Moving Up and On....

Graduation Time....

Our end of the season gathering Friday night at the Spaghetti Warehouse reflected on a great season. Not in terms of wins and losses, (and there were plenty of wins) but all that our teen boys gained in terms of leadership, friendship and team spirit. There are some years when the months can just drag. Conflicts, clicks on the ice, puck hogs or parents who excessively whine or try to tell the coach how the game ought to be played. There are other years when you hit it just right. Good chemistry, respect for one another on the ice, fun tournaments, good coaching and great parental support. This was one of those years when the planets were aligned and we hit it all, just right.

More than a Season Ender

There were plenty of ' lump-in-the throat moments' Friday night for our final team gathering. Moving up in the hockey hierarchy at this level, often means moving on. Our talented second year Bantams will be playing for their high school teams next season; Camillus, Baldwinsville, C-NS, CBA, Liverpool.... wow, no longer on the same team! They grew up learning how to play on the ice together and next year they'll be battling against each other in the race for the puck. My heart is feeling a little heavy thinking about that, but fortunately this last year for youth hockey ended on a very high note. More on that...in a moment.

It seems like just yesterday I laced him up in his first pair of skates. He wasn't thrilled, but being an avid figure skater, I certainly was and I was determined not to let him give up after a few falls. Two weeks later, I got him to break from a 'march of the penguins' technique to steady glides by blowing soap bubbles on the ice, encouraging him to pop the bubbles with his blades. It worked! He began to develop a love for the ice. It wasn't long after that, my husband announced that he was okay with our son skating, as long as he had stick in his hand. I conceded. The hockey stick stuck and my son's passion for the sport grew. Fast forward to March 2010. Hard to believe this is his last year of youth hockey. A treasured time for sure. As we walked to our car Friday night after the team farewell party, my son said, " This by far was the best year." I didn't have to ask why, but I wanted to hear his reasoning... so I pressed a bit, reminding him this was the first year his travel team didn't secure the Pre-Sectional title. The first year he didn't get that first place trophy to add to all the others on his bedroom shelf. "True enough," said my son, " But this year, we were a team. A real team. " Great way to end the youth hockey experience, achieving goals that matter. Goals that really count.

TIME OUT FOR THE COACH

We handed out gifts and photos , plus we all did a bit of reflecting on the season that just ended, including head coach Mike Zandri. Coach Zandri also praised the Bantam boys for their camaraderie and hard work. " You guys didn't get to states, but not for lack of talent. You were a really good team. It was a lot of fun. There were plenty of great moments during the season, but there was one moment that defined how tight you all got and how well you all came together as a team. It had to be... 'Big John's' goal in Lake Placid. I had a lot of favorite plays during the year, but I would have to say that was one of my favorite goals and I'll tell you why. Because when I turned around and looked back at everyone on the ice and everyone on the bench...every kid was cheering...every parent was cheering as if it was their own kid who just scored that goal. It was the way you guys rallied as a team after Big John's goal and that was a special moment. I remember the whole season, but that particular moment was a very special moment." The coach went on to say, " At the very end of the season, the whole Lake Placid experience... watching you guys run around town on your own, being responsible and good representatives of your team...a great end to a great year. "

INSTANT REPLAY

Let's relive that magical moment in Lake Placid.....here it is again..big John's glorious goal.

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' Tis the Season

Hockey season is underway and unfortunately concussion season has also begun. Just a few weeks into regular play and I’ve already heard of three youth hockey players who’ve suffered possible concussions during some aggressive games. Troubling to hear because we've got a lot of hockey ahead of us. Unlike knee, shoulder or wrist injuries, concussions can have long term and devastating effects, some of which are not realized until much later in life.

Teaching Heads Up Hockey
Coaches are concerned too. While chatting with an Onondaga Thunder Squirt coach the other day, he made a point of telling me how wished parents would spend as much money on helmets as they do on skates and sticks. “Think about,” he said. “What’s the most important part of your young hockey player’s body? The head! Spending 50 dollars on a helmet and 250 dollars on skates, just doesn’t add up.” This coach shared several stories of kids on his team taking some nasty inadvertant hits. Fortunately, his young players didn't suffer any serious head injuries, but like so many other coaches, he fears it every game.

