Written by: GSH Contributing Writer I hated that bumpy area of the ice in by the old apple tree. Struggling across that ice in my backyard, all I ever wanted to do was to play with bigger kids, but instead I'd be thrown in nets, mainly due to the timeless unproven out door rink crime of "Being the little guy", something that always seemed to be deemed righteous due to the fact that "well your the youngest, you have to".

As the years went by, I made that jump to the bigger rinks and the bigger kids, did my fair share of dangling, got into the odd scrap, and performed my duty to the Great Canadian Game, as so many others had done before me. Cold feet, hot chocolate, and chipped teeth; this is what makes hockey players real men. Hockey, teaches camaraderie, fair play, toughness, work ethic, and the essential beauty of the game itself. So, where does this great game fit into our fast paced world of alarm clocks, fast food, and terrorists in the sky? The answer to this question lies within the game itself. A game is not invented by a couple lads sitting around deciding that they are going to make up a new game to play on a boring Sunday night in Kalamazoo. A game is created through the raw emotion of a society that seeks leisure, needs fun, and relishes friendship as well as camaraderie. The roots of the game stem from this passion that has been passed down from our forefathers in a land where a simple game on ice brought much joy to a generation full of disease, wars, and hard work. This work ethic of our forefathers is instilled today in the hockey players of tomorrow. You ever wonder why winning the Stanley Cup is such an achievement? It's a not just a full season of blood and guts, it's 150 years of hero's blood, sweat, and dreams etched onto a shrine that can only be shared with an elite few. The few that do share it, cherish the moment, because it may never come again. Hockey is a game we all love to play. A simple phone call from a buddy on a cold January night is all it takes to convince us to head down to the local outdoor rink to do some dangling with the neighborhood kids. Out door hockey is a part of our culture that runs very deeply in the blood of Canadians, and hockey players worldwide. The sounds of laughing kids, the choppy skate thrusts on bumpy ice, the sound of a puck hitting a thinly supported board in the corner-- these sounds bring to life the game of hockey itself. Good times, good friends, and good memories. The memories of the game itself is enough for me to sleep each night...for I know that when I wake up tomorrow, life-- just as hockey, is a clean sheet of ice. Strap your skates on, and leave your own impression. Don't be afraid to do what others were too afraid to attempt. Life rewards those who assume risk. Be the guy in the front of the line in practice, not the back.