It’s my graduation year, too
I can barely express in words how moved I was by the kind gesture from my YCMHS Vikings high school hockey team at our last league home game on Feb. 28.
I've been the volunteer team manager with the team for the past eight years. I've considered ‘retirement' after the end of recent seasons but always found a reason not to leave.
But I can't stay forever. I mean I could, but I won't be.
So when the team called me to the ice this past weekend and I saw a few of the players skating towards me with a couple of our old #73 jerseys, I was immediately moved to tears. It brought me back eight years ago to the 20132014 season when my oldest son Jacob started playing high school hockey.
These old jerseys that the team gave me as a keepsake he would have worn during his high school years. The
‘A' on the grey jersey I likely sewed there myself.
The team also gave me flowers and other gifts, which were all very special. But seeing those jerseys made it seem like my boys were still standing there on the ice with me.
I was the team manager of the Vikings during Jacob's three years with the team, he graduated in 2016. And then my son Justin played on the team during parts of the next two seasons. He also wore #73.
No players on the team have worn #73 for a season since my boys did. It was almost like the jerseys were still reserved.
I stayed on with the team for the past three years as manager even though my boys were gone. I still had that hockey mom/manager inside of me. I still had the need to help, because it is truly the boys, the families and the coaches that kept bringing me back.
And at times when things in my personal life weren't going the way I had hoped or imagined, it was nice to have that sense of normalcy in my life. Where I could say, “I'm going to the rink.”
I've been with the Vikings team when we were at the top of the pack, when we were at the bottom of the standings, and other seasons where we fell in between.
I thought nothing could top the work-to-rule year where school sports were cancelled and we stopped being the
Vikings and turned into the Midget X Spitfires, before we became the Vikings again.
But then enter the 20202021 COVID season. I felt I just couldn't walk away from the team. I knew things would be different, but I hadn't envisioned how different. Enter contact tracing, spectator limits, a season interruption and rink restrictions.
Despite this being the busiest year I've ever had with the team, I am glad I stayed. I got to experience another season with great kids and their families. I am thankful to everyone involved with the team for their patience, their help and their ability to adapt.
My only one regret from the season is being outside of bubbles and with rink restrictions, I didn't get to know our newer players this year as much as I would have liked.
Still, I once again felt like a part of a hockey family – as if I too was still one of the moms.
But I am just one of countless volunteers involved with sports teams. To all of them, thanks for all you do too. Without volunteers, there would be no teams.
I'll have seen eight groups of Vikings graduate from this team, including Jacob five years ago. But I have decided I won't be returning as manager next season. After 8 years it's time to pass the torch, although I'll always be available for help and advice.
So along with our Vikings players Zach, Tyson, Charlie, Tanner, Hunter, Finnley, Jared and Dominic, this year I am a Vikings graduate too.
It is bittersweet, indeed.
I stayed on with the team for the past three years as manager even though my boys were gone. I still had that hockey mom/ manager inside of me. I still had the need to help, because it is truly the boys, the families and the coaches that kept bringing me back.
IT’S MY LIFE