Hockey Mom Unplugged

Vineeta Sawkar Branby weighs in on the getting back to true spirit and excitement of playing hockey outdoors.

Article is from our February Hockey Day Minnesota special print/digital issue.

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Hockey Siblings

In this edition of Hockey Mom Unplugged, Vineeta describes, to no one’s surprise, how hockey is truly a family affair and how if affects the siblings.  Great article, as always!

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Journey Thru Juniors

So many hugs.

Everywhere I looked outside of the Super Rink in Blaine, I saw people bracing for hugs and giving hugs. The North American Hockey League (NAHL) Showcase was in town and it was the first time many families were seeing their boys after they sent them off to different cities around the country to pursue a hockey dream.

I was there with a friend whose son had just played. It was great to see his smiling face and get a picture of him hugging her. All the young men were coming outside with their “just showered” hair and dressed nicely in crisp suits. They each scanned the crowd looking for groups of family members beaming with pride. Each young man was slinging a hockey bag over his shoulders.

Made me a little teary.

I miss my boy. His dream has taken him out of the country. Jack is a goaltender for the Winnipeg Blues in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. I still can’t believe it. We knew he wanted to pursue junior hockey but we put down a deposit for college just in case. As the summer progressed, we had to make a decision. It was a dinner with our son that finally sealed it. We had a heart to heart talk and then he said the words that set us on this path, “I will regret it if I don’t give it a shot.” I guess that’s all we had to hear.

So, we made the trek over the border in early September and after several weeks, he was handed the jersey with “Branby” on the back. He is a part of the Winnipeg Blues organization. He is experiencing his favorite sport in a nation that treasures it. Now he begins his journey through juniors.

I am thankful for many things as we watch him chase this dream. Billet families are incredible. We have one of the best. Sweet Alice and her family welcomed Jack with open arms and a wonderful kitchen. When we said goodbye to him on her lawn, I was sad but so happy that he found a place with a family who will support him and be there for him when his parents can only offer advice through a crackly cell phone call.

It’s fun to hear about his life in Canada. They use different words. They approach things in their own way. It’s all a part of the education of playing junior hockey.

Hockey TV is such a gift. It is so nice to see all of the team’s games. It’s still hard for us to not be there in the stands but we watch online even if he is on the bench.

This junior hockey experience is about growth. Growing in your game and growing as a person. This isn’t an easy journey for these guys. It is humbling, challenging and motivating at the same time. When he put on those goaltender pads for the first time as mite, we knew he was hooked.

That love of hockey and of goaltending has directed him to this path. I am excited and nervous for him. In the end, I am so glad he is “giving it a shot.” No regrets. That is the best way to live your life.

Editor’s note: Vineeta has started a Facebook group for other families who have boys in junior hockey. It is called Journey Through Juniors. She invites others to join the group and support each other as our boys go through this incredible experience.

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It never fails. I admit it. I am sort of cliché but I can’t help it. I see a young family with a sweet girl or boy and eventually, the talk turns to hockey.

“Is she skating yet?” I cautiously ask. “You should give hockey a try. It is so much fun.”

The majority of the time — much to my dismay — the young mom or dad smiles and shakes their head no. As I see their expression, I also hear about the cost of the sport, the long drives to far away ice rinks, the early morning practices and the competitiveness of the premiere sport in the state of hockey.

I guess as I watch my 16-year old play high school hockey now, I look back through rose-colored glasses at his journey and really, our family’s journey through hockey. I fondly remember that feeling of carefully helping him put on his equipment and seeing him teeter toward the ice rink precariously on his new skates. Sipping a warm cup of coffee with my husband at a cold rink and chatting with other proud parents in the stands. The same parents who are some of our dearest friends because we shared that journey. From mites through high school, we watched our guys work hard, challenge themselves and then live out a dream.

When I hear that a family would never consider hockey for their youngster because of all the negatives, I am puzzled. I guess I don’t remember any negatives. I do remember that first out of town tournament. The boys hid their knee hockey sticks as they walked by the hotel front desk and then proceeded to play in our room. We rented the biggest room we could find knowing that the squirt players would all want to congregate there. I suppose some people prefer a quiet room but not us. I miss all that commotion. We usually only see our son on the ice at high school hockey tournaments.

For our family, one of the most memorable days was finally relenting after hearing constant pleas from our son. We went to the hockey store and bought him goalie equipment. We couldn’t say no anymore. He looked at us both with a beaming smile and gave us big hugs. It has been quite a ride having him in net since he was eight but I suppose that is fodder for another column.

We hockey parents have a bit of a chip on our shoulders about this great sport. It is truly different. It is a way of life we have embraced and we love. The reason I love to promote the sport to young families is that it has brought such joy and family togetherness to our lives. The hockey community is our family. While some of those concerns, like the cost of our sport, are very real, I hope families know that there are ways to get help. Nothing should keep them from giving it a try.

I don’t need to tie his skates anymore and now he drives himself to the rink or hops in a car with a friend. The pride and joy of watching him play is still there. I guess I don’t dwell on those many games where I shivered in the bleachers. As one of my dearest hockey mom friends says, “It’s about making memories.” We were certainly able to do that and more thanks to the great sport of hockey.

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