Motts in Maple Syrup

Well, it has been a very busy summer here, so much so that we have failed to turn out a single blog since May. So we decided that we needed to bite the bullet this Thanksgiving Long Weekend and knock a couple out – the first being coverage of the kids spring sports.

As always sport is very much associated with a season - at home it is