling these posted it in the nhl thread also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGmXpzWIjDw&feature=player_embedded

I think I will throw one on his helmet to test it out and see if he triggers it easily. I am pretty sure he would have set it off atleast 2 times last year. Would be interesting to see.

Good stuff Mike. I've seen similar devices used in crash tests, Mythbusters, etc. It only makes sense to use these on kids helmets, although it might be better if the sensor was on the inside with some kind of external indicator. Might cut down on "false positives".

It wouldn't surprise me if the NFL, NHL, and even MLB (for batters) adopt something similar in the future. I'm sure each respective Player's Assosciation would jump at the idea. It would take some of the "letting the team down" out of getting checked out. If the G-force alarm goes off, automatic testing kind of idea would kinda let them of the hook so to speak; even if that's not what they necessarily want at the moment.

Ahbroody

06-06-2011, 10:23 AM

I hear you. I am grabbing one on my next order. He is growing again and the shinguards I bought him are a little small and its getting worse. When I order them it will go in the cart. He had a impact against a kid last summer that was violent. He poped back up, but it made a lot of people do the ohhhhhhhh. The other boy stayed down for a little, but I think both would have triggered it. Also he did an airborn horizontal 180 this season and was upset at the time crying for a minute or two. I think that was more from a shock perspective. He stayed down a good 15-20 seconds which is abnormal for him. It seemed longer for dad. I skated over and he got up. I didnt let him take another shift after, but he did appear to have a headache, but no other indicators. Hes the im fine kid. He will get hurt and pop back always saying "im fine" then seconds later he will admit hes hurt.

Anyone play with the Shockdoctor gravity 2 mouth guard? I have trained him to always wear one, but he hates not being able to talk as much and it affects breathing. Lower mouth guards in soorts where people wear cages are becoming more popular as there is no risk of tooth injury or concussion as long as you have a guard in either the bottom or top. May go to his dentist to get one made as I think they are covered or will run us like $20.

Ahbroody

06-08-2011, 10:40 AM

Kind of a cool idea on a mouth guard.
Im ordering one for the kid to see how it goes as while his is always in his mouth it seems to just be floating around. This one seems to work close to a custom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5FTachKsi4

Interesting video associated with it regarding getting sick from mouth guards. Its kind of a plug, but still interesting results.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GKM2rKcLfs

should mention gravity 2 didnt work out any different then a regular mouthguard. Dont bother.

E.J.

06-08-2011, 05:03 PM

Tonight makes third night in a row...three different rinks... Tomorrow back to the first rink. LM played his best game of the summer last night... Hoping to build on that in 30 minutes

E.J.

06-08-2011, 08:31 PM

I'm no photoshop wiz, pretty much just auto correct and the like, but merged this shot, because it was pretty cool. Kid is going to be a freshman and is playing a regular line varsity this Summer. The Little Man has played with/against him since they were mites... Notice, doesn't even have his "M" jersey yet...

Kind of hard to tell by the photo really anyway, but think he deked and was going to go 4 hole, lost the puck(looked like it bounced on his a bit) and ended up spinning and backhanding it.... It was beautiful.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SHvA1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SHvA2-1.jpg

Even the Little One has her "M" Jersey already.... I know many will be jealous of her full stick tape job...

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyM.jpg

E.J.

06-09-2011, 08:06 AM

2 of the LM last night.... First he is recieving a pass, as he slides in from the point. Missed high left, but it was his best chance of the night. I don't think he played great, but was solid. Played D exclusively. Told me he was very nervous when he heard that(has yet to be locked into a 2 line rotation on Varsity D), that was odd to hear from him. 7-1 win playing shorthanded, easily their top 4 out. 2 away with travel, 2 still injured. That said, their opponent would most likely lose to our JV team...

Hopefully they also were shorthanded, missing most of their stars....because if not, it is going to be a LONG season for them in the Fall.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/MurrayHockey4.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/MurrayHockey3.jpg

The Little One will take the ice tonight in net. It will actually be the first time she plays in a "real game". I don't mind saying that I am anxious/nervous....

Wanger

06-09-2011, 08:13 AM

Reading about all your different rnks and practices and games all year kind of makes me glad my kids don't play. I admire you all, and their dedication to the game! And secretly, I wish I had played when I was a kid (I know, strange for a native Minnesotan to have never played organized hockey).

Ahbroody

06-11-2011, 07:03 PM

Uggggggh had to order skates today. $130 for the skates shipped for a little kid. :td

$600 for 2 weeks of hockey camp 4 hours at the rink each day.
Debating a 4 day skating clinic by Robbie Glantz for $270 that we got a discount code for because hes skating with a club. 2 hours a day for 4 days. Dont know if he will get enough out of it as its designed for older kids.

Mike as Al, EJ, Scott and others will say its funny but while some mornings its a pain once you see your kid on the ice smiling and going for it everything seems well worth it. The game to most is the ultimate team sport and you see it from an early age. My son played his first season of Tball this year. What a friggin disaster compared to hockey. Kids not listening, crap behavior, no sense of teamwork. Basically Same age group kids in hockey are passing to each other, giving centering feeds, diving to block shots (laugh my arse off at that), communicating to each other and generally way better behaved.

