Saturday at the Arena

Me and B (9) went to the Ice Arena this afternoon for a couple of hours. 

It was perhaps more crowded than usual for a Saturday, but that might have been due the sixty or so extra skaters from Camp Quality (a holiday program for children suffering from serious disabilities/illnesses, and their siblings and parents/carers).  In any event, between keeping my eye on B and watching out for errant overconfident children falling over in front of me, it was a relatively gentle skate session.  More an emphasis on agility rather than power.

As for Blake, he hadn't skated for TWO WEEKS and so was a bit wobbly for the first nano second or so, but he found his feet and was soon working on his snow plough and hockey stops, backwards swizzles, slaloms and forward crossovers.  He has developed what can be fairly described as a 'limping' motion on this last (my eye was attuned to it after having read the term in my copy of Steps to Ice Skating Success yesterday), but I didn't say anything as he'll be back at lessons this week.  Apart from that, no obvious bad habits seem to have developed and he's looking forward to getting to 'Novice 2' level, and maybe Intermediate 1, this winter.

We had a chat later, will try to slot him into some sort of Ice Hockey program for kids (eg. Ice Blast) once he's got the hockey stop under control.  A little exposure to the game is probably warranted before then.  It's cool to share the passion.

What doubly impressed me was that, after a soliloquy about whether to get ice skates or a lizard (!) for his birthday, he told me how his older brother, J (11) is cool to not do the skating lessons this term as it's 'not for him' and that he's offered B the use of his hockey stick - and will even give it to him if he takes up the sport.  Which is pretty big of them both. 

Makes you wanna go Awwww.