The Last Dance

On Sunday, I sat in the Dakotah! Ice arena and watched my son play his last game of hockey as a Minnetonka Hockey player. His team was in the Championship Game of the Minnesota State Jr. Gold B Tournament. Finishing out at the big dance. I never have understood the whole dance thing. Most guys I know would rather be anywhere but at a dance. And yet, the phrase has become synonymous with Championship. I did a quick goggle search on Big Dance Hockey and came up with over 112,oo hits, all in less then 3 seconds no less. You know, I guess guys do get it. Pardon for the stereotype, but women often talk about the "big dance". They describe what they wore, who they saw...The dress, the date (OK, maybe not the date). But just as women look back over the years and talk about what they wore, who they saw etc at the big dance, men do the same things when talking about the big dance, especially if they have had a part in one.

I know that through the years, my son will do the same, it was after all an awesome game - discuss the big saves, the ones that went in, but most importantly I hope he remembers the guys that were there with him - Pete, Ross, Nolan, Evan, Danny, Adam, Alex, Boots, Harry, Peter, Chris, the dwarf, Zach, Brandon, NJ, Skipper, Coach DeAngelo, Smith and Aannanson...

Oh, what a way to close out a final chapter. Being in the championship game for Minnesota State Jr Gold B! As the boys skated the runner up trophy over to the fans, I couldn't help but think back over the years to all of the other championship celebrations that I witnessed. The times when the trophy's were so big and the boys so small they could barely carry it. Some of these boys started hockey together, how appropriate that they were able to end it together. It was a magical season. Who would have thought when that rag tag team got together for the first practice that 3 months later they would be a well oiled machine. They supported each other and worked together as a team. Sometimes the miracles don't just happen on the ice.