Friendly Little Pickup Game

Sipping my coffee looking out over the Olympic rink early in the morning is a pretty great place to be. The arena is cold, but that’s the way I like it. I wouldn’t change it for the world. The boys are out moving the puck down the ice. The skate and shoot has turned into a friendly little pickup game. Cut to the corner, cut to the left. Backhand the puck up the boards to Miller, across to the kid in the all yellow jersey, shoot, ting! The puck ricochets off the corner post. Nic cuts in shoots, picks up the puck from behind the net and breaks out. The guy in the unrecognizable faded jersey skates to the puck – swoosh in comes Rice and steals the puck. Forty-five minutes into the game and the two Heldt brothers are arguing over a pass, or lack of a pass. Back and forth the lines change. Players in, players off. The game goes on. Go, go, go, everyone hustles, No breaks for the goalies, and no slackers here, these boys, and girl want to play. That’s why they made it down to the rink. This is a great way to sharpen ones skills and have fun. No whistles, no referees, no coaches, and yet everything works, everyone works. The stands are empty, except for some guy in an orange shirt sipping his coffee.