skip navigation
Players

I Love Being Back at the Rink!

By Brayden Woodstock, 10/31/20, 9:15AM EDT

Share

A player shares their thoughts on returning to hockey


Photo Credit: Silverpeak Studios

I wonder if my skates still fit?

That was my first thought when getting ready to go back on the ice again for the first time since March. Or maybe it had just been so long, I forgot what it felt like to tie up those laces extra tight.

I love playing hockey. I can shoot pucks in my driveway all day until the sun goes down. I pretend to deke around chairs and my dog. Every time I went rollerblading I pretended it was on a fresh sheet of ice. That’s why I was so excited to get back to the arena as soon as I could.

I missed hockey. My team was doing really well and then the season got cancelled. We never got to finish what we started and that was not fun. There was a lot of stuff I was still looking forward to. Our end of season party happened online. We kept in touch over the summer reflected on the memories from last year. I like how everyone stayed positive. 

My teammates are some of my best friends. Most of us live in the same neighborhood and go to the same school. It’s great to be back in the dressing room and playing together. I can see they also worked on their skills over the summer. Our coach tells us he has new practice drills already planned for the whole season. 

It’s definitely different coming to the rink now. Getting dressed at home. Wearing a mask and keeping our distance helps keep everyone safe. But I’m used to it from being at school. I wish both my parents could watch me play but I know they are cheering us on from the parking lot. 

How we are playing hockey right now is new for me. I like being able to have the puck on my stick a lot more than before. There’s a lot more room for me to skate and stickhandle. I’m having fun again.

These last few months have been hard. It’s been lonely at times. I tried to stay active outside in the summer. I learned that it’s been hard for everyone in different ways. Most of all I realized just how much passion I have for hockey. I missed my friends and I missed the game. I know it might not be how it used to be, but I’ll take it. Now I’m ready for another season.


ENTER TO WIN $1,000 WORTH OF CCM HOCKEY GEAR


Like this article?

Share with your friends on Facebook and join the largest network of hockey parents.

you may also like

Players
Championships
Coaches
Players