Ahbroody

06-11-2011, 07:22 PM

http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=AU_02_03&id=305004

This was not unexpected and I am wondering how long it will last, but USA Hockey approves checking change.

Eleven

06-11-2011, 07:50 PM

http://www.usahockey.com/Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=AU_02_03&id=305004

This was not unexpected and I am wondering how long it will last, but USA Hockey approves checking change.

I think this will hurt USA player development significantly. Most of Canada, except Quebec will now be checking 2 years before any USA youth hockey player.

Although I don't have a dog in this fight any longer (my kid plays Bantam Minor this come year), I am saddened by the decision. I doubt USA Hockey will reverse this change any time soon, the only hope for parity is to convince the rest of Canada to make the same change.

On a side note, does anyone have experience with Selects Hockey (http://www.selectshockey.com/)? We screwed around this year waiting on another family to confirm their kid as a roommate for my son at Kent State's hockey camp and we submitted the app too late. My son is on a waiting list, but I didn't want to leave that to chance.

I was talking with another parent about camps and he told me about Selects Hockey's Elite Camp. I contacted them and they had a spot and approved my son, so we're happy he has a place to go, but I was hoping to get some feedback on them.

Ahbroody

06-11-2011, 08:05 PM

I doubt Canada will change its mind. :r
I had always heard the Quebec Peewee tourney was the best of its kind?

Are most EU teams checking at Peewee?

E.J.

06-13-2011, 07:52 PM

A few photos from tonight.... Photos 3 & 4 are sequence of her breaking out with the puck. They look almost exactly the same, but think they are like 2 strides apart? Anyway, she was able to get a little separation, angle at what would be the end faceoff circle(they were playing cross ice), shoot and score.

She then got crushed as she celebrated(not looking where she was going) and a kid on her team skated without looking where he was going....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey19.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey22.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey21.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey24-1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey18.jpg

E.J.

06-13-2011, 08:01 PM

Boom! Notice, celebration doesn't end when she hits the ice, she's holding that stick out, just like she was when she ran into that kid...:rolleyes:

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey25.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey26.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey27.jpg

Ahbroody

06-14-2011, 10:57 PM

That black and white photo came out very cool.
14 thought she had some candy thats all. :r

Hawks skate
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0104.jpg

apparently this went off his stick and in but no one noticed till in the net
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0111.jpg

Cougars today wife and girls came and mom worked the camera
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0133.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0134.jpg
Chicks dig the flow.

Ahbroody

06-14-2011, 11:01 PM

his cheer team
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0136.jpg

Him in this kid in the orange had a little thing going today.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0146.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0139.jpg

trying to keep him outside
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0144.jpg

Friday he will play in a mite scrimage between the blackstars and tri valley. This will be his first competitve travel scrim against mite kids he doesnt practice with. He will be playing for the Stars I did some schedule swapping and dad will be there to cheer him on. will take some photos and maybe a video clip if he doesnt stink up the joint. 5.5 years old so expectations are low.

E.J.

06-15-2011, 07:26 AM

Look at that flow.... Serious hockey hair going on there! Pic of the girls(Micah's cheer team) is great...

Seeing the Cascade M11 reminded me that we have a kid, possibly the best kid on the team, who was out for the remainder of our playoffs last year with a concussion. He then got dinged again first game of Summer and has not played since. Anyway, I noticed that his little brother was wearing a new Messier helmet yesterday at the JV game. I would be interested to hear if his old helmet(CCM) was just "old" and needed to be replaced, or if the decision was made due to the stated protection difference. I would guess when the older brother starts playing again, he will have one on as well(he wears some form of Bauer).

E.J.

06-15-2011, 08:02 AM

The Little Man played really well last night, but the JV team was CRUSHED again. They play in the Adult Summer League & were competitive last year, but have been moved up to Division III. The majority of these 14-17 year old kids just are not there physically. Even the ones that can skate, they are generally so much smaller, it takes 2 strides to one when they are trying to get anywhere. I shouldn't even say the majority, all these kids are not there physically.

That doesn't mention the higher level players(D2 guys) on each team, that just smoke the kids.

I can tell Jackson is getting pissed off and was involved in a minimum of 4-5 dust-ups last night and was also involved in a matching 5M roughing major, trying to protect his goaltender. He was getting the chit beat out of him and kept it up all night long.

Admittedly, I was heated inside, knowing that it was a bunch of grown men beating on a 14 year old kid(not during play, but after the whistle stuff). But he was giving as much as he was getting, he just doesn't have grown man strength.....or weight.... I know that he cannot dish out, without getting back....even if it is man against boy, that is the game. Still doesn't mean I don't get a little bent inside, being he was usually the one on the ice a few seconds after the whistle.

All the work paid off in the locker room, when he was rewarded with some praise from the coach who stated something to the effect of "Good job, Jackson. I know I have one guy who will take care of Devin(the goalie)."

Didn't even take the camera, shooting through the net at the Olympic Oval is worthless... I may shoot through the glass a few games...but it is not as fun and results are spotty.

P.S. I should not exaggerate, he'll be 15 tomorrow...

Ahbroody

06-15-2011, 09:30 AM

Thats weird they are allowing that. Around here that would not fly. Maybe in roller leagues, but ice I just cant see them allowing it. Beer league guy can go Game7 guy at any time. You can get full blown brawls and some very dangerous hits.

