Bantam, 2013-2014, AAA (Oakville Rangers Hockey Club)

Of all the fates I imagined for myself, hockey dad was at the bottom of the list. I never played the game - I grew up as a downhill skier, hang glider pilot and car nut. But the Gods had a new plan: At the age of four, my son Willie announced that he was taking up Canada's national game.

When I was a kid, seeing Grandparents at a hockey game was pretty rare. Today, you can’t go to a game at any level without running into Grandparents at the rink. We certainly live in different times. Divorce and unplanned pregnancies have taken a huge toll on what once was the “traditional” hockey family and Grandparents have come to the rescue to help besieged single parents and in some cases have even stepped in to raise the children. Of course, there’s the Grandparents who just want to see their Grandkids play, which is great, but this story will celebrate those who had little choice in ...

"Anyone who has ever played hockey knows why hockey is the greatest sport in the world. No other sport takes as much skill, heart, sweat, blood, training, motivation, etc. It is the fastest, toughest, most physical sport in the world and nothing else compares. I'm the luckiest person in the world to grow up playing hockey. Cheers to the hockey players of the world!"  By: amcoho4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtMxEJjpP9A

Women and men used to gaze up at the stars, awed at the sight and size of the universe, much like Detroit Red Wings fitness trainers used to be in awe at the sight and size of Brett Hull's butt during his final Motor City days.

On October 2, 2001 I received a phone call from the coach of the Cornell Big Red inviting me to play for his hockey team next year. Cornell is an Ivy League Division I NCAA university. Its hockey program which is ranked 11th in the United States, has a history of sending players to the NHL. The typical student accepted there has a 92% high school average. Tuition and board costs $50,000 Canadian per year. Last week NHL central scouting told me I would be on their draft list and might be selected late in next June’s draft. The Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightening have talked to my coach about ...