The Pillsbury Dough Boy

Today was Cole's first day of actual hockey class. He has been taking hockey/skating lessons since May and today marked the first day of hockey class. We went to get him fitted for all his equipment today. I know NOTHING about hockey, so I was more nervous than Cole, I wasn't sure I'd even be able to get all that gear on him by myself. He's so small and even some of the smallest equipment is slightly too big. He has to wear breezers (hockey pants), a cup (the sight of that tiny jock strap just sent me into a fit of laughter), shin pads (which are too big, he can barely bend his legs), elbow pads, a neck guard, shoulder pads, a practice jersey, a helmet w/ full face shield, a mouth piece, hockey gloves, skates, and a stick...yes someone is silly enough to give my four-year-old a stick. The man fitting the equipment asked if he needed a left or right handed stick, I didn't even know there was a difference. I said Cole was right-handed but he had him hold a stick and said, he needed a left-handed one. Ummm, okay I thought. He cut about 3 feet off a stick, added some athletic tape, threw all the gear in a bag so big, I will need an SUV to haul it around and off we went.

Once it was time for his class it was my turn to try to remember how to put everything on. I swear it took my at least 15 minutes. He looked so funny. Here is thirty-five pound child wearing at least 5 pounds of bulky hockey equipment. He could barely move. Once he was on the ice, he had to re-learn how to stand up again. It's a entirely different feel trying to stand up with all that equipment (especially when you can't bend your legs too well) and holding a stick. We quickly realized the guy was wrong and Cole does need a right-handed stick--URGHH. His previous classes had been 30 minute sessions and this class is a full hour. He hung in there though. His favorite teacher Miss Angie came in about halfway through the session, so he got some one-on-one attention, which he loves. The last few minutes of practice they let them skate around and play tag and bump each other. Cole likes to bump others but when someone bumped him and he fell, he cried. A lean mean fighting machine he's not. After the tears were gone, he got back up and finished practice. He was soaking with sweat when he came off the ice, but smiling so that's all that matters. Well, I guess all we need now is a right-handed stick. Oh, and a SUV to haul all that stuff around.