Goalie Girl
My oldest daughter is eight. She has been skating since she was three. She is a beautiful skater and a half decent hockey player. She is one of only three girls born in 2008 playing AAA hockey in the GTHL next year. She typically plays forward but also enjoys defense.
She has been asking her dad and me to play goalie for the past 12 months. Last year we bought her well-used goalie pads, a blocker and a glove from Papa Joe. One of our goalie-dad friends donated goalie skates, a helmet, a stick and a chest protector to the cause. We rented ice so her older brothers could shoot on her for two hours a week while at the same time her younger sister learned to skate. She played forward for her regular club. And we kept our fingers crossed that the desire would fade.
Fast forward, she now wants to play goal full-time. So much for the fading plan. Nooooooo!
After we had a good cry, we resigned ourselves to our new reality. She begins practicing as a goalie tomorrow and will continue throughout the summer. Her new club has tentatively agreed that she can play back-up goalie next season, meaning she'll likely never get into a game but will receive the training and experience that comes from being part of the team.
Her new coach was immensely gracious when I told him of our daughter's desire to play net. He told me that he played with Malcolm Subban growing up. Malcolm started his hockey career as a defenceman and was a darn good one when he decided to train as a goalie. The rest is history.
The worst part is that I am now one of those most pitied of breeds...a hockey goalie mom. Ugh.
