Bain Boys & Us: 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...