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Monday, October 20, 2008
Hockey’s not for the faint of heart
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Since my Gators had a bye week in football, I decided to spend the weekend with my next love - hockey.
There are two very distinct qualities of hockey that you don’t really see in any other sport: 1) It is fast paced, never stops and is certainly not for the faint of heart. 2) It has a very honest, extremely loyal, genuine and, yes, somewhat aggressive personality that carries over to its players and fans. My kinda people.
Hockey is one of a kind. Once you have experienced it you are instantly infected, and its becoming an epidemic in Gwinnett as more and more of our youth are choosing to play hockey.
I had a great conversation with Lee and Jeanna Herren, who’s son Matthew prefers to play hockey over football and baseball and plays on two hockey teams (high school and a house league), agreed with me that their son will probably be a better person because he plays hockey.
Steven Ruffolo, coach of the Peachtree Ridge Lions, tells me that the 10 yr old youth hockey league has grown from 8 teams to 24 teams, 500 players and 100 coaches, including an all girls team, split between 3 divisions.
Steven explained that no player is turned away who is interested in playing in the high school league even if a high school doesn’t have a team. Such was the case of Margina’s son who attends classes at Loganville High School.. yet plays hockey for the Grayson Rams.
Collegiate hockey has even made its way to Gwinnett as the University of Florida Gators tread deep into the heart of enemy territory to face the (and I promised to be nice) Georgia Bulldogs this past Friday nite at the IceForum in Duluth.
GATORS 5 Jawjuh 3
Mike Stapleton, of the Georgia Student Hockey League, informed me that the Duluth IceForum will play host to the GeorgiaTech Holiday Tournament featuring GeorgiaTech, Georgia, Middle Tennessee State and University of South Florida on Friday November 21 through Sunday November 23.. Proceeds to go Children’s Healthcare.
My weekend full of hockey ended with a great seat at our very own Gwinnett Gladiators opening night Saturday. If this team looks as good the rest of the season as they did Saturday nite… the Gwinnett Arena may have to make room for yet another banner.
Mississippi Sea Wolves 2 GWINNETT GLADIATORS 6
My perfect record remains intact. I have never been in attendance for either a Gator or Gladiator game and they have lost.
Maybe I need to pay my Bolts a visit. (sigh)
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