As to the concussion thing there are so many arguments both ways on the helmets and the checking age. Some argue as Al start them early when they cant hurt each other. The argument to that is kids lack self control at that age and you could see a ton of boarding and blindside hits as kids at that age dont care. This also raises the cumulative hits argument on the brain and increasing susceptibility as the years grow. Much like a boxer.

What I have found interesting is many people who kids play around here who are from Canada and grew up playing have no issue with it. A few reference childhood incidences where kids got destroyed the first year checking was introduced. Many left hockey some never wanted to play again or it took years to want to.

I am starting to think the model may work with increasing body contact starting in mites. The thing many have missed is that in majority of European countries hitting is not allowed until the 13 age also. With that they are like the US is hoping to do force kids to use their feet and skate to out play the other player. Europen players if nothing else are often the best skaters. I dont know if eithet is right, but I am now willing to see how this works out and do see some serious upside if it works. It will keep more house kids playing longer as well. Where it will be interesting is in the travel enviornment and when kids head to Canada for tourneys. I think it could be horrible and may result in a stopping of travel north of the boarder till Bantam. Then you got to wonder because many argue they are the ones turning into the boards. When I think of a lot of the crushing hits of recent time it was not a euro getting smoked but a canadian or american.

Ahbroody

06-15-2011, 05:30 PM

Uggggggh had to order skates today. $130 for the skates shipped for a little kid. :td

Fak so I call Brunos hockey and ask if the skates have shipped. Nope he doesnt have them. I ask if he can get them. He will let me know. I call in the afternoon. He acts like hes getting them but upon further questioning I find out its the 301 not the 370. I had to repeatedly say no and I just wanted a refund.

Had to order westside skate in NY cost me 20 more and a weeks delay. I have talked to bruno before and he seems like a great guy, but this is two times I have had this happen. Apparently Graf youth skates ship once a yeat from china in august and once they are gone they are gone.

E.J.

06-15-2011, 07:20 PM

FRUSTRATING Mike... Did the same thing with Jackson's last skates.... IMO no reason with todays tech anyone shouldn't have up to date invo online....or at least 24 hour update the buyer.

Wanger

06-16-2011, 06:44 AM

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/AbbyHockey18.jpg

AWESOME pic, EJ!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/DSC_0134.jpg
Chicks dig the flow.

...and I dig the jersey. :D

Hope you guys don't mind that I comment and follow what you go through with your kids and hockey, even though mine don't play. It's a religion here in MN, and I guess I'm raising heathens. :p At least when we took them all to the WCHA Final Five title game, they loved it.

E.J.

06-16-2011, 08:07 AM

AWESOME pic, EJ!

...and I dig the jersey. :D

Hope you guys don't mind that I comment and follow what you go through with your kids and hockey, even though mine don't play. It's a religion here in MN, and I guess I'm raising heathens. :p At least when we took them all to the WCHA Final Five title game, they loved it.

I appreciate the comments Mike...:tu

Ahbroody

06-20-2011, 12:28 AM

This weekend went from low to high.
Fridays development scrim was a joke. Without getting into particulars I will just say the teams were supposed to be b squad b goalie, a squad a goalie. This didnt happen. The boy was very frustrated at the end of the game. I think playing against a boy possibly 2 who will be squirt in the fall when your playing mite b squad in a dwvelopment game will do that.

Today was awesome though. The skated on line 1 during sprints and kept up with qnd beat some kids. Scored a nice hustle goal in the scrim driving the net. Dad got a fat had when one of the coaches thought he was a late 04 and was suprised to find out he was a late 05. The coach was talking about Micahs drive and lack of fear and hustle. He let him double shift multiple times stating it was more important that he wanted to do it and was trying then the fact he was running out of gas at the end of the shift.

The high point for dad came in the locker room after the practice when the head coach was talking to some parents about issues with some boys maturity and acting like 5 year olds. I dont know whatvboys he was referencing or if it was just boys in general. He then stops himself and address Micah infront of everyone and says how its actually not fair to say 5 year olds because there are 5 year olds like Micah who play like responsible 8 year olds. He said "Micahs all business out there on the ice." Its nice when your kid gets noticed for the right reasons and just a touch sweeter when it happens on fathers day.

While he wont make the Hawks in the fall its nice that they have clearly been very positive about him and it seems when hes mite age level next year he should have a good chance of making the club. Fridays game really jelped me decide he should play for the Cougars mite club this year and not the Stars based on talent of the kids. He should have a more positive experience.

E.J.

06-20-2011, 08:47 AM

The high point for dad came in the locker room after the practice when the head coach was talking to some parents about issues with some boys maturity and acting like 5 year olds. I dont know whatvboys he was referencing or if it was just boys in general. He then stops himself and address Micah infront of everyone and says how its actually not fair to say 5 year olds because there are 5 year olds like Micah who play like responsible 8 year olds. He said "Micahs all business out there on the ice." Its nice when your kid gets noticed for the right reasons and just a touch sweeter when it happens on fathers day.

THAT IS AWESOME! Good stuff and it is not only a positive reflection for Micah, but telling of how you have raised him, Mike.

