The last year my son played house league before making the jump up to competitive hockey was remarkable. The team went through the entire regular season undefeated in London's Community Hockey League and it was, for most of us, a foregone conclusion that we'd play in the Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario championship down the road in Brantford.
There was a hiccup. The tournament was scheduled for Easter weekend with the opening games on Good Friday and championship on Easter Sunday.
One parent spoke up to say there was no way he and his son would play in the championship tournament. Another parent, obviously not a church-goer, piped up asking if Good Friday was big deal. The conversation went downhill from there.
Turns out we didn't have to worry. The no-loss kids were defeated in a deciding game after a "hand of God" play in which a key goal by our kids was disallowed after the referee asked the opposing goalie if the puck went in the net. I kid you not. The young goalie gave the answer you'd expect and the dilemma over playing on Good Friday and Easter was passed to another team of 9 and 10-year-olds.
I'm reminded of this story not just because it's Easter weekend, but because of a story published earlier this month by the Globe and Mail about Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer, who is only one of a handful of publicly devout Christian athletes in the NHL.
We all like to balance all aspect of family life - kids' hockey and church are often in conflict.
Wonder what James Reimer, Mike Fisher or Jarome Iginla would do if some goof asked them to play on Good Friday?
There was a hiccup. The tournament was scheduled for Easter weekend with the opening games on Good Friday and championship on Easter Sunday.
One parent spoke up to say there was no way he and his son would play in the championship tournament. Another parent, obviously not a church-goer, piped up asking if Good Friday was big deal. The conversation went downhill from there.
Turns out we didn't have to worry. The no-loss kids were defeated in a deciding game after a "hand of God" play in which a key goal by our kids was disallowed after the referee asked the opposing goalie if the puck went in the net. I kid you not. The young goalie gave the answer you'd expect and the dilemma over playing on Good Friday and Easter was passed to another team of 9 and 10-year-olds.
I'm reminded of this story not just because it's Easter weekend, but because of a story published earlier this month by the Globe and Mail about Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer, who is only one of a handful of publicly devout Christian athletes in the NHL.
We all like to balance all aspect of family life - kids' hockey and church are often in conflict.
Wonder what James Reimer, Mike Fisher or Jarome Iginla would do if some goof asked them to play on Good Friday?
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