Just another day...

I spent my day running errands today. It's now 12:36 am tomorrow and I am just winding down after some editing. After a while, my eyes lose their interest in focusing on the screen.

Last Friday (26th) I spent my entire day in a hockey rink photographing hockey. For those of you that know me, my son was not playing. It was an event to raise money for homelessness in Calgary. I love watching the spray of the ice as the players hit the brakes, the feeling of the cold on my cheeks, the slap of a frozen puck hitting the surface, and the players whistling and calling for the passes.

 I didn't like hockey when my son played. The politics and posturing, jostling for a position on a team. Not my thing. When my son came to be one of the most valuable members of his last few teams, I actually loved to watch him play. There is something to be said for a kid who would stand in front of a couple of metal posts, in the icy cold, and get excited about a little black piece of frozen rubber, sailing at him at 90 km an hour. We all know Goalies are a special breed.

The event I photographed was all about some regular guys having a great time, playing the game with the once best and brightest of our national pastime. The pros came out to lend their support and that they did. It's amazing how these guys, some of them many years since they played pro, still have that special star that surrounds a pro athlete. They are polite and friendly when approached by the fans. They are still willing to sign autographs when asked. They pass the puck more than our regular guys.

Being in the rink again, brought back memories of all my son's great games, won or lost, the shutouts, the 'nail biters', and the 'edge of your seaters', Thinking back on it, it was the best thing I ever did for that boy. His Dad worked overseas, the kids saw him only a few times in 13 years. My son was lucky enough to be coached by some great men. Other Dad's volunteer their time, young coaches from hockey camps, and his regular coaches from when he started getting serious about playing goal. These men were his role models, his examples of adulthood. I firmly believe, if it were not for these men, my son would have been into other recreational habits, and possibly would not be with us now.

When I head to the hockey rink to photograph these titans of our time, I always keep in mind how this game probably saved my son's life and made him a better human being. So to all my son's coaches, teammates, and hockey parents, Thank You for helping me raise my kid to be a good Canadian.

 and...Don't forget to check your Compass!
Cole