Nik playing hockey, now this is a lot of fun for everyone. Expensive, but lots and lots of fun. Way back in the day, spring of 2007, Nik said he wanted to play for the Everett Silvertips. I replied that I hoped he would one day, but first he has to learn to skate. If he does play for the Tips, or anyone in the WHL, that would make him one of the top junior players in North America.

Anyhow, we signed him up for skating lessons at the Everett Events Center. They have a terrific learn to skate program so we put him in it. Nik said, and I quote, “Dad, I am gonna skate so fast. I am gonna skate right by those other kids.”  I mentioned that all these kids are just learning to skate and you all will be falling down a lot. His reply was, “I am gonna skate so fast!” and he went walking off wearing his skates thinking he was the king of cool.

The time came for the kids to take the ice, Nik walked right to the ice and on his second step he was flat on his back, eyes as big as hockey pucks, wondering what in the world just happened! The tears started to flow and he wanted nothing to do with ice skating, his WHL career was over at age 5.

So I did what every dad does, I bribed him! Told him if he tried his hardest I would be proud of him and reward him with some sort of surprise. This worked and although he still wasn’t sold on the ice skating thing, he kept at it. The first thing they teach them is how to fall down, then they teach you how to get up. In the beginning there is a lot of falling down and getting up!

As time rolled along, he began to enjoy it and look forward to going to the rink to see his new found friends and learn more skating skills. He would go once a week for a 30 minute session and then we would stay for the open public skating session so he could skate around to play and practice with his friends.

This extra ice time really paid off as his skills continued to get steadily better. When school started the attendance by other students went way down. There was one or two other kids in his class on Monday nights so Michelle checked the Thursday class and there was only one kid in it. So at that point we enrolled him in Thursdays as well. With so few kids in the class, it was like private lessons.

So now he was going twice a week and this is when he took off with his abilities to skate. Having the extra ice time let him practice the difficult things for him and he moved through the classes quickly at that point. Just before Christmas one of the instructors who teaches hockey asked us if Nik was going to play hockey, we answered yes. She said Nik has the skills to go into a class called hockey 3, which is when the kids have all the gear on and start to learn the sport. Rules, positions and doing drills with sticks and pucks.

So we enrolled him in hockey 3 which started at the beginning on January 2008. He continued in his twice a week class for skating as well. The more ice time the better skater you become was the opinion we had and as long as he wanted to do it, we would continue his lessons.

So at this point we are at the rink 3 days a week. Monday and Thursdays for ice skating lessons with public sating following and Sundays for the hockey 3 classes which run for 10 weeks. The only way you can play in the Everett Youth Hockey is to pass the hockey courses given.
Nik is one of the youngest kids in the hockey class but he is having a ball and presses on. The first and second session went by with Nik not passing the class. You have to attain certain skills before you get to pass. Nik is in a class with kids that have been skating longer and are up to the age of 13.

Once summer comes around we continue the twice weekly ice skating sessions on Monday and Thursdays plus the hockey 3 classes on Sundays but add Wednesdays for a public hockey skating session called a stick and puck. During the 90 minute stick and puck sessions Nik would have a 30 minute private lesson with the coach. They worked on skating and stick handling.

Nik has now gone through 3 sessions of hockey 3 and has successfully completed the course. He now plays in the EYH Mite division for 8 year old and under kids. Again, Nik is one of the youngest but he is doing well and holding his own. Scored his first goal in a practice game in during the first practice. There was much joy and happiness!

As of today Nik’s hockey schedule consists of his Monday and Thursday night 30 minute skating lessons with another 75 minutes at least for public skating where he skates with his friends and practices some too. Wednesday nights he has a 1 hour practice and Saturday mornings he has a 1 hour practice or a game every 3rd weekend. Even though he has passed the hockey 3 course we asked if he could continue in the class to hone his skills, he is still only 6 years old folks, the more practice he wants to put in the better for his playing ability so we are all for it. So that means he is at the rink Sundays for another session of hockey 3. We go to the public skate at about 12:45pm and don’t leave till after 4:30 on Sundays.

He loves hockey so as long as the desire is there we will continue to support his ambition. I might need to get a paper route to help pay for it all but it is money well spent. We enjoy it and he certainly loves it.

For a look at some more pictures, click on the link on the left of the home page that reads Nik playing hockey in the Photo Sets section.If you wanna see Nik play some hockey, swing by the Community Rink at the Everett Events Center anytime……….I’ll buy the coffee!