Ahbroody

06-22-2011, 03:18 PM

Well we have been in a bit of a mouthguard exploration period. Trying a couple of different mouth guards. I have wanted to try one of these. http://www.protechguard.com/Default.asp based on a review by hockeyus on youtube. Anyway today found a working 10% off coupon and bought a double pack. Coupon code is JRDERBY. Will report back how it goes. He was playing with the brainpad and really liked the feel, the issue was and is drinking and speaking is impossible with it. Everytime he wanted a drink hes pulling off the cage and its a pain.

J0eybb

06-22-2011, 03:27 PM

E.J.

06-22-2011, 03:58 PM

I'll have to watch the video at home, no go at work....

Ahbroody

06-22-2011, 04:32 PM

Uh you have a droid just watch it on the youtube app. Friggin newb.

Joe there are multiple on line vendors you can get a custom built from for around 100. I cant do a custom for him as his jaw is growing and hes losing teeth it would be replaced at least once a year. Apparently this product has really taken off in the rollerderby ( yeah apparently thats popular again). What im interested in is the fact you can reshape it and see if we can get it to fit tight enough where it will lock in like its supposed to.

Ahbroody

06-23-2011, 05:12 PM

Got his new skates today after I had to track down the UPS driver eating his lunch as he couldnt find my house. Focking UPS sucks or atleast our drivers. I have had them deliver packages to the wrong address and multiple times not be able to find the house but deliver to the house next door.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0196.jpg
Going to take him to pubskate tonight. I guess he fell pretty good today in the summer school program my wife has him in to get him ready for school next year. Nice shin bone bruise so I am not taking him to the Stars practice.

I said it before, the youth Graf skates are the toughest skates made. Those boots took a beating for a year and still are structurally good. They look hamered for little kids skates close up. He is hard on his skates though.

E.J.

06-24-2011, 07:11 AM

Get those green laces switched over.....

ahc4353

06-24-2011, 07:26 AM

What did those run you Mike?

Wanger

06-24-2011, 08:02 AM

Get those green laces switched over.....

Keep the laces. :p

Eleven

06-24-2011, 08:33 AM

He is hard on his skates though.

Someone was hard on those skates.

Even with regular sharpening, those blades should not have looked THAT much different than the brand new ones after only one year of use.

:2

Ahbroody

06-24-2011, 09:52 AM

What did those run you Mike?
A pint of blood. 130ish shipped. Westside skate in NY. Graf only does the yoith skates once a year in August so once the sell you get to hunt them down. In August I will be buying the next size. These wont last as long hes growing already.

Someone was hard on those skates.

Even with regular sharpening, those blades should not have looked THAT much different than the brand new ones after only one year of use.

:2

Yeah I found a sharpener I think we will be sticking with. So hopefully this problem is over. I took his old ones in amd he explained why they were being done wrong and how he would do them.

EJ I grabbed him the graf yellow laces in his size when I grabbed them. When he got home from the math enrichment program my wife has him in he gets all jacked when he sees them runs over, but immediately says "wheres my green laces" I cant complain its the only dusty thing he likes to do.

Took him out last night he was happy actually having some toe on his skates:r. Skated well and was much more confident in doing transitions at speed.

E.J.

06-24-2011, 07:31 PM

the Little Man moved to black laces and I like it SOOOOOO muchbetter thanhis orange laces... Don't knowif I have pics of them yet....

Ahbroody

06-25-2011, 05:34 PM

http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html

E.J.

06-25-2011, 05:59 PM

Was just looking through all the PFD's, wanted to see if they gave a % breakdown by sport, but couldn't find anything.....

E.J.

06-27-2011, 01:47 PM

The girl is playing at 5:30 and then the boy at 6:45, same rink...

I don't know if I remember this ever happening.....

(pics to follow)

Ahbroody

06-27-2011, 02:40 PM

Well after speaking with a few coaches from the Hawks and a couple of parents we are not going to have Micah play travel mite Cougars this year. We are going to have him play up in age at house mite jr. Sharks still, but not at the travel level.

The Hawks coaches and I were discussing the new boundry rule that went into effect for the upcoming season. Basically we are smack in the middle of the boundries for the Cougars and Hawks. Literally 11 miles from both rinks. The Jr.Sharks disolved their mite club so the Hawks control that boundry area for the Jr. Sharks rink at the mite level where this matters. Norcal hockey has now instituted a rule where geographic boundries control what club you can play for at the mite level. Once you play for a club if the boundries are close a petition may be required to leave the club and apparently the club can refuse to release you under the new boundry rule.

The Hawks coaches have been great and very positive about Micah, but you can tell they just think he needs the extra year to get bigger and get better in certain areas. In the end the comment that stuck with me the most was why rush him focus on the areas he needs to improve so hes ready next year. While having him play travel a year early may be cute the coach reminded me there are kids that may take a run at him and whats the point of risking it when hes technically not old enough to play mite. There are weekly skating skills classes I can put him in if he plays sharks mite inhouse and a secondary league if he wants to play an extra game each week as well as the roller hockey he likes to play saturday morning. So in the end we decided the Hawks coaches seem to have his best intrest in mind and have a lot of experience in this area._

Eleven

06-27-2011, 03:06 PM

Norcal hockey has now instituted a rule where geographic boundries control what club you can play for at the mite level. Once you play for a club if the boundries are close a petition may be required to leave the club and apparently the club can refuse to release you under the new boundry rule.

