For the past four years, we have been riding the hockey parent rollercoaster. Throughout this time, our youngest son has been dedicated to playing travel hockey, which introduced us to a revolving door of individual “hockey families.” Each season, some faces were familiar from previous teams, while others were new additions to our “hockey family.” We’d cross paths three to five times a week coming and going to practices and games, and we’d travel together for tournaments at least once a month. Tournaments on the road were the times we bonded the most. We’d share early mornings at team hotels, catching glimpses of each other even before we’d had our morning coffee or put on makeup.
Over time, these fellow hockey parents became more than just acquaintances; they became friends. While we waited for our boys to get on the ice we would chat, complain, share laughs, and swap stories. During the games we would cheer on our kids from the stands and walk each other off the ledge every time a referee made a terrible call. We were united as a hockey family. But inevitably, at the end of each season as practices ceased, games concluded, and the rhythm of our lives shifted, our built-in connection came to an end.
Despite our mutual respect and genuine fondness for one another, most of us found ourselves gradually drifting apart once each season came to a close. Our interactions became limited to the occasional Facebook or Instagram like until a new season of hockey began. So, what caused this inevitable seasonal drift? It wasn’t that we stopped enjoying each other’s company. It was, quite simply, time or the lack of time, really.
In the grind of our daily lives during the off-season – juggling school drop-off, homework, extracurriculars, work, and family commitments – carving out time for deepening friendships proves to be quite a challenge. Without the regularity of hockey practices and games to bring us together, our schedules diverge, pulling each individual hockey family in a different direction.
As another hockey season draws to a close, I have been reflecting on the friendships forged throughout our Vegas hockey journey and reminiscing about all the shared laughs, complaints, and stories with our revolving door of hockey families. While our paths may be diverging yet again, and our lives taking us even farther apart in different directions, the bonds of friendship we’ve formed will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Those memories serve as a great reminder of the preciousness of connection and how important it is to make the time and put in the effort to stay connected with those people you’re blessed to call friends.
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