[monster]

Darling Hector's Goalie Stick broke. He is sad. More so because he's tired, but it still sucks. Big welling up tears that he tries to hold back in big blue eyes.

He set his heart on playing hockey in December, when he could barely skate. He spent 4 months in an instructional program. He worked hard. Then he joined a spring league for which he had to learn to check. He worked hard. He spent six weeks playing hockey 3-4 times a week. At the end of the season, he set his heart on being a goalie. He started by moving to goal in soccer. Now he spends all his spare time out on his roller blades with a stick and ball or watching goalie vids on youtube. He works hard.

I found some cheap but good condition goalie leg pads. He rollerblades in those, and practices the butterfly. Not an easy move on rollerblades. Last week, I found an ice hockey goalie stick the right hand and right size for $3. And a couple of street hockey goalie sticks and helmets. He was made up. He practiced with the street stuff and loved the ice stick.

Summer clinics started this week. The powers that be arranged for him to practice with the one for the age group below his as well as his own -as a goalie. On Tuesday, they kitted him out and approved his stick as in suitable condition etc. Tonight was his second time out. In a clinic with kids up to 4 years older. The biggest and bestest kid took a slapshot, which Hector saved with the end of his stick. Alas,"Woody" was KIA.

RIP Woody.

He has a replacement loaner stick, but I suspect it's like writing off your first car.