Krause Edwards Insurance Pee Wee LL1 - A Solid Showing at the Murray Johnston Tournament in Hagersville
All we hoped for was a good time, some practice for the kids and maybe a weekend of bonding to help our LL1 Peewees get better as a team. As parents we all worry about our kids spirit and certainly don't want them to get "down on Hockey" because of a slow start.
It's about measured expectations. Going to a tournament to face god knows what quality of teams. This year we made a conscious effort not to check stats on the teams we would face-- kind of a take it as it comes kind of outlook, but we were all bracing for a blowout.
Many of the parents arrived late due to the mudslide closing the 403, but we had the full squad there for the first game Friday night against a tough Hagersville team. Many people commented on the comfortable wood stands and that they actually turn on the heaters there! At least we would have a comfortable drubbing! The opposing parents let us know they had won most of their games this year-- The result, after 3-10 minute periods against a fairly aggressive team we were tied at 3 goals a piece--On to the shootout! 2 of our 3 shooters scored and our goalie was solid--we won it!
The coaches rented a party room so the kids and parents could mingle that evening and the consensus seemed to be a little shocked that our kids played so strong, but we weren't getting our hopes set too high! Everyone had a good time and the kids were able to stay up late and sleep in the next day.
The next game happened against Caledonia Saturday evening and wouldn't you know it, our kids did it again. Played their hearts out and worked hard and again…another shootout after 2 goals each in regulation time. Some of our parents were heard asking, "Who are these kids?", since they barely resembled the team that played the first few games this season. They were gritty, tough on the boards and generally outworked the other team again. In the shootout we scored twice and our goalie stoned the other team-- Another Win! This was a hard fought game and we racked up some penalties, (3 in the box at one point), but they were not all the kids fault! That's all I will say about that--but it was entertaining!
To our astonishment-- due to penalties and goal spread, we finished #1 in our pool, ahead of the very skilled Penetang team that had beaten us twice earlier in the season. Again, the parents seemed to be in a haze of elation, the kids were exuberant, and the festering realization that we would be facing the #1 team in the tournament tempered our outlook. Our kids would be facing a team that had only let in 1 goal in 2 games against very tough teams. Everyone congratulated the kids and coaches and resigned ourselves that our kids had already pulled off a miracle, so even if the last game didn't go our way, it was all good.
We went back to the hotel in Brantford with the Elmvale atom team and parents for a pot luck / pizza party. A good time was had by all.
Many of the parents showed up early for the game Sunday evening to see our rival Penetang team play for the B finals. They lost a very ugly game to a Hagersville team by 1. Our Parents had that feeling of dread again. The other pool of teams looked to be stronger.
The game starts-- and again, they competed. The tournament organizers called it the best game of the tournament, back and forth hockey. Sportsmanlike play, Aggressive fore-checking, effective defense on both ends of the rink and it ended in a tie again… 2-2. There had to be a winner and again, decided by shootout! We lost in the shootout against a very hot Simcoe goalie. The parents were impressed, the kids were happy and all was right in the world. We return to Elmvale no longer as underdogs-- but A Pool Finalists that lost in the shootout. Well done Team-- Coaches-- and Parents for raising such proper little sportsmen.