Equipment is key, but that shouldn't be the only area of investment. You certainly don't want to foster a false feeling that protective equipment is going to prevent all injuries. It's not and many experts believe education needs to start early. If our kids are not taught proper checking techniques, especially along the boards, chances are we’ll continue to see even more concussions. Several coaches I’ve chatted with are all for teaching the kids “heads up” hockey well before the body-checking Pee Wee level. They’ll have a better understanding of body contact, puck separation and how to play the game safely when it's time for body contact.

Monkey See
Kids often emulate what they see. If they’re at a hockey game or watching one on TV they may witness some head hunting and may think that’s the way to play the game. We need to make sure they know it’s not the way to play and how hits to the head have to be off limits.

Injuries On The Rise
Big hits and hockey go together like hand in glove. But as these NHL players get bigger and faster, the number of concussions has risen too. Recent research shows more than 750 NHL players have been diagnosed with a concussion in the past twelve years. The National Academy of Neurosychology's Sport Concussion Symposium in New York did a ten season study and found;

31 concussions per 1,000 hockey games. 760 games were missed by those injured players during the '06-'07 season, a 41 percent increase from the previous season. 41 percent!

Harvard Helmets
The issue of concussions is finally getting some much-needed attention. On the college level, the Harvard men's hockey team this year is working with The Messier Project, to promote safe play during the season. Spearheaded by Hall of Famer Mark Messier, the team was issued new helmets that are designed to provide extra protection from concussions. Harvard becomes the first Division I team to join the campaign to address hockey concussions. Good to see. While we still don't know a lot about concussions, we do know they are real and the damage can be devastating.

For more information on this topic go here.

When in Rome....

Our Bantam boys team had yet another good hockey weekend. Now with six wins in a row, they also had an interesting Sunday afternoon playing a very talented girl's team. Going into today's scrimmage with the Lysander U-16 girls team, the boys mistakenly thought the game would be a cakewalk. But the girls proved them wrong and both teams worked hard the whole game. While there wasn't supposed to be any checking, I'm told the girls found a way to "bump into" a few boys. Good for them!

The morning matchup with Rome was a real nail biter. At least for me it was. (I'll book an appointment with my salon first thing in the morning). The teams were very evenly matched and both goalies were outstanding. After trailing much of the game, our boys battled back for an exciting 3-2 victory that had everyone in the stands buzzing and remarking on that's how hockey at this age ought to be played. Very few penalites. Good clean hockey.
Good memories.

Attention New York State Hockey Coaches!

2009-10 Campaign to Support Our Troops & Their Families

NEW YORK STATE HOCKEY PLAYERS SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!

Please take a moment to read our message below.

NYS Hockey Players Support Our Troops is our family sponsored charity that has been raising funds to benefit the families of and the memories of our NYS Military Service Members who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq & Afghanistan. To date, 230 NYS Service Members have been killed in Iraq & Afghanistan. Through the generosity of the greater NYS hockey community & friends, we have been able to raise nearly $30,000!

We hope that you can join us this season in making a difference to some very special New York neighbors. All assistance is welcome. Participation is easy. We raise funds through the sale of our campaign patches. These patches look great on jersey's, jackets, and equipment bags and in many methods of display. We have also sent thousands of our patches to all branches of our Military Services both at home and in the war zones.

Our campaign has touched dozens and dozens of deserving families, wounded warriors, veterans and individual service members. It has enabled our hockey community to make a civic minded statement beyond our ranks and it has given our young people a simple and direct opportunity to support those people and their families who have suffered extraordinary sacrifice and loss.
Patches are only $5 each. simply email Charlie Gili at gili498@aol.com and ask for patches for your team. We have also sent 1000’s of our patches to soldiers who are currently deployed in the battle zones & to those who are recovering from injuries.
Please help us to continue our efforts this year as our service members continue to fulfill their missions.
Warmest Regards, Charlie Gili & Family--On Behalf of NYS Hockey Players Support Our Troops!
**Our charity is registered with the NYS Charities Bureau in the NYS Attorney General's Office**