Why hockey?
Hockey has always been a constant in my life, whether it was playing in the street as a young boy, calling out vehicles that would interrupt our game of shimmy, playing on the local roller team, cheering on the Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars (Canucks when they play each other), or playing Ice hockey as an adult, with my veteran brothers and sisters. At the deepest and darkest point in my life, Hockey was there!
The question many get asked is, "Why Hockey?" "Where do the excitement and passion come from? It's just "soccer on ice" who cares! "The answer is quite simple for me and many others: It's not just a game. It's community, its family, its brotherhood, it is demanding, it's fast, it's dangerous, it is an adrenaline rush like no other!
Family and Brotherhood, the veterans' team I've had the honor of playing with, are some of the most down-to-earth, hard-working, and passionate people around. Their passion for the game and each other is unmatched. I've seen the sport grow and become much larger than just a recreational team through these guys. They actually make a difference in the lives they touch.
Even in a regular rec league, you will find family; when people get together to play hockey there is an immediate bond that is created for the season and sometimes beyond.
Demanding, you'll often see players pacing or rocking back and forth before a game, that is the adrenaline and excitement building in them before they hit the ice, it is difficult to keep that energy flowing for the entirety of the game that is when grit and determination come in! It is often said that hockey is the fastest sport in the world. I agree that it is fast, and the better you get at it, the faster it becomes. The speed of hockey creates a danger within the game, which in turn creates excitement in players and fans alike. Hockey also demands focus and tenacity in the face of danger and pressure, lose any one of those and you'll either lose the game, teeth, or both!
Many people are more eloquent and talented than I with the pen, to write about the passion of hockey. but I hope the reader has a better understanding why many of us love hockey and are so passionate about it!
So Why Hockey? because to many it is life, family and passion!