|
When Elan first stepped out
on the
ice for PAL, I didn’t know what to expect. I
was so nervous for him. His expression that day screamed uncertainty
and plain fear. I started having second thoughts…again. What did I
get him into? See, we had watched PAL practice the week before and
realized just how FAST they were. Don’t get me wrong, my son has
come a long way in just a few short months, but these kids must have
started skating right after they learned to walk! Elan just started
skating in January…of this year!
But I know my son and his
determination is unparalleled. So when Elan suggested we take back
presents he received from family and friends in order to pay for his
start into the hockey world, well, I was impressed. I knew he really
wanted this…needed this. So with a little coaxing and encouragement
I had him convinced that PAL was just the next step in attaining his
goal. But with such a difference in skill levels, would he be
accepted or leave discouraged?
He jumped right into the practice with enthusiasm
and so much effort. "Not bad, just a little quicker, Elan. Ohh! He
just fell. Get up! Get up," I whispered as I looked
around the
arena. He definitely is going to kill me, I said to myself. "Oh, did
you see
that look? Now he has to go backwards around
the circle? He just learned how to go forward!" My heart was aching
for him.
Three times a week Elan
would get on the ice: practice, practice, practice. Skating around
with him as he worked on his backward skate, I helped him as much as
I
could. Of course learning how to stop was all Elan…I’m still having
difficulty with that
one. I spent a lot of my time off the ice
listening to "hockey speak" and trying to pick up skating pointers
from the arena regulars, so I could point out areas he needed to
improve. He wasn’t always so grateful to me for that!
But even with all his
preparation, that first practice with PAL was nerve-racking to
watch. I
knew he was frustrated. I knew he was scared. And I feared he would
be so discouraged that he wouldn’t want to ever go back on the ice,
no matter how much he loved hockey. But after warm-ups, Coach Mike
paired Elan with another coach (a dad) and he worked with Elan on
improving his skating and shooting skills. He didn’t look as scared.
He didn’t look so frustrated. He looked like he was working hard.
Every time he passed, he would look up at me and I would smile.
After practice, Elan
confided his fears and we talked about the hard parts and what
made him feel good. He was happy to work
one-on-one to improve his skills. The coaches and kids were all nice
to him and he was thankfully looking forward to the next practice.
"Whew."
It has been a few months now that Elan’s
been skating with PAL and the improvement is amazing. He still falls
every now and again, but he gets right back up and goes
at it
with everything he has. His confidence is increasing and he really
likes the
coaches and the team.
All he talks about is working hard this summer so he can play with
the REC team in the fall. Hockey has given Elan a goal to work
towards and PAL has made it happen with positive role models and
some TLC. Thanks guys!
A Dream Come True
By: Elan Kestenis
As I first skated onto the
ice I was as nervous as could be. Seeing
the PAL team
skate so fast, making great passes, and taking hard shots on goal, I
thought, "What in the world is my mom getting me into?" I love
hockey, but these guys were beyond good.
The week before I stepped
onto the ice with the team, my mom took me to a PAL practice to
check them out. When I first saw them, I didn’t want to join. I was
thinking, "I can’t do this. It will never happen. I’m not that
good." Coach Paul reassured me that I would be alright. He had a
plan.
But on that first practice,
I kept messing up. Skating faster
than I ever had
before, I stumbled a few times. How embarrassing. Feeling a little
discouraged because I couldn’t keep up; I just wanted to quit. At
the time, I had only been skating for a couple of months. My mom
tried to help me out, but she only rollerblades and can’t stop on
the ice, so I basically had to learn on my own. Teaching
myself to
stop and skate backwards was difficult. I watched others
at the
rink during public skate that I felt skated better than me, and
tried to learn from them. After all my hard work, I was upset to
realize in those first few minutes practicing with PAL, that I was
still very far from making the REC team.
But when the embarrassment of
warm-ups was over, instead of me practicing with the team, one of
the dads helped me out. I told him I had only been skating since
January, so he taught me some easier drills that were more my pace,
than the complicated ones the team was doing. Skating around the
rink, I would practice these drills, watching the other players and
thinking all the time how wonderful being on the REC team would be.
Sometimes there wouldn’t be an extra coach to help me out, so Coach
Mike would have me shoot on the goalie or work on passing drills.
But I was happy to be learning.
Now a second dad has stepped in to
help me out on the ice. He works with me on passing, skating in the
correct position, and skating backwards. I feel I am learning a lot
and getting better every week.
I never thought this dream would
come true. My mom is always worried about money and hockey is really
expensive. I know making this dream come true for me is hard for
her. She worked a second job to pay for the equipment, while I
brought back my Christmas presents from family and friends to pay
for my first hockey class. Well I had to borrow twenty bucks from my
mom…I was a little short.
I dream about playing on a REC
team, and can’t imagine what it will feel like when I score my first
goal. In a few years I would love to be on a travel team, but in the
meantime I plan to work hard.
In the past few months, PAL has helped me out a
lot, so that I can continue to play hockey. The coaches are nice to
me and I no longer get nervous going out on the ice every Monday
with the rest of the team. And next season, hopefully I will be able
to continue with PAL and play my first REC season. Look for me out
on the ice!
|
