Sunday, October 15, 2006

i miss hockey

After watching HNIC last night (for like the second time since moving to Waterloo), I realized how much I actually miss hockey. Not having the chance to watch or play it here, I'm never exposed to it, and thus, never realized how much I actually miss it.

I miss everything about it - the games, the practices, the tournaments. I miss the intensity, the cool air on your face, the sound of skates on the ice. I miss the people that I played with. I miss weekend tournaments, where you live at the rink and eat rink food the whole time. I miss driving to out of town games, and playing in classic old rinks. I miss being sweaty and tired, coming off the ice absolutely exhausted.

I miss going to watch Alicia or Jonathan or dad's games. I miss Saturday nights at the Stadium, or out in Pense. I miss coaching, and teaching skating, and instructing at hockey school.

I miss spending late nights out on the rink. I miss the scrimmages. I miss coming in to warm up and have hot chocolate. I miss having to hop the boards to find yet another puck that has been fired over.

I miss watching Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights, down in the basement with a fire in the fireplace. I miss hearing the HNIC theme song come on.

Basically, I just miss it. It was such a big part of my life for so long. And while I could be playing here, it just wouldn't be the same. Fortunately, I will play at an Optometry tournament in January - it will feel so good to get back on the ice. And I can't wait to be home at Christmas and be out on the rink - there's nothing quite like strapping on the skates, stepping out into the cold air, and going for a good skate. Man, it just doesn't get much better than that.

5 comments:

Ed Slywka said...

Hi Jilly,
I miss you doing all of those things with us. Over the years I enjoyed every minute of being involved with you kids and hockey. I still enjoy it and hopefully that won't stop. Maybe in a decade or so I will be doing the same again with my grandkids. That would be sweet.
Good memories Jill. Reading your thoughts filled my head with head with so many memories. Thanks!
Dad

Ed Slywka said...

Correction!
filled my head with so many memories.

Lesson learned! Always proof read before hitting the publish button!

Alicia Slywka said...

oh man reading your blog brought back so many memories for me too.

hockey tournaments, and just living at the rinks on the weekends, eating rink burgars, and drinking poweraid, and staying in hotels with the whole team. and running around and playing ministicks in the hallways.
and the feeling of winning the whole thing. playing three games in day. early morning games. scoring goals.
how about when we were little and pucks got shot over the boards and chasing after them. being rink rats. playing capture the flag at the stadium. exploring all the rinks. stealing cups from the hot drink maker. changing in the random change rooms we've had to change in. hockey school. late night skates on the rink. world junoirs.

oh man the list could go on. i love hockey too. i never thought i would miss it either after playing for so many years of my life, but last year the first time i stepped on the ice, i realized that i missed it so much.

im excited for you to come home and for us to go skating on the rink.

love your face
xo

TamaLa said...

bbbrrr....does that make anyone else apprehensive about the oncoming WINTER? bbbrrr...yuck.
Just kidding! your memories are beautiful, not yuck of course...but winter IS YUCK to me.
:)
I miss you Jilly....how many sleeps until your home for Christmas? Maybe we can have a phone cat this weekend....please?!

Have a good day today!

Alicia Slywka said...

okay..time for a new blog