What a great feeling it was when we won!

My has been playing ice hockey since he was 5 years old. I took him skating at the ice house down in Hackensack when he was 4. Just like my father used to take me. I made him use these white figure skates that my friend had sent me from Japan. (I took him skiing when he was 4 as well. He flips now....)
Picture -2005 He was 10.
He didn't like it when I held his hand. He didn't know how to stop, so he used to run into the wall over and over again, until he learned to stop. He would watch other kids skating that knew how to skate like hockey players, and he learned...quickly actually.
He didn't want to wear figure skates any more.

I signed him up for a hockey league without taking any lessons. It was only about 125.00, but I paid 350.00 for his equipment. I told him this,
"You may not quit ice hockey for AT LEAST three years."

He never quit. That was the problem. I would pay a higher price every year..When my son moved up to high school, we discussed his options for his ice hockey career.
The high school he attends doesn't have a hockey team.
We both made the decision not to go to private school just because of ice hockey. He made the choice to play a short season (September - November).
High school hockey starts on November 15th every year.

He needed as much ice time as possible, due to his situation and all. He became an Ice hockey official or a Reff. He also played for a club team this past winter, but many games were lost due to not enough kids showing up based on their High school game schedules.

He showed up to every single practice and even the younger kids practices to fit in as much ice time as he possibly could.
He and his friends found out about this tournament. Little did they know that this was a very, very competitive tournament. The best freshman, sophomores, juniors, and even graduating seniors showed up to this tryout.
Garden State Games Ice Hockey- SCHOLASTIC - High School Tournament.Majority of the kids who participated in this tournament play for famous Hockey schools all over New Jersey. As well as playing for AAA or Junior teams, both already pro hockey. (They play full season from September to March, AA and under play short season from September to November.)
I never thought of him making it. We knew at least 50 kids that were cut from the tryout.
Somehow he was chosen. His friends couldn't make it.

He was the only Player in the tournament that doesn't play for a high school team.
He never even tried out for a AAA or Junior team.
They chose 80 kids and divided them into 4 teams, all very evenly distributed for a competitive tournament.
Every single game was very close. All teams had chance to win.
There were three preliminary games, ours had placed 4th with an 0-1-2 record.
Playoffs @ Prudential Center (Devil's Practice rink) We beat the team who placed first. 5 - 2.

Today was the championship game.
We gave up two goals in the first period.

Third period, our team woke up and scored two quick ones.
Other team scored again making it 3 - 2. Then We tied it again. 3 - 3.Then our team scored one more goal.
We gave them a power play, but we killed it to the end.
After winning they gave the second place team medals, our team got champion hats. (Wasn't a medal, it was a hat. Funny), The director of the tournament who had announced each kid's name asked my son when it was his turn, he said "How did you end up here? Your school doesn't even have a hockey team."
My son said, "I don't know, but I'm trying."He played with and against many graduating seniors who are playing for college teams next season. My son is sophomore.
It was a great experience for him. I was very pleased that he could be part of this.
I enjoyed watching these games a lot.
He is playing for Bandits AA this up coming season.
He learns about life through tryouts and games, I really hope he is.
His new season will start after our Japan trip. He will play with his best friends. It will be a fun season for him!

The most difficult part about it is self discipline, to conquer yourself.

What a great feeling it was when we won!

By the way, am I a good motion photographer? I took about 200 pictures through out the two games at the PruCenter. My son got many great pictures. I think he's a lucky boy! His number was 8. This was a lucky number too.