I became a Hockey Mom

Over the past year I became a Hockey Mom. We have encouraged Mac to try a sport out for years but nothing really “spoke to him”. Today, I want to tell you all about my journey to being a full-fledged Hockey Mom. You know what?? I am loving every minute of it too! Best part, I have partnered with Hotels4Teams to bring you more sports related posts in the coming months! Let’s start from the beginning because it might just touch some of you in the feel good parts, as I share my son’s story…

As some of you may or may not know things around our household have changed drastically since last Winter. I took off a month from writing posts and completely stopped traveling from Oct to the end of April. I have shared a few times when my son had been battling some high fevers (104-105 degrees) that we all were unable to break. Rounds of medication and a lot of missed school has become the norm. We have seen doctors, specialists but during the winter months it became extremely trying for all of us. Try having an energetic child run circles around you one minute to stuck on the couch unable to even walk the next. We all took a serious look at our time together…. I opted to put a HUGE “pause” button on my business and stay home. My son took it the hardest. He had more blood work in those few months then most people have had in their lifetime. It messes with you and you just start to give up hope that relief will NEVER come. As a sort of last ditch effort we took him to a hockey game.

 Oh, I remember like it was yesterday… we sat in the stands right behind the goalie. The hockey players got their butts kicked that night. Not only did the scoreboard show a loss but they physically had gotten out maneuvered and beat. I remember my son looking at me and saying: “Mom, they know they are going to lose, why not just give up”? I replied: “because, they have hope that they will win eventually. They just need to learn how to work as a team and not give up”.

It was like a light bulb switched on in him. The life just flooded back into him and we made EVERY home game our team played! He had a special place in his heart for the goalie. The player he felt took the beating that first game and never gave up! 

As an adult you worry that these players (ages 16-20) will even care about the fans they have. Think back to when you were that age, would you have had time for an 8 year old? To my son these were walking super heroes heading to battle every Saturday night at 7 pm.

I am not sure if it was my son’s personality, his excitement or the fact we attended every game…but the players started to know him by name. When he was unable to go down to cheer them on the ice…they would reach up and hit his hand for good luck instead. My son made signs for them and just became a fan all in the span of a few weeks. Then one special night my son got the surprise of a lifetime. During the game, the goalie (his favorite) gave him his hockey stick. I honestly thought he just gave it to Mac to hold for him before they came out again. Utter SHOCK filled our hearts when he said to him that it was his to keep. Look up at the picture above, that was the moment after we told him it was his forever. It now is proudly displayed on my son’s bedroom wall.

Yeah, these hockey players, hold a special place in our hearts.

When the season ended we all felt/feel the void. We miss our weekly game nights. We miss the relationships Mac made with the players. Who he memorized by numbers, their stats and is a walking hockey encyclopedia now! Lucky for me, my journey as a hockey Mom has just started and it has been such a positive one. He will be trying out for the traveling hockey team and soon I will be in the stands cheering MY player on.

Hockey Moms from all over the world have reached out giving us advice. That is why when Hotels4Teams reached out to work together, I could not be more excited to say “yes”. I hear the other Moms struggle to find hotels for away games. They struggle with equipment prices, hockey fees and booking hotels online. Who by the way also charge fees, not on Hotels4Teams though 😉. 

You want in this sport you better be ready to shell out the dough because Honey, it is NOT cheap! I can help you all save a little money and share our experiences along the way. Win-WIN!!

Did you play a sport as a Kid??

What sport related posts would you like to see??

Do your children play a sport?? What is it??