Who would have thought, in one's wildest dreams and imaginations, that a Filipino will write an article about ice hockey? The task of writing is not a rocket science, in fact it is simple. Coincidentally there is an Urdanetanian who is Canadian citizen for almost 39 years now and has been a Canadian hockey dad for 15 years. However the intent of this Urdanetanian is neither to promote nor to proselytize anyone to be a hockey fan.

     With that having said, there is a certain amount of historical irony in my effort, to share with you a game that is not only synonymous with Canada, but also very much part of the Canadian culture and tradition. But first let me punctiliously give meaning to the hyphenated four words used in the title.

     Canadian, anyone who is indigenous and citizen of this cold, but beautiful and great country. Filipino by definition is intriguing. Reason being, through all those years of my involvement in hockey, I noticed the conspicuous absence of players from the Philippines or of Filipino origin. Frankly on numerous occasions, I found myself the only Filipino, amidst a vast crowd of hockey parents, fans, etc. in the hockey arenas. This is indicative of the rarity of Filipinos in the Canadian hockey social and /or cultural milieu. This is another reason why I was compelled to write this article Hockey dad, is just like any other dad who has every reason to be supportive to be supportive, happy and proud of his child's athletic involvement or accomplishment. Contextually an Urdanetanian doesn't need to be defined.

     As indicated earlier, it is ironic that a former Urdanetanian writes an article about what it is like to be in the inner sanctum of this iconic Canadian game. When I came to Canada in 1974, as expected from  a new immigrant, I didn't have a clue about the game of hockey whatsoever. Obviously I don't know how to skate on the ice, never seen a skate in my life before! My wife, who was my girlfriend then, (a British from Liverpool, England came to Canada, grew up here and learned how to skate like any other Canadian kid) offered me a skating lesson. I tried painstakingly, but after falling and hurting my knees numerous times, the whole lesson was just an exercise in futility. It was an opportunity of a lifetime, but was virtually impossible (I thought) for 21 yrs. old young man fresh from Urdaneta, to learn how to skate. What do you expect! Moreover those days, I didn't care and to put it bluntly, I was nonchalant to the hockey world.  By a quirk of fate however, my perception and attitude towards the game gradually changed over the years, it couldn't be otherwise.



      Fast forward to 1997. . .  The pivotal point of my hockey life was when I officially became a hockey dad.  My wife and I registered our son, Brian in a hockey team in our neighborhood. He was seven years old at that time, by Canadian standard he was a late bloomer. Most Canadian kids start playing hockey at four or five years old. As Brian gradually adjusted to the game, I also learned the intricacies and dynamics of game. However, my purpose is not to explain how the game is played, but to share with you my fascinating experience in the Canadian hockey world.



     A hockey dad is no stranger to the woes and pains of a hockey life.  One of them is the rigorous early morning (sometimes at 5:00 during weekends) routine, to wake up your son for a hockey practice. What makes it more challenging, is to brave the sub-zero freezing temperature, shovel a mountain of snow in the drive way, at times drive through a  blizzard to get to the hockey arena. The practice usually takes about an hour or more. One of the most exciting parts of course is the actual game. It has been said that the game of hockey is violent and players have been known to be pugnacious. That is statement is preposterous. Not only that I challenge the veracity of that statement, but also I want to debunk such cliché.  Hockey is a very fast and competitive sport. It requires intensity, tenacity and audacity from the players. In the lexicon of hockey parents, rough and tough is a part of the game. Bear in mind that the players are just ordinary kids, sometimes rambunctious, most of the times very disciplined. At the end of every game, players from both teams demonstrate their sportsmanship by the customary shaking of hands. A very typical classic Canadian act indeed! - (Continued to page 8)

​