Written by Amy Provvisionato Fellin
I have a confession to make. I am a born and bred Canadian girl – the
product of two hard working Irish and Italian immigrant families who came to
this wonderful country with the dream of a better life. I love maple syrup, skating, white winters
and I say “eh” regularly. But, one Canadian
gene seemed to have missed me.
I could
never understand what was the “big deal” about hockey?
Growing up, I knew all about hockey. My father is a die-hard Leafs fan and my mother cheered for the Montreal Canadiens from an early age. (Yes, they got married anyways.) Like every good Canadian, I played shinny outside and “Hockey Night in Canada” formed the background soundtrack of my early childhood Saturday nights. I even married a man who bleeds Maple Leafs blue and, if made to choose in a disaster, I suspect he would save Wendel Clark before he would save me.
However, while I was happy to attend hockey games and cheer, I didn’t understand the passion for the home team. I could never relate to the national obsession…until now….
What changed? I have become a hockey mom.
Watching kids play in a cold arena certainly brings a community together (and not just from huddling for warmth). Everyone is welcome - regardless of race, gender, religion, income – to play and have fun. At the rink, friendships are formed, stories told, lives shared, wins celebrated, losses comforted and a sense of belonging formed. Through shared triumphs and tragedies on and off the ice, “hockey families” are truly made. My husband, children and I have become close with so many diverse and wonderful people who we may not have met but for this sport. I am so grateful to hockey for that. Who knew that kids, a few sticks and a puck could be so powerful?
I also appreciate the game for the important lessons that it is teaching my children. While we always reinforce positive life skills, parents all know that nothing teaches like experience. The essence of hockey is working together towards a common goal. It teaches our kids to practice hard, play fair, to be a team player and to sometimes sacrifice their personal interest for the greater good. While the wins are amazing, the best hockey lessons result from the inevitable losses. The game has taught my kids to be more resilient with failure, to shake off the mistakes and to never give up. I know that my children will be better people for playing this game.
Finally, I have now realized that hockey can be a lot of fun to watch! While I may still have a waning interest when watching strangers, I certainly now understand the passion when the game involves someone you love and their friends. In the last year alone, I have admittedly purchased two cow bells, a clacker and a megaphone to cheer with in support of the teams (positive messages only, of course). Strangely, my noisemakers keep disappearing whenever handed to my husband after a game. Perhaps, I have even become a super enthusiastic hockey “megafan” without realizing?
So, I admit it….I am a converted hockey mom. Thank you to my kids, their teammates, the coaches and the parents who, through being positive role-models and wonderful people, have helped me appreciate our national sport. I look forward to spending a lot more time in the rinks with all of you cheering together.