Time for change?

Once again, it's been awhile since I've posted and I do have hopes of getting on a regular basis with posts for family and friends. I'm trying to get away from Facebook, such a time warp and people over glorifying their lives. Not everything is always roses & positive.  Life hands us twists and turns which you can find positive out of situations but life happens.

This year the boys wanted to try out for travel hockey.  I was almost in agreement when my company announced there were going be layoffs as the company was downsizing for the second time in two years.  (So much for that Hope & Change this country was promised as the economy is still in the toilet and too many without jobs BUT that is a separate conversation.)  I made the decision for them to stay In-House for the fall/winter and wait for Spring travel because I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through the downsize.  I'm happy to announce, I was able to maintain employment! The boys missed try outs for travel because of the situation put are playing the game they love so much!

Coulson is playing Goalie and have some really good days!  He has even had his First Shut Out!  So proud of him!  I started keeping stats for him as he gets down on himself if someone scores or they lose.  It's tough being the Goalies MoM!  I sit there, hold my breath then breathe when he makes a great save!  It's hard but I stay positive but I do and I will.  Then if a goal gets past him, I feel so bad.  Sometimes he handles it well and other times, he'll beat his stick on the ice. 

To the Goalie Mom's before me and current ones...how do you maintain?   I spend A LOT OF TIME HOLDING MY BREATH!

Then there is Logan...he was playing so well during the spring and summer.  The coaches moved him up a level.  Technically he's a second year Squirt  but is playing on the PeeWee level.  He's skating hard, keeping up with the bigger kids and most of the time he's out skating some of the bigger guys.  That's all good!  He's shooting, making the play but hasn't scored in the last three games.  Bummer!  He's trying new stuff like the backhand shot and working at shooting from the left side.  He typically ALWAYS go to the right and the goalie knows this and beats him. 

They both can't get enough of hockey and I've started looking at camps for the 2013 summer already.  Everywhere from Chicago, NY, Ontario, Winnipeg, WA, ME and MA, specifically Boston. 

This all leads me to are the boys getting enough from where they are at?  Did my job situation cause them to be held back from Travel?  Did they fall behind or are they on track?

I did have one of the head coaches tell me, that he could make sure my kids stayed on the 4th team.  This made me mad!  Especially when he continued to allow bullying in the locker room.  That's another story too.  Some of the coaches that I've met are great and I love them.  The place doesn't have a true goalie coach which Coulson needs.  I have two kids, two different positions and then there's the cost.  I had one Hockey Director try to recruit us by telling me that the Goalies skated for free.  That did make me stop but I am checking into other organizations too.

The boys and I watched some Juniors teams last night on NHL Network and these kids, 16 yrs +, were amazing!  They were playing in the OHL.  Since we are locked out from the NHL, we are trying to find games to watch.  Tonight, I may take them to the Chicago Steel, a juniors team in the Suburbs. 

This passionate hockey mom, is always open to feedback regarding camps and teams.  If you have anything you'd like to share, please do.

Have a great day everyone!  Here are some recent photos...



Coulson with Stu Gould
Coulson received "MOST IMPROVED GOALIE"




Logan's DREAM is to play for Notre Dame Hockey.




Coulson & Logan
Notre Dame's Kids Club
2012-2013



pictures

Their first game as Huskies, Canlan Ice Arena January 2012.

 Logan & Coulson, January 2012.

 Their first LAX tournament in St. Charles with New Wave.  May 2012.

Coulson, Trax & Logan, February 2012 at ECHL Chicago Express, Sears Centre, Hoffman Estates, IL.

hockey, hockey & more hockey

It is now middle of July and with the heat extreme's the Chicago area has been experiencing, I can't wait to go to the ice arena to be cool.  The boys start their 3 on 3 program tonight and are excited!  Next week they both will be doing their first week long hockey camp followed by Coulson will have his first goalie camp the next week.  Both are extremely excited and can't wait.  They can't seem to get enough ice time.  I think this year, I may have to build an ice arena in our backyard providing it won't be a swamp.  I'm actually praying for a cold winter, better be careful for what I wish for.  ???

The boys are now skating at Canlan Ice Arena in Romeoville, IL which is about 25 mins from the house.  They are there at least four times a week.  Coulson has been playing on two teams, one as a goalie and one as a skater.  Logan is on one team but is asked to play for other teams and even playing a level up.  They have both improved their skills so much in a years time.  Its funny to remember when they first started that Coulson could barely stand up and Logan wasn't quite sure if this was his thing to now they can't get enough ice time. 

They both tried a new sport this summer, Lacrosse.  Logan has wanted to play for over a year now and this past spring I signed them up.  New Wave Lacrosse was collaborating with many local park districts to grow the program.  Lacrosse is the fasted growing sport in the Midwest now.  What I've learned its a great cross over for hockey players.  The boys loved it!  Coulson even scored his first goal of the last spring tournament!  He was so excited he was high stepping off the field.  It was awesome!  Logan really liked it too and is disappointed they can't play it during the fall/winter session because its during the same times as hockey.  They chose hockey.

Coulson has all his own goalie equipment and is a completely different kid when he's dressed in it.  He is more confident.  Over the weekend he took the first puck to the mask.  It didn't phase him. 

We've had some very good coaches from day one.  Coach Jon Woodring has been great and the boys do miss him!  Coach Bosse is becoming a great influence on these boys as well.  It will be an exciting upcoming year, that's for sure!

The 2012-12 hockey season is going be somewhat of a loss for the Bain family as last season we had season tickets to the ECHL Chicago affiliate, The Chicago Express.  After thier season was over, the team folded.  Its a shame because it was affordable family fun and some really good hockey.  Attendance was the biggest obstacle but it was growing a lot toward the end of the season.  I wonder what the requirements were for attendance by the ECHL to maintain the affiliation?  None the less, sad not to know that weekend nights will be like this upcoming season.

Hopefully, I'll post some pictures soon.  Have a great day!

Left, Right or Straight?

Coulson, can be such a complicated little kid but at the same time so simple. At this stage, he's eight and can't decide which way he's going to hold his hockey stick. He now has a Lefty, Righty & Straight edge sticks. At what point will he decide which is most comfortable or will this be an advantage for him down the road?

Watching stick handling drills yesterday was crazy. He decided to use his Righty stick but during drills, would take turns and switching to Lefty. He refused to use the Straight edge.

Any suggestions?

Express Sunday Skate

Sunday, Nov. 13 was a home game for the Chicago Express and yet another game where I was taking the boys without Scott because of work. My dear friend Vicki joined us from Rockford and the boys entertained her for the day!

It all started with the boys taking pictures of the players during warm ups and my two boys wanting to be on the ice with them. Buying season tickets has definitely increase their passion for hockey. All they talk about is skating to the point where I'm beginning to consider building a little ice rink in the back yard for them to burn off energy during the winter. Sounds like a good idea, huh?

The game was a hard fought game. The Express lead most of the game but Gwinnett came back to tie which caused OT then a shoot out. Unfortunately, the Express lost.

The game was on Sunday and part of their marketing is to have an open skate with the players after every Sunday home game. As my two boys were so excited, Logan was the first nonplayer to take the ice. Here are some pictures.

Logan as the first skater on the ice.

Below is Kyle Ostrow skating around with Coulson.

Tyler Johnson and Logan...

During the skate it was really cool as player, Pierre-Luc Faubert skated around the entire ice with a kid who could barely stand on the ice. It was awesome the compassion he showed to skate with this kid. These players will even say, "Thanks for coming out." Its an awesome family friendly environment.

Have a great day, time for a conference call.