You need a Long Porch! Ever seen "The Tournament"? Canadian TV series about insane hockey parents. One guy was building a 'long porch' to extend his property over to the 'good teams' geographic boundaries!

(Btw, I'm kid-less this week, just dropped my kid off in Buffalo for a hockey camp!)

W00t!

E.J.

06-27-2011, 03:17 PM

You need a Long Porch! Ever seen "The Tournament"? Canadian TV series about insane hockey parents. One guy was building a 'long porch' to extend his property over to the 'good teams' geographic boundaries!

:r:r:r

Ahbroody

06-27-2011, 04:01 PM

I thought it was crazy that they instituted this rule. In the end we couod just use my parents address so its not really a big thing.

Is the boundry thing common in other areas. They have it here for baseball, but its never been an issue in hockey. My thing is it could end up being a headache in the end and he could get stuck playing on a team he doesnt want to be on. He has repeatedly said he wants to play for the Hawks all summer so I figure why needlessly create a possible situation.

E.J.

06-27-2011, 10:01 PM

Good night....I'm tired.

Little One scored the only goal on either side during her scrimmage.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Abs.jpg

Varsity pulled the win, 4-3. Little Man only pulled 5 shifts, but was a +1 and worked his tail off.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SVvE5.jpg

E.J.

06-28-2011, 07:57 PM

http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/youth.html

Have another kid out for a minimum of 2 weeks with a concussion.....

We still have the one out, who has in reality played one game in the past 4 months. Then got word today that a kid that got dinged last night, went to the ER after and he's out 2 weeks, then reevaluate.....

Ahbroody

06-28-2011, 11:39 PM

Nice pics.

See the concussion thing is the other reason we are waffling on what to do with him this year. That and everyones confusion over the new boundry rule. We want him in the practices we dont want him in the games. Today he did drills with the Cougars that as house coaches we wont even attempt next year as it will be disaster for house mites.

My wife said maybe we are just unavailable some weekends for him to play. :r. He has Stars on thursday. I will talk to that coach again about redshirting.

E.J.

07-02-2011, 09:25 AM

So another game and another loss in the Olympic Oval D3 Summer League..... We played against the Air Pirates, which is a team of US Army Army Reserve National Guard guys... These 14-16 year old kids REALLY are struggling with the adult teams this year. Last year, playing in D4, their skating could make up for the maturity difference....D3, not so much....:td

I think they may have beat this team playing at full strength, but as Summer goes, we were missing some kids for vacation and one floater(plays JV and Varsity) kid that has a concussion. Played with 3 D - 5 up front... The Little Man had jello legs at the end, playing 2 shifts on/one off all game....

These pics were taken through the glass, in what could be described as DIFFICULT lighting....so the results are what they are...

Little Man throwing a puck at the net...

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SJV6.jpg

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SJV21.jpg

Down 3-0 in the middle of the 3rd, the boys stormed back, this was the celebration of the goal that left them down 1, with about 3 minutes and change to go. Unfortunatly, they got no closer than that....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SJV27.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/SJV28.jpg

E.J.

07-03-2011, 12:43 PM

Great stick and puck session with both kids today.... My God I am getting old...

Fortunately Michelle doesn't skate, it assures that I will never be the worst skater in the family....

Ahbroody

07-09-2011, 11:02 AM

Worked till midnight bed around 1am. Up at 6am to give wife some help with the baby. Pushed out the door with the boy and his two sisters to go to roller hockey at the wifes request to give her a few hours rest.
Feeling awesome for 5 hrs sleep. Sure I will hit the wall at work tonight.

On Wednesday he played in a Hawks scrim practice one squirt goalie one shooter tudor switching every 15 min. They had two shifts mites second shift was squirts and peewees. He played in the mite group. He walked into the locker room ahead of me came walking back out after seeing some peewees and said "no way Im playing against those kids." Then he saw a few kids he knew and settled down. He scored one from his stomach against the shooter tudor but that was more because everyone watched the shot to see if it would go. He did beat the one squirt goalie once by banging in a rebound.
Stars scrimmage early this afternoon against trivalley.

E.J.

07-12-2011, 12:42 PM

Mike,

Is Micah doing all day camp? There is a 8:30-4:00 M-Th/8:30-Noon F camp local that a guy I know is running. I can get a smoking deal, Jackson is in, but I am considering having Abby do it. I know she'd say yes, but I wonder about her attention span for that long.... I really question getting into day 3-4....not so much the on ice stuff(twice daily), but all the off ice stuff.....

Yesterday was a good day, both kids playing back to back.... Ab's was AWESOME, was passing the puck REALLY well and scored a few times. Working with her at S&P twice over the holiday really seemed to give her a little bump.

On the flip side, the Little Man is seeing his varsity minutes drop to nothing. 3 shifts last night.... Wasn't on the ice long enough to even give a report on how he played... I know he is frustrated, but he is going to be a Soph on a team that is stacked deep. Still missing 2 of our top players, but when everyone else is there....minutes are nonexistent for the LM. The coach even said as much, apparently singled him out in the locker room after the game, paraphrased "I know your pissed & you'd be playing for any other team in the State, but we're loaded and your time will come."

