Pond hockey, a place where some Canadians had it all begin for them. For some it was a simple game of shimmy.
Whether that be a pond being built in your backyard or one of the many rinks that are in your surrounding area, or hell if you are a farm kid you couldn’t help but clear off the dugout on the family farm and skate on it. Canadians have found a means of escape from the outside world, as a whole we are somewhat lucky when it comes to learning to skate. Or even be brought up to the wonderful world of ice hockey. After all this sport started with a frozen horse apple and stick of some sort, and to see the sport at its highest potential, which is outside, in the cold, on the grandest stages of all. Games such as the record setting “Big Chill” game in Ann Arbor, Michigan at Michigan Stadium. An American Football stadium. Fenway Park, in Boston, Massachusetts. Where the Flyers and Bruins faced each other in 2010. For those that don’t know, Fenway Park is famous in Boston, the Green Monster they call it! Baseball! But for ice hockey, and for me it is long over due. Because as I aforementioned, outdoors is where it all begins for this sport, in the cold, harsh, winter weather, this is where sometimes it would begin for some.
During these difficult times I have found with the local rinks being closed and with no other way of honing my skills I have found that the numerous lakes and ponds are the ultimate surface for practicing. All you need is a shovel and maybe a broom. To clear the snow being built up on the ice how else do you expect to clean it? Call Frank J. Zamboni??
Very practical for these NHL players especially when you’re expecting an upcoming season. For me, a person who can’t skate as well due to a bad knee injury in the past. I find it very accommodating.
One player in particular who was practicing on the pond this off season for the Flyers was Travis Sanheim. A young defenseman who was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2014. One who once played for the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. I wasn’t privileged to watch him play in junior but I do have the privilege of watching him skate and play for the Orange and Black.
A farm kid from Manitoba, by traditional standards, Philadelphia Flyers standards that is. Simply put, no rest. And seriously which farmer do you know of takes an actual break, not many. But to put in hard work and determination… well that just takes time. After all that’s all it is. Time. And that’s saying it without judgement; I mean I’ve seen and worked with farmers and they simply don’t know how to slow down. Work. Work. Work.
I even feel as if with my relentlessness that I’ll never slow down either, I feel as if when I’m writing it is best to make a rough draft of what you’re saying/writing about. It has to have flow. Just like the game of hockey.
For some “flow” may mean hair or “lettuce” as they call it these days, but for me flow is probably one of the many reasons and thing’s I follow hockey. And that goes for all kinds of hockey. European leagues with their wider ice, the Olympics, the NHL, collegiate level, heck you even feel it when you are out there watching it on the television or honing your skills on the aforementioned ponds. The flow of the game is an integral part of this game. After all we love watching those players out on ice who proceed to hack, slash, dig, lift, poke the puck out until that one beacon of light within your heart turns brighter than you realize and that’s when you know, know when you’ve scored! Because it’s in the back
You’ll see your perfectly tended and beautiful crops at the end of the day. You’ll take care of your own goals before you focus on scoring some goals of your own. That is why I’m writing this; to help us understand why we love this game. You spend so much time and love let alone effort on one thing it’ll teach you the skills, in this case for me it was the shoveling of snow removal at the beginning of this winter to get to the ice underneath. Without that hardwork, let alone determination. And with a bit of patience you could overcome the fear that rests inside your very heart. Eventually it turns out you have been working hard all along!!
One TV spot I saw in my youth in particular and it has resonated within all my years of living was a snippet called Pond of Dreams, a mini movie that had alumni such as Eric Lindros, Paul Kariya, Pavel Bure, Mr. Hockey, Jaromir Jagr. Along with the legendary duo of Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky. I never did watch it, but if you know what I’m talking about, you will appreciate the fact that hockey is built off literally just that! Ponds. Ponds where dreams are made of, forgotten, or even skating on. A place where one can be themselves. Remember, hockey IS for everyone. Disability or no disabilities. What matters most is that you are having fun! That is the number one rule in hockey!! To be polite and most of all a gentleman.
With one final paragraph, and this is why we call ourselves the Flyers Nitty-Gritty. I have learned that without being a fan of the Flyers, I never would have thought of writing this article, but nevertheless I hope this reaches out to the appropriate people. Thank you for your time and I’d love to wish you all a Happy Holidays and a safe and joyous New Year. From all of us at Flyers Nitty Gritty, Goodnight and Good Hockey as our very own Gene Hart would say!!
LETS GO FLYERS
