Don’t Forget the Hockey Sisters

They had quite the life, too.....

My daughter literally grew up in the rink. I used to bring her when she was still in her car carrier all bundled up, just taking it all in. Those cold rinks were her playground. Her playdates were with other hockey sisters. They were so used to it they’d run around in short-sleeved shirts while everyone else was freezing. They were troopers.

She even tried hockey and figure skating for a while - of course she did, she spent half her childhood watching both. But it didn’t take long before she decided she preferred cheering from the stands and running around with the other rink kids more than being out on the ice herself.

She went everywhere with us - tournaments, road trips, late nights at the rink. She was surrounded by hockey boys, and she loved every one of them like they were her own brothers. When we billeted players, she was protective of them too. She’d size up their girlfriends and wasn’t shy about saying who she thought was “good enough.” It was honestly hilarious and kind of sweet.

As crazy as my son’s hockey life was, I forget sometimes how different and special her childhood was too. We always talk about the boys -the games, the gear, the travel, the sacrifices - but we forget about the sisters. The ones sitting in the stands, doing homework in the car, being dragged from one cold rink to another. They lived it all too, just in their own quiet way.

When her brother started living away from home with billet families and chasing his dream, everything changed for her too. Suddenly, she had her own time, her own weekends, her own world that didn’t revolve around hockey schedules. She loves it -the school dances, football games, hanging out with friends, just being a normal teenager. And as much as I miss those crazy hockey weekends, I love watching her live this part of her life.

Of course, now I get to deal with different heartbreaks - the ones that come with being a mom to a teenage daughter. The boy drama, the disappointments, those moments when she doesn’t feel good enough. It kills me sometimes. But I also get to see her grow through it.

She’s smart, funny, athletic (though she makes it clear she’s not living the same kind of sports life her brother did), and she’s confident. She loves her friends. She gets excited about being asked to homecoming or prom. She knows she deserves a boy who will treat her well - and she actually believes it. How awesome is that?

We forget about the hockey sisters, but they’re just as tough, just as amazing, and just as much a part of this story as the boys chasing the dream. Because while one chased his dream on the ice, she’s learning to chase her own - and I’m lucky enough to be watching both.

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