Chapter 637

2/9/2023

Recreation Hockey

recreation is good

I retired from active athletics after enrolling in Social Security. Those last 5 years of my 20 years on ice were the glory years. The Clifton Park league was comprised of 16 to 60 year olds of various skill levels from beginner to actual professional players. A very diverse crowd. I was welcomely accepted onto teams of players a generation or two below me. A third of them were college level players that carried the teams. I merely fullfilled a role on the roster and tried not to make too many bone headed plays.

We had instant comraderie as most of them had been playing together for years. We played exhaustively and competitely winning a lot but it was the warmth on and off the ice and afterwards that really carried the day.

We had so much fun. The first year as Bruins (top) we dominated other teams too much so we split ourselves into two teams. That sparked off a continuing friendly rivalry. Captain Mark brought one of his trophies in when we were scheduled against each other. Winner take all. My Mustangs won the first Flyers Cup (named after our previous team ). It always gave us just one more reason to sieze the day and savor the moment.