He'll get enough minutes in the JV game tonight to put a smile on his fact.... Now let's hope they can sneak a win against the old men....:tu

Ahbroody

07-12-2011, 03:52 PM

The camp is from 9am to 12 its 3 hrs and only 12-15 minutes is off ice break time at the midway point.
The camp is really well run and he is skating almost constantly in one way or another. I dont think at his age I would attempt an all day camp. When hes 8 maybe.

He is the youngest camper by a year, but kicking some a$$. Today he won an Event for his team. They were doing the gauntlet drill where all 7 coaches use the sticks to shot cones at the kids as they skate through the nuetral zone. He out lasted everyone 25+ kids age 10 and under. Jumping and dodging cones like a champ. He got mobbed after he won and the smile on his face made the whole camp worth it. I think when it was just him and the other kid left the coaches went after the older kid harder. Still. very impressive. The second time they did the drill he made it to the final four.

He was getting lazy with his stride, but this camp and his competitive nature to win are fixing his stride because of his desire to win different races.

E.J.

07-12-2011, 09:06 PM

Few from yesterday....nothing great, but a few pics all the same....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Goal1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Goal3.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/Goal4.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/JB2-1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/JB3.jpg

JV got their asses handed to them tonight.... Close game that was blown open in the third... Lost by 3, but it didn't seem that close.

Ahbroody

07-15-2011, 11:47 AM

Day 5 of hockey camp.
So far we have also done practices/scrims on tuesday (cougars) and thursday (hawks) nights.
Last night he played about 1.5 hrs on the ice between the scrim and the improvised Gretzky hour after the scrim and only left the ice when the Zamboni came out.:r. That was on top of over 3 hours at camp. When we got home he looked at me and said thanks dad I had a lot of fun today.

Hes learning to work with a coach he doesnt like. The coach who made him cry in the private skate lesson months ago is one of the main coaches. He is spending a lot of time working with Micah. Ive had to explain to Micah that while he may not like a coach and they may be mean he has to listen and repsect the coach because they are trying to help. He said hello to the coach he hates this morning.

E.J.

07-16-2011, 04:24 PM

...and the skate weights are in..... Skate weighed were apparently an 8D unless otherwise specified... All information is from the totalhockey.com website. If my math skills are working(I am no engineer), in parentheses is the total % weight difference from the lightest skate, the Bauer Total One.

.5 lbs doesn't sound like a big deal, but 25% difference in the weight does....

Bauer APX - 1.62 lbs (6%)
Bauer X7 - 1.80 (15%)
Bauer Total One - 1.53
Bauer One 100 - 1.88 (size 9) (19%)
Bauer X:50 - 1.84 (17%)
CCM Crazy Lights - 1.88 (19%)
CCM U12 - 1.84 (17%)
Easton EQ50 - 1.96 (size 9) (22%)
Easton S17 - 1.74 (12%)
Graf G5 - 1.98 (23%)
Graf G5 XI - 1.96 (22%)
Graf G75 - 1.90 (19%)
Graf G35x - 2.08 (26%)
Reebok 11K - 1.98 (23%)
Reebok 10K - 1.90 (size 7) (19%)

How is that for a slow Saturday afternoon....:sh

Did have a nice drop in session for the Little One this morning.... Her brother starts camp on Monday....

Ahbroody

07-16-2011, 05:19 PM

We banned micah from hockey today. He has been on the ice roughly 20 hours since sunday. He kept trying to get into the garage to shot pucks so we went out and bought some seedlings for our garden and he helped me plant. He wants to play tomorrow morning in Cupertino. Got hockey camp all next week with optional skates with the Cougars on tuesday, Hawks wednesday, and Stars thursday. Tryouts for the clubs are all the last weekend of the month.

Talked to a lot of travel parents at the camp and as Al and I have talked most are on Als side. Many said travel mites is largely not worth it if I can get him to redshirt and many felt even if not just have him do small group lessons. This throws a wrench in the plan. The Stars coach seems my best bet for a red shirt and Micah really likes him. If not will just do house mites with the optional weekly extra skills skate. He will now a lot of the boys in that.

Update on the protech dent mouthguards. Micah and I both really like them and its great for speaking and drinking.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0228.jpg

Because I know this will get a rise out of a couple of you and may result in Al actually posting to call me a nut bag. Behold. Fairly certain one of the only if not the only custom youth 11 Graf conversions in the US. In talking to the guy who wedges his skates we were discussing the radius on the Grafs and how the holders just seem undersized. Enter a pair of cheap Bauers.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0226.jpg
The guy swapped them for free basically and now.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0237.jpg
Hes been skating on them for 2 weeks and loves them. Yes they are wedged. To give an idea of how big the Graf boot is I really could have fit a Bauer/tuuk size 12 holder on. While the Graf boot is awesome the youth holders are extremely undersized. He is a lot more comfortable skating backwards and has not lost any speed.

I fully expect Als wrath. Maybe Scotts.

E.J.

07-16-2011, 05:25 PM

Those mouth-guards look crazy.... Are they as thin as they look? You just bite on them???

As I said before, I think the Tuuk conversion was awesome and I am confident you hold the Western United states record, if not the US record for smallest Graf/Tuuk conversion....:r

E.J.

07-16-2011, 05:32 PM

Just watched their(protech dent mouthguards) video clip on the website...

I didn't look further, but do they mention reduced concussion severity or the like?

