Mom on the Run: Saluting the team as the hockey season ends

Finally, finally the game ends, the last game of the season.

I sigh, open the pen­alty box door, and start scooching my way across the ice, not looking back to say goodbye to the dads working the scoreboard.

They’re from the other team, and with such a lopsided score, I’m sure any conversation will be uncomfortable.

So out I go. The boys cleared the bench quickly, and I’m able to walk through without making eye contact with any of them. That’s good; I’m thinking space is good for everyone right now. They’ve got to be cranky. Though at least today we didn’t lose any players to injury. Spring sports start next week (already!), and an injury today could have cost someone a lacrosse sea­son before it even started.

It’s a relief, the end of the high school ice hockey season. We knew it was going to be “a rebuilding year” — last year we did well, then lost four skilled seniors. This season, well, it’s been rough.

And yet I look back on this season fondly. How can I not? Yes, we lost games, a whole lot of them, and sustained more than our share of injuries — dislocated shoulder, broken collarbone, whip­lash, concussion fears, stitches — while playing against teams that had more players and were more skilled and more ex­perienced than we were.

But our boys never gave up. They cheered each other on, banged their sticks in salute when there was a good shot, a hard hit, a bounceback, a strong save. They came to every game focused, pre­pared, optimistic, ready to do battle, despite the statistics.

Our freshmen — and we had a bunch, almost a quarter of our team — worked to adjust to the fast and physical high school game. There was no gradual toe-in ap­proach, we didn’t have a deep enough bench for them to sit and only play occasionally, learning slowly. Nope, the fresh­men skated nearly as many shifts as their older teammates; our team was too small for anyone to just watch.

The team’s captains were new to the job, too.

Nick, Gavin and Blake had never led a team before, never talked strategy or tried to inspire after a tough loss. But they rose to the occasion, gave feedback and pep talks, learned and grew into their duties.

Because that’s what happens in a losing sports season; it’s always more meaningful and educa­tional than a winning season. Players have to tap their inner strength and love of the game to keep going. They learn to control their emotions, try new things, and hone their sportsmanship.

Of course, character building is small consola­tion after such a dismal season, but it’s what we parents recognize, and what we discuss after the game, as we linger and wait for our boys.

“Wow, what a season.”

“They did so well.”

“They really hung in there and fought.”

Finally our players start trickling out into the lobby, one by one, after post-game debrief and showers. We parents quit chatting and check faces — Is our son upset? An­gry? OK? — and respond to what we see.

All around the room: “Tough game, but you played hard!” Dads pat sons’ shoulders, moms nod to each other, “Next season!”

Congratulations to the Osbourn High School ice hockey team on a hard­fought season. Your fans couldn’t be more proud.

Wilkens lives with her family in Manassas. Reach her at liannewilkens@hotmail.com, or follow her on Twitter @MessengerMOTR.