Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - July/75

Contributor - Joanne Huisman

Title - Hockey Mom

Topic - Parenting

When I was approached and asked to write an article for the Pioneer on Sports in our family, I didn't quite know what to say. I've never written a piece about my family before, but here it is!

My husband and I both love sports but I think hockey has to be at the top of the list.

To some people hockey is just ten boys or girls shooting a puck in the net and skating around on the ice, and if. you do not love sports this is just what it looks like. But there is another side to the story. If you take time to get to know the game and understand it, you'd discover what enjoyment. it really is for your children. There are a lot of problems and some hard feelings among the parents, but the good far outweighs the bad.

For example, here you are sitting or standing at a final championship game and your team is down by one goal. You know that Your team has to score or you're out. You wish so much for them to score that you can almost put the puck in the net for them. In the meantime you've yelled your head off, and have a queasy feeling in your stomach. The faceoff is at center ice, the puck drops, a few passes, and your son has the puck, down he goes. He's on his way and you are on the tip of your toes, your mouth wide open. Then you close your eyes, and you know if you hear the crowd holler that he scored. Everyone is wild! The whole team comes off the bench to hug your son. You stand there in a daze, so happy for him and yet so very proud that he's yours. For the team it means that they all won together regardless who put it in the net. But for that second all the happiness belongs to you, because he is your son.

However there is another side to the coin as well for you also have to learn how to be a graceful loser. When the boys are small and one team goes off the ice happy because of a win while the other team goes off sad, some crying - maybe they played just as hard, but just didn't score. Then you wish that all of them could be winners. On the other hand, you have to learn at a young age the heartaches of being in competitive sports.

When the boys are on teams which play other towns, especially far away, the parents of these players take our sons overnight for as long as the tournament lasts. For example we had a tournament in Ithica, New York. The coach of the team reserved the Holiday Inn for the parents who wanted to go ahead of time. The team all had homes to go to. The families of the kids from the other team showed ours around the town. Some went to Varsity Stadium and watched College football. The boys really enjoyed this.

The people you meet are fantastic, they're just ordinary people like you and I. The boys play their games, sleep at the other boys' homes, and in the morning we head for home. It is a good experience for the parents as well as f or the boys.

My husband coached the 6-7 year olds, and you've never seen a man so happy and pleased with children. When you have 14 boys who can't stand up on skates let alone play hockey, and within 2-3 weeks you have these boys passing the puck to each other, this gives you great satisfaction that you have done Your job.

At the end of the season the children all came in the dressing room and presented my husband with a large basket of fruit all beautifully arranged. Their eyes sparkled, they were so proud. This is a nice ending for one season of friendship. But the best is yet to come, when one little seven year old pulls you by the pant leg and says: "Coach can I please be on your team next year?" You swallow with a lump in your throat and say: "I hope so."

Well, this is what has come out of my thoughts, but you may say that one important thing is missing and that is, when is there time for 'Christ. There is always time for Him, because He comes first in our family. This has been made very clear to the boys, and they've always known this. Christ is the Head of the house and always will be. But the fellowship and close relationship we have with our sons outside the church has brought us closer together. The boys know that no matter what they do, we take an interest in them. We go to all their games, and do things together with them.

The old saying is: "The devil finds evil work for idle hands", in doing things: together as a family one makes it harder for the devil to do his job.

I have also played hockey myself all winter and I loved it, except for the sore muscles and aches afterwards. You have a lot of laughs and good times.

I hope you enjoy my story, some may find it totally boring, others interesting. Regardless, it has been a new experience for me to write. I don't think I'd make a writer but I enjoyed it.

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.