Ahbroody

07-16-2011, 05:38 PM

Yup they are that thin. You heat them up bite down run your fingers around the front and side to shape then place your tongue against the back and suck in. Doesnt fall out. Purpose is only for concussions as wearing a cage. Science behind it says it does the job.

I may be the record holder. :r Im good with that.

Ahbroody

07-16-2011, 05:46 PM

Hows the blade on your daughters total one holding up.
What I have found is that the cheap youth sticks have cheap blades that get chewed up fast exposing the fiberglass. The Easton yth S19 has a true basket weave blade as does the warrior widow, but the cheap sticks dont. He digs in the corners and in front of the net so much he trashes the blades on the cheap sticks pretty quick.

E.J.

07-17-2011, 09:16 AM

Hows the blade on your daughters total one holding up.

Needed a new tape job, so I figured I'd let you decide. Almost 5 months, conservative estimate, 30 ice sessions. I cleaned everything off that stick, what you see is stick.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/YTHTotalOne1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/YTHTotalOne2.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/YTHTotalOne3.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/YTHTotalOne4.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/YTHTotalOne5.jpg

E.J.

07-17-2011, 09:24 AM

Forgot to mention yesterday, that I may end up coaching the Little One. Ran into an old friend at the ice center. We started chatting and he ask if I wanted to coach with him. His youngest son will be a second year mite. He has been an assistant for years with his older son and said he'd "throw his hat" into the ring and take the head job, if I sign on.

Anyway, he said he'd have to get it cleared, as he will continue to be an assistant for his older son. But if it is a go, sounds like I'm going to do my first hockey coaching..... I'd already sort of had thoughts of offering up my help to whoever was her coach, but it will be nice to have that guy be a friend I have known for 25 years.

E.J.

07-17-2011, 09:47 AM

Speaking of sticks.... LM wanted a TotalOne and needed a new stick anyway, so I ordered the TO & figured the X60 could become his back-up. "SNAP" goes the X60 the day before the TO gets here....

Now I need to get another back up.... I wait...and wait, well....because I just dropped $230 on a damn hockey stick.... During this time, the LM's slap shot has gone to chit. It is the different kick point on the TO and he cannot figure it out.... "Dad, I need the X60 back."

Dad orders an X60, comes in the mail earlier this week. LM has now figured out the TO and his slap shot has never been better..... Life of a Hockey Parent....:rolleyes:

Eleven

07-17-2011, 05:45 PM

I fully expect Als wrath. Maybe Scotts.

Hah!

Whatever works, works! I only brought up that whack sharpening job previously because of the one parent on our team who's kid insisted on having skates sharpened virtually after every time on the ice.

I just see dollar signs flying out the window!

Ahbroody

07-19-2011, 10:44 AM

Yeah he made it 20 hours on the ice between sharpenings between the camp and the practice/ scrims.
It seems that it had something to do with the way the guy sharpens. Before we put the tuuks on he had wedged the original holders and he wanted to grind down the toe. I had to tell him not to do that.
The new sharpener were using seems to be a little more together. I went in to pick up his skates on duty in uniform the other day and he didnt charge me.

Yesterday at camp the coach he hates. Told him his backwards skating and transitions were looking good. He still doesnt like the guy. :r. For his age though I think hes doing well just by learning to work with a coach he doesnt like. This week theres also Cougars practice tuesday night, Stars wednesday night, and a Hawks scrim Thursday. Tryouts are at the end of the month. Need to talk to the coach of the Stars about a redshirt so he will go to that. He loves the Hawks scrim so sure he will do that, tonight have to see if he wants to go.

ahc4353

07-20-2011, 07:08 AM

Mike,
If he doesn't have Eagle gloves already you need to get him those. The leather they use in the palms is supper soft and as you know feel is everything. Don't forget custom made sticks. Using a stock stick and cutting it down causes an incorrect lie. This should up his goal count considerably. Besides, having a kid use a cut down stock stick is just barbaric! Also, tailor all his jerseys, to large and the wind resistance will slow him down, to tight and he won't have the freedom of movement needed for his slap shot. :D

Ahbroody

07-20-2011, 06:19 PM

Luls. I knew I could get you to post with that picture.

He already has X3 Eagle Gloves but they dont fit yet. Next year they should. :r. I got them on a clearence sale from hockeymonkey for 18.99 just like almost all of his gear is sale or clearance except skates and helmet. Those are the two areas that I think matter most. I guess Im also hypersensitive to the skate issue as I have always had skate issues and he has my feet. Must be doing something right he is pulling backhand spinoramas while still 5 and scored on one during a shootout drill last week at camp. :wo.

As for camp hes doing very well and is stickhandling well in traffic along with being trusted to play D during the scrims every so often. He had 3 breakaways today, but isnt lifting his shots so he isnt scoring on these goalies on his breakaways. Must be the clearance sticks fault, better go buy him an S19 or other stick like the other kids.
Hes definitely having a lot of fun and is going to be sad when its over.

Ahbroody

07-20-2011, 06:43 PM

E.J. this is the stick he has been using its the lousiville xlite at totalhockey. Its cheap and with there occasional 15% of sales can be had for $25.50. It doesnt last that long though and you can see exposed fiberglass in the toe and heel which makes me concerned.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/ahbroody/IMAG0286.jpg
This is probably less ice time then your daughters, but that said hes very aggressive with his stick and always weasels his way into the faceoff circle. In his scrim today he took 3/4s of his lines faceoffs pretty much whenever they didnt have him playing D. :r there is actually a chunk missing in the heel. The toe on the otherside is uglier, but that is the side with the divet missing in the back.

