The Cheering From The Stands
It will be hard to imagine the scene I paint with these words if you don’t live in or have never visited Canada in the winter time.
The setting is taking place in the Jack Burger Hockey Arena in Port Hope, Ontario last evening. The players are about 8 years old. The cold stands are occupied by parents and grandparents of the yet to be famous hockey players on the ice. The two groups represented two communities – one from Whitby and the other from Cobourg.
This is hockey at its best. It is a snapshot of Canada and its roots.
As the players poured on to the ice a mighty cheer rose from the stands. The cheer was equal to any cheer for any major sporting team in the world. These are our boys and girls! There is no one better and no game more important than this one! This is Hockey. This is Canada!
Some of the background…
It is a week of school break over the Christmas holiday. Through out the week in different arenas across our area Hockey Tournaments are held for many different ages. Each and every arena is a hum of activity. This particular Hockey Tournament involved about eight teams from a surrounding area covering about a 60 mile radius. They have played all day and the game we are watching now is the third one for these teams.
My son-in-law and about four other men coach this dynamic team of 8 year olds. It is a big commitment for the men and boys. Practice and play fills each week before they arrive at a tournament like this.
Add one final mix to the setting families support this – usually moms and dads that sit and cheer on their players.
Back to the arena…
In the stands there is talking, coffee drinking and shivering adults. Generally the crowd is quiet… with a few minor ‘encouragements’ to referees to help them make better calls. You know the “kind that know better” than anyone else.
Now last night… for my grandson Thomas we number 11 people in the stands. This is a bit of increase over the average cheering group per player of three – maybe four.
We were not quiet. There were no signs to tell us to be quiet. This is hockey Canada style. And we are hockey people that cheer at the least little thing happening.
Well I have to tell you when Thomas came on to the ice his 11 fans made more noise than anyone. Go Thomas Go! Go Thomas Go! Go Thomas Go! We may unnerved him a little but he looked up and waved to us from his defensive position on the left side of the ice. Then he grinned. His people were there for him.
Our cheering didn’t stop there. Every little play or every major play we erupted with a roar. This was the most important game ever to be played. By ‘we’ I mean – the group of 11 – Thomas’ group. The Thomas Cheer Team was alive.
I noticed the affect we had as the first period was progressing. Other parents were joining in to the cheer action. Together we cheered, “Go Whitby Go!” Go Whitby Go! Go Whitby Go! Go Whitby Go! It became a roar that was almost deafening.
The next great play was by a Cobourg star… then it happened… the other half of the stands began to cheer… Go Cobourg Go! Go Cobourg Go! Go Cobourg Go! Go Cobourg Go!
Then we all clapped and cheered for the teams and laughed and hollered until we were hoarse. This is Canada and this is hockey.
Later in the entrance foyer area Thomas’ group of 11 waited for their star. After he changed his clothes and came through the big doors another cheer erupted for Thomas. This is the stuff stars are made of – an audience that adores their player.
Thomas grinned from ear to ear. His Group of 11 had been there for him. We beamed – this was our man.
Real life application…
As I have pondered this game last evening( and others) I have thought of how powerful a little enthusiasm is to the people that witness it.
Thomas’ group of 11 made the stands do something. It wasn’t long before the crowd was responding along with them. And Thomas was grinning as he savoured the action of the crowd.
What would happen if every kid was surrounded by a group of 11? What would happen to the family if every time there was the smallest thing or even trivial action was cheered on?
Can you imagine the affect on all the “players” in your family? Can you imagine the affect on the community that the family lives in?
I dare to say that things would improve and even get better in the next game. And most of all little girls and boys would begin to grin from ear to ear.
A little encouragement goes a long way. The encouragers are most blest however – ordinary becomes extraordinary in a few minutes and every one joins in the cheer.
By The Way…
Whitby won. Thomas didn’t score a goal – he played his position well as the best defenseman on the ice(I think..) and stripped the puck from advancing ‘forwards’ about 90 % of the time.
Go Thomas Go!
Go Thomas Go!
Go Thomas Go!
A Proud Grandpa – you better believe it. We are the group of 11 – actually a group of 13 with dad and Thomas!
~ Pastor Murray ~
The setting is taking place in the Jack Burger Hockey Arena in Port Hope, Ontario last evening. The players are about 8 years old. The cold stands are occupied by parents and grandparents of the yet to be famous hockey players on the ice. The two groups represented two communities – one from Whitby and the other from Cobourg.
This is hockey at its best. It is a snapshot of Canada and its roots.
As the players poured on to the ice a mighty cheer rose from the stands. The cheer was equal to any cheer for any major sporting team in the world. These are our boys and girls! There is no one better and no game more important than this one! This is Hockey. This is Canada!
Some of the background…
It is a week of school break over the Christmas holiday. Through out the week in different arenas across our area Hockey Tournaments are held for many different ages. Each and every arena is a hum of activity. This particular Hockey Tournament involved about eight teams from a surrounding area covering about a 60 mile radius. They have played all day and the game we are watching now is the third one for these teams.
My son-in-law and about four other men coach this dynamic team of 8 year olds. It is a big commitment for the men and boys. Practice and play fills each week before they arrive at a tournament like this.
Add one final mix to the setting families support this – usually moms and dads that sit and cheer on their players.
Back to the arena…
In the stands there is talking, coffee drinking and shivering adults. Generally the crowd is quiet… with a few minor ‘encouragements’ to referees to help them make better calls. You know the “kind that know better” than anyone else.
Now last night… for my grandson Thomas we number 11 people in the stands. This is a bit of increase over the average cheering group per player of three – maybe four.
We were not quiet. There were no signs to tell us to be quiet. This is hockey Canada style. And we are hockey people that cheer at the least little thing happening.
Well I have to tell you when Thomas came on to the ice his 11 fans made more noise than anyone. Go Thomas Go! Go Thomas Go! Go Thomas Go! We may unnerved him a little but he looked up and waved to us from his defensive position on the left side of the ice. Then he grinned. His people were there for him.
Our cheering didn’t stop there. Every little play or every major play we erupted with a roar. This was the most important game ever to be played. By ‘we’ I mean – the group of 11 – Thomas’ group. The Thomas Cheer Team was alive.
I noticed the affect we had as the first period was progressing. Other parents were joining in to the cheer action. Together we cheered, “Go Whitby Go!” Go Whitby Go! Go Whitby Go! Go Whitby Go! It became a roar that was almost deafening.
The next great play was by a Cobourg star… then it happened… the other half of the stands began to cheer… Go Cobourg Go! Go Cobourg Go! Go Cobourg Go! Go Cobourg Go!
Then we all clapped and cheered for the teams and laughed and hollered until we were hoarse. This is Canada and this is hockey.
Later in the entrance foyer area Thomas’ group of 11 waited for their star. After he changed his clothes and came through the big doors another cheer erupted for Thomas. This is the stuff stars are made of – an audience that adores their player.
Thomas grinned from ear to ear. His Group of 11 had been there for him. We beamed – this was our man.
Real life application…
As I have pondered this game last evening( and others) I have thought of how powerful a little enthusiasm is to the people that witness it.
Thomas’ group of 11 made the stands do something. It wasn’t long before the crowd was responding along with them. And Thomas was grinning as he savoured the action of the crowd.
What would happen if every kid was surrounded by a group of 11? What would happen to the family if every time there was the smallest thing or even trivial action was cheered on?
Can you imagine the affect on all the “players” in your family? Can you imagine the affect on the community that the family lives in?
I dare to say that things would improve and even get better in the next game. And most of all little girls and boys would begin to grin from ear to ear.
A little encouragement goes a long way. The encouragers are most blest however – ordinary becomes extraordinary in a few minutes and every one joins in the cheer.
By The Way…
Whitby won. Thomas didn’t score a goal – he played his position well as the best defenseman on the ice(I think..) and stripped the puck from advancing ‘forwards’ about 90 % of the time.
Go Thomas Go!
Go Thomas Go!
Go Thomas Go!
A Proud Grandpa – you better believe it. We are the group of 11 – actually a group of 13 with dad and Thomas!
~ Pastor Murray ~
PS - Meet Thomas Glen Rourke
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Thursday, December 28, 2006
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