Hockey continues to bring us together

At that point, the arena was nearly brand new, and it had a McDonald’s inside of it. This was also before the time of intense off-season training for all levels and ages of hockey players, so I enjoyed some McDonald’s along with my week of hockey. Despite playing hockey from the age of 6-19, I can only think of one other full-week camp that I went to, which was only on one occasion, and my memories are minimal.

The Peace Bridge Duty Free Hockey School in Fort Erie was not just a week of hockey, it was also a week of family. My brother who never played hockey would run from room to room and bring snacks to us when we got off the ice. My sister and two of my cousins would be in other groups of the camp, playing the game we loved and enjoying the activities that went along with the camp, another cousin was there, but she decided that she and hockey were going to be a relationship from the stands and not the ice. My mom, dad and aunt would be in and around the arena, or back at my aunt and uncle's house in Niagara Falls making sure dinner was ready and laundry cleaned, as we usually came home with lunch on our shirt, and my uncle was on the ice pushing me to be my best.

My uncle Mark was one of the people who ran the hockey school; he played for the Philadelphia Flyers in 1981 and was my hockey hero, along with Wayne Gretzky. He coached his daughters and has to this day been a huge fan and supporter of all of his nieces and nephews in hockey and life. As much as this camp was about helping us all improve on the ice, it was more about family being together and having fun through hockey.

Years later, we are all well past our best hockey playing days, but not passed using hockey to bring us all back together. Often times on the bus after a long weekend of hockey I update my family on how things went. They are fans of the team and want to hear about how things are going.

For much of this year the stories have been quite positive, and centered on a team with the ability to play fast, with good habits and a hard working attitude. This weekend was a chance for them to see it with their own eyes, and I am proud of how our team played. By weekend's end we had accomplished the goal that we set out to do, and continued a streak of playing the game the right way and being successful.

Sunday was a day of rest on the bus, a little marking for me, homework for the players, a couple movies and maybe a little sleep for some, but on Monday morning, we welcomed a recruit and were right back at it. I was worried that his practice might lack the qualities that have made us successful but I was wrong, we practiced as we played on the weekend. Well done, boys.

This story is not unique, not at all really, as many of the Spartan players were joined by their families as well. A special shout out to the Grasby family who travel with quite the cheering section any time we are around the Greater Toronto Area. Coach Poliziani’s mom and other families also took in the action. Hockey and Stanstead hockey in particular helped many of us see family who we miss, and who we love. It was great to have a successful weekend on the ice in front of all of these people.

The Spartans schedule will slow down a little over the next two weeks. This weekend is Winter Carnival at Stanstead, and we will host Northwood School on Saturday as part of these events.