JFF 2017

Just For Fun (or in this year's case - Just Frigidly Freezing!)

With temperatures reaching -19 deg C for some of the games.  It was certainly a matter of mind over numb hands and toes!

This is the Swansea Hockey Association House league annual tournament.  They don't keep score (well the do, but they don't put it up on the score board), but they do keep track of who has scored.  The limit is 2 goals per player per game.  Then it is up to the secondary and third level scoring to step it up.

I actually got Kieran into this really late.  As in after the first game late.  The website said the JFF was full.

Luckily Bohdan's team had a spot on his roster and he was able to join and play.

Kieran didn't really care if he did play or not, but it was certainly better than staying at home and watching YouTube videos.   I was just taking care of his eyes.  He used to have better than 20/20 vision.  Now i think it's just 20/20.

I had played shinny that afternoon in -8 deg C temps and i didn't need the hand/toe warmers, but I did have liner glovers on.   Although it felt like I didn't really need them.
And I couldn't get a good feel for the puck on my stick.

But some of these kids like #11 Green here had hand warmers in the palm of his hands.  Guess I was just making an excuse for having hands of stone.

When I took Kieran to his first game that evening it didn't feel too cold (-8 deg C, but no sun) so no liner gloves and no toe warmers.  Man was that a mistake.

After the game he looked at me with some ice cold shock in his eyes saying he didn't want to do this again!  Then coach Bohdan came around and thanked him for coming out and asked if he had fun.  Kieran being the good kid, was shivering as he nodded.  His hands were blocks of ice.

One parent gave her glove to him to warm them up.  I thought they were my gloves! Because they were identical to the ones I was wearing.  We were both coincidentally cyclists, so lobster gloves are a lifesaver in the winter.  Better dexterity than mitts but warmer than gloves.  So I gave Kieran mine to warm up his hands, and thanked her for hers as I handed them back so we wouldn't accidentally get our gloves mixed up.

There was the lone kid spectator watching her brother and friends freeze their extremities on the ice as they played their games.
Well it was better than staying home and possibly getting the flu from her mom. Ha.

Kieran scored 2 or 3 goals.  And that's always a great confidence booster when you are playing any sport.  If you feel like you are improving and contribute to a team, that's something money can NOT buy.

The jersey and socks he got from this tourney were awesome!  really nice socks.  I just got a new pair like these for myself.    And he got them for free and he got to play 5 games!
I wished I could be in his position.

After his last game which was beautiful with the falling snow, but kids were falling left right and centre even after I got his skates sharpened.  On top of that losing the puck in the snow! I could hear them yelling "Where's the PUCK?!"
It was so fun.  For us parents.
Remember it's Just for Fun.
He got to play with his buddies (Grant, Luke, Matt, Zach)
.  And this was a much higher skill level than his house league since it was open to more skilled players outside of the league on Dec 2.  Their goalie Taylor was a so awesome!  Same with Abigail.  Felt like I was watching future Team Canada National players!

It will certainly help Kieran with his hockey skills.  He's getting better every year.  Last year he was knocking in pucks with his skate.  Obviously no kicking motion, but this year he's already found the back of the net 4 or 5 times and 2 or more assists in house league.  And he had a one timer in the slot area, and a couple of rebounds from being in the right place and right time, and a load of other chances.  He's definitely improved.

When he has the puck in the corner he doesn't just blindly whack at the puck, his head is up looking for team mates in the slot to pass to.  There's no panic in this kid.  I think that's just because, he couldn't care less if they win or lose.  But hey, it's just a game, this isn't the NHL.  It's all for Fun.  And learning to enjoy the winter months here in the Great White North.

And they went undefeated.  This last game was exciting.  It was tied up with seconds to go by the orange team, by a player that we loaned them because they only had 7 players at the start of the game.  But it made for a much fairer and fun game.

We were actually down by 2 quick goals.  Then Red came on and took the lead.  The format of the JFF is 2 min shifts and no icing and you have to leave the puck where it is when your shift is done.  Then it's a mad scramble to get the puck at the beginning of your shift.  It's quite exciting and fast.

After his first game, Kieran didn't want to play again.
But after his last game, and with hand and toe warmers and liner gloves, he said he would do this again.  If you are prepared for the cold.  It's all good.  If you are not, well it's just cold.
I'm glad he got to experience this tournament.  Two games a day, old and new friends, experience of being on a team, and the awesome feeling of contributing when you score or get the puck out of your zone.
You just can't buy these memories.

Photos of Freezing FUN!