The Epistle of Q — Chapter Forty-Five (Part D)

And what is the first day at Hockey School like?

I don’t know. I have never attended. But Sunday seemed to be a great kick-off day for my Grandsons. Each is in a different program so they are getting varied insights into how the entire school is run. There are a number of things that I like — for one: all their equipment stays at the School as each participant has his/her own locker/stall. Having had the boys attend the Andrew’s Hockey Camp in Charlottetown where they brought their equipment back and forth each day, I can attest to the higher level of air purity at this program in Penticton. There is no smell in the garage from drying equipment and the SUV doesn’t reek with sweat and the like. (It should be noted that there is some aroma in the air these days but it is all from the horrific forest fires that are now raging within 80 kms of the Okanagan Valley.)

As for the programs themselves, each guy is quite happy so far. They have attended other training and development camps and programs and yet they were still learning some new drills yesterday. Another delightful feature is the provision each day of snacks and a noon meal. This is allowing them to meet other participants outside of the individual class sessions and in a relaxed context. There seem to be students there from all over the globe including at least one from Russia who speaks no English. While there is not an equal number of young ladies in attendance, there are quite a few, especially in the goalie program. There is also at least one participant from the same hockey program that boys themselves played in a couple of years ago in Arizona.

The day concluded back at home (after a visit to OgoPogo IceCream Shoppe) with a steak dinner (first steaks to be bbq’d since the grill was hooked up — they turned out quite fine!!) and then some of us watched “Moneyball” with Brad Pitt, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, etc. (I always enjoy this story — just hope that Billy Beane someday gets an honorary doctorate as well as a World Series ring.

Tomorrow I hope to give you more insight into the life at Hockey Camp.

g.w.