Edit
Oooo and TH is having a 15% off sale till the end of the day.

E.J.

07-20-2011, 06:52 PM

E.J.

07-20-2011, 09:18 PM

Fun night.... First time I had seen some of the old seniors since last year.... They're good kids, I miss having them around.

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/ALS1.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/ALS10-1.jpg

Eleven

07-20-2011, 10:29 PM

At the rink.... LM has been in camp 8 hours a day, had a game last night and a alumni scrimmage tonight... He looked like chit in the truck coming overr here...Says dryland at camp is killing him... Interested to see how he skates...

My kids coach thinks dry land is just as important as being on ice. In fact, when the season is over, they switch to 2 dry land sessions a week. He uses a hybrid of the USA hockey ADM model and the Swedish version. The only time they aren't training together as a team is in July (when the coach goes back home to Sweden for the month), but this year my son and a few other boys are still getting together 2 days a week in July to work out.

The conditioning it provides is invaluable, we lost track of how many coaches and parents last year complimented our boys on their ability to maintain such a high level of play for 3 periods with only 11 skaters.

ahc4353

07-21-2011, 08:39 AM

Off ice is huge. When my boys aren't on the ice they are in the gym.

taltos

07-21-2011, 10:35 AM

I have stayed out of this thread because my daughter never played but in high school and college (Dartmouth), I found that the dry land training prepared me for the stress of on ice training and made me stronger. I was a goalie so that might affect my findings as related to forwards and defensemen. Sorry for intruding in your thread.:tu

ahc4353

07-21-2011, 10:43 AM

You and your incite are always welcome Paul.

taltos

07-21-2011, 10:49 AM

Thank you to my brother Al.:tu

E.J.

07-21-2011, 12:25 PM

You and your incite are always welcome Paul.

X 2

Ahbroody

07-21-2011, 03:26 PM

You and your incite are always welcome Paul.

X3

Today at camp they were stopping the scrim at certain phases and explaining or in Micahs case trying to explain where the best place to be would be as a winger. A buddy and me were joking it must be like the classroom scene from Peanuts for Micah. Wha wha wha wha. He did a lot better at understanding defensive positioning because at his age as he just has to remember to be on the left or right and be the last guy back and try to keep thr other players infront.

Very proud of his progress over the past two weeks in skating and game play.

Scary about dry land clubs are starting it at the mite level these days. Just figured that wouldnt start till squirts. Would think motivating mites would be difficult

Eleven

07-21-2011, 10:05 PM

Scary about dry land clubs are starting it at the mite level these days. Just figured that wouldnt start till squirts. Would think motivating mites would be difficult

It's hard motivating my 12 year old! But every time he takes his shirt off and people look at him and comment on such abs on a 12 year old, he gets it. Not to mention the real benefits it brings on the ice.

I see the Mites and Squirts doing their own versions of dry land, but it's not quite as intense as what the older boys do, I suppose if they are eased into it, it cannot be a bad thing.

One thing our coach was careful about was strength training, you do have to be mindful about how much you do at young ages. Our boys do it now, but it is all own-body resistance style, no weights. All the boys on the team are 13 now except my son and the coach's son. My son is November, and the coach's kid is a January '99, playing up by 3 days.

He is even getting good at 'The Pose' to show off the abs without looking like he shows them off. We catch him looking at them as he walks sometimes :)

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4898/061dt.jpg

E.J.

07-22-2011, 02:46 PM

That pic makes me laugh, Scott, the LM is always trying to show off his abs...:r

Just finished up a camp this week, snuck away from work to watch the game they held at the end.... LM played well, found the back of the net twice, but should have walked away with 4... Took some pics, not sure how they turned out... They had half the lights on and the blinds closed....it was a dungeon.

LM had a good time and he was invited to come be a "shooter" at the goalie camp next week....

(pics to follow when I get home from work)

Ahbroody

07-22-2011, 05:42 PM

Micah finished up his camp as well today.
He was invited to play in the camp allstar game tomorrow. They basically pick the top 1/3 of campers and let them play a game and video tape it. He was excited to be asked. I have to work so I wont be there. One of his buddies also got picked so his dad is taking.

They had their final scrimmage today and it ended in a tie. They did shootouts to decide. After 7 rounds he got to go. It was do or die, and he died. That said he pulled a spinorama and the coaches, players, and parents went nuts. He stuffed it into the goalies left pad but I was happy he had the guts to do it in front of everyone. He got a lot of love afterwards from his teamates even though he didnt convert and they lost. The coaches also had a lot of nice things to say about him and his abilities.

E.J.

07-23-2011, 08:26 AM

Few of the end of camp game photos... Like I said above, it was DARK, so they are pretty noisey...

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/HC1.jpg

His first goal, easy pickings...

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/HC2.jpg

His second goal was a great slap shot from the point that went 4 hole in the blink of an eye.... Kid in the pic could have probably blocked it, but you can see him pulling his foot away as the puck is going by....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/HC3.jpg

Not much celebration, just waiting for teammates....

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/EJB21/HC4.jpg