Playing with Picard

Four days before they make AHL history on the outdoor ice at the Fairgrounds, Crunch players Alexandre Picard, Nick Holden and Brent Regner take time out to skate indoors at the Baldwinsville Ice Arena with our Lysander Bantam boys.

Special thanks to hockey dad Steve Ratliff for making this happen and for capturing these memorable moments on ice.

Love the Stanley Cup group shot!

" Skating with the Syracuse Crunch players today was amazing....it really lifted me up after not making the Sectionals. They seemed excited about their upcoming Outdoor Game, and wanted to know if any of us were going. Being an avid Crunch fan you know I replied YES!! It was really nice for professional hockey players to take the time to skate with our team...they didn't have to, but I am glad they did! Thanks Alex, Brent & Nick, you guys ROCK!"

John Ratliff
Lysander Bantam Travel Team Forward

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"Skating with the crunch players was one of the most fun things that we did all year. It was a great experience skating with those guys. Watching some of the moves that they could do was amazing. The way that they can stick handle going full speed was great to see. As soon as we stepped on the ice the fun began. First we did a couple of drills to get Josh warmed up. Then, we did some 2-1 and 3-2's. After that, we did some small ice games. We played 3-3 inside the blue lines and whomever scored 5 goals won and the losers had to do push ups. After the 3-3, we did a shootout. If you scored, you stayed in the next round. Lastly, we did another shootout. If you didn't score, you stay and the last person who didn't score had to pick up the pucks."

Matthew Zandri

Lysander Bantam Travel Team Forward

"FUN" DRAISING WITH YOUR HOCKEY KIDS

We were so thrilled when my son landed a spot on the hockey travel team. It was all new to me and I'm still gradually learning the ropes as a travel hockey mom. I figured a travel team meant a little more traveling, a few more games, but had no clue as to how many more dollars were required as well.

The blow was softened when the coaches explained to parents that we would not have to shoulder all of the extra costs for travel and tournaments. But then, just as I had feared, they said it. They said the dreaded "F" word. Fundraising. Ugh! Not again! At this point in my life (two kids in Catholic schools who've played other organized league sports) I have had my fill of fundraising. I truly think I'm suffering from battered fundraising syndrome. You know the signs and symptoms if you've been there. Your friends point at you and warn others to "look out, hide your money, here comes Willy Wonka and her fundraising factory!" Chocolate bars, cookie dough, water bottles, pies, Christmas wreaths, candles, 50/50 raffles, Ipod raffle tickets, yes, I've hawked it all.

Being the travel team newcomer and because this meant so much to my son, I dared not complain. So I managed a pleasant smile as the team decided to go the bottle and can drive route, as our first effort. Fortunately, we did not have to go dumpster diving (I've done that too!) As we hit our team neighborhoods, all of us parents watched in amazement as our young hockey players tackled this task with great enthusiasm. They worked out strategies and set goals, just as we would soon see them do on the ice.

By the end of our drive, we were all exhausted, smelly and sticky. But, we realized we had gained much more than 7,021 bottles and cans that day. The kids got to spend time getting to know each other outside of their pads, helmets and practices. Parents also found a lot of common ground. That's great when you can develop that kind of bonding early on in a long season that has you spending many hours together on the road and on a frigid bench in an unheated rink.

So, the next time your son or daughter's team asks you to help raise money, think of the other benefits that go along with working together for a common "goal" both on and off the ice. Do you have a unique team fundraising idea? I would love to hear from other hockey moms!