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

What do you do when hockey school ends?

Well, the first thing is to check the Report Cards!!
That’s right, each of the boys received a report card with comments, recommendations and grades on a wide variety of characteristics — and not just on basic hockey performance. The report included assessments on attitude, character and skills. There were three grades for each — green (for excellent), yellow (for “would benefit from more work”), red (definitely needs real improvement). Happy to report that none of the boys received any reds and the yellows that they were given were in areas where each knows he needs to devote more time in the year ahead. As well, the recommendations for next year all made good sense and the boys could see where following up on them would lead to positive growth and definite advantage. Again I thought that this approach to grading was definitely good and certainly beneficial.

Each boy also ended the experience with a mini-game (although again, the goalie division was the most inventive). The concluding event in each case was a fun way to bring it all to a close and it gave parents and grandparents an opportunity to see how well the young people had taken to heart the instruction. Moreover it was an occasion that spoke to the fact that afterall, it was a hockey school and they actually showed they knew something about playing the sport. In my case I saw significant improvement in each of the grandsons and most importantly, in those areas at which I thought going into the week they actually needed to get better. From my perspective the school had done its job. The students had learned a great deal. The instructors were committed right to the end. The parents and grandparents who attended the final sessions were able to see the improvements in action. And both girls and boys were treated equally and played to the same rules and expectations. It was a good experience.

This was so good that my grandsons earned a dinner of hot dogs and chocolate milk followed by a mini-session at the lake and then a trip to the original Tickleberry’s… the ice cream on Friday tasted just a little bit better — a true reward not just for the boys but for those who had played important supporting roles throughout the week. Bed time followed shortly thereafter (although there was a brief interlude entitled “packing the SUV”).

Saturday was the denouement…after breakfast!! With two hockey bags + the stick bag on the top and everything else (including four suitcases and another hockey bag + a brief case) and my daughter and the three boys packed inside, we set off for Spokane. After a few kilometres we realized that the stick bag was better inside so everything was untied and re-arranged. Then, abiding by the recommended speed limit (more or less), we managed, with an occasional rest or fuel stop to get to Spokane where we left my daughter at her hotel with two suitcases + one hockey bag — she would fly out Sunday to Phoenix as she starts her teaching year a week ahead of the students. From there, with further breaks as needed to stretch the legs or allow Grandpa a grandpa-stop, or eat/fuel up we finally got to Billings Montana to sleep. Day 1 of the “road trip” covered 1,275.5 kms in about 14 hours…by the way, it was interesting to note that the fuel mileage with the bags on top although the speed was much slower was significantly less (i.e. it took more diesel) than once everything was inside the vehicle (apres Spokane) and the speed ramped up (Montana, for instance, let’s us drive at close to 140 km/hr). Just goes to show how aerodynamic vehicles now are!!

More to follow…
g.w.