As you may or may not know Dima is currently playing hockey for the local team called the Dyna-Mites. They have levels based on age and talent. Mite Major, Mite Minor and Cross Ice. If it was purely age driven Dima would be a Mite Minor. But as he started skating later in life than many (I know, hard to believe that starting at 5 1/2 is LATE in life!!!) he is on the developmental team, the Cross Ice team.
I was asked to help out with the coaching...for those that have seen me play you know how funny that is....! Actually I am just an assistant coach, I am really just there to help wrangle the kids and help them stay focused on the ice!
We have practices about once a week or so on Sat and/or Sundays. And get this...most are at 6am! How is that for a morning guy like me (sarcasm)!!
So...anyway......we have been practicing each week since Sept and this Sat we had a last minute opportunity to play in our first game as in we found out about it at 6:45am.
Dyna-Mites vs. The Generals at Face Off Circle in Warminster. As I said the game was not on our schedule, The Generals had some ice time and needed an opponent. So we gathered our players at 7am to see who wanted to play...well after all that practicing and no game yet....most said they wanted to play! How could the moms and dads say no eh? So we donned our new jerseys and headed off to our first game.
Cross Ice is just that, we do not use the full sheet but play side to side and there are usually no goalies.
How did we do? We won 14-11 (I did mention no goalie right?). Dima had, get this, a Hat trick and at least 1 assist! Papa has been playing since 2002 and has NEVER come close to a Hat Trick! And when called to play D, he made some great plays in front of his net and made some awesome saves too! I was shocked and amazed at his determination, spirit, focus, and over all enthusiasm during the game. And it was not just Dima but all the kids. It was like some sort of switch went off. All that coaching and practice....it appears they are listening and they do get it! Go figure.
Everyone had a blast, players, fans, and coaches.
I told Dima he may never score another goal again, and as he and I stress all the time, it is not winning that matters but having fun, but he can always take away that he scored a Hat Trick. Something Papa has never done and will likely never do!
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