This January marked our initiation into the weekend hockey tournament phenomenon. I was reluctant to say the least. Grant had just left for Alberta so it was just me, 3 kids, (2 of which were about as excited as I was) and Drew's stinky gear headed for 5 games in 48 hours.
We checked into our budget hotel on Friday and the entire team kicked off the weekend with a Chinese buffet, Powell River style. Drew was beside himself excited and immediately I remembered that same feeling I'd get at dance competitions in equally obscure small towns. Oh, the silly games we'd play in the hallways, the 'sneaky' pop machine missions and the dinners out with the entire group where we were soooo hilarious. This was exactly the same and it was GREAT.
The boys won the first 4 games & found themselves in the gold medal game! With war paint on their faces and their coaches pumping them up in the dressing room it could have easily have been the Stanley Cup. The boys are middle of the pack in the Nanaimo league, but here they were the big shots, going into the final game as the top team. They lost the final game, but it was a great fight, they got silver medals around their necks and left Powell River proud & better friends than ever.
I can honestly say I think I enjoyed the weekend as much as Drew did. Mara & Kai made friends with other bored siblings and they had fun experiences of their own. I met great parents & we embarrassed our big, tough boys enough to have some laughs of our own.
Drew earns Player of the Game in game 2!
Our #5 goes for the goal
Such tough little boys
Room Service at 6am
The same scene being played out all over Canada
Their support can be bought with hot chocolateand anything from a vending machine.
Oh ya, and Christmas happened...
Santa was caught on tape this year!For real!
Nice one Kai
