Quote:
Originally Posted by Acadmus
So, I had it backwards, and it was the tournament today, and the back-to-back game days next weekend to close the season.
Evan was not really into it today - spent most of the games just lazily skating around, occasionally watching the puck but very often completely uninterested in following after it. But somehow he still managed to score a goal. After finding me watching behind glass behind the opponent's goal, and seeing me signal to him to pay attention to the game, he went to the front of the net just as the puck was going there, fell on the puck, and then outlasted an opposing skater and the goalie who were both whacking at the puck while he tried to dig it out himself - he smacked it just hard enough to evade the goalie and get it barely across the goal line.
He resumed uninterested play until the next game, where somehow he suddenly was inspired to chase after a loose puck, carry it toward the net to get in perfect scoring position, and...pass to a younger teammate who just stared at the puck in his skates, eventually falling on it while players from the other team tried to get it...and eventually they did. But it was the most excited I've been for Evan yet when he went in alone on the goalie looking like he was going to score a real goalscorer's goal 
He also got several turns in goal - the first time he was paying no attention at all and the other team scored two quick goals on him. The second time two of his linemates kept the puck tied up on the other side of the rink and he faced no shots. The final time he went out to knock a puck away just in time, stopping one last goal for the opposing team.
Now, the first game Evan played today was just not even close to fair. The kids on the other team almost all looked to be 2 to 3 years older than the kids on Evan's team. Supposedly the same skill level, but they were older, bigger, stronger, and faster with a better sense of how to play hockey. The Milton kids just didn't stand a chance against them - that didn't stop the Burlington parents from being very impressed with their own kids' skills  at beating much younger kids to the puck, and shooting and scoring on 6-year-olds playing goalie without any goalie equipment (the goalies were just selected from among the skaters to stand in the goal with their regular sticks - some can't even skate anyway, so they basically just stand there and watch the puck go by them). |
There's definitely an ebb and flow with interest levels for mite hockey. Aside from struggling with the learning curve, I think part of this is due to the size rink being used.
If playing on a full rink, these kids can get easily worn out skating the length of the ice. Sometimes, its better to run games at 1/2 rink or side board to side board.
Anyways, glad to hear he had a few inspiring moments out there. It only takes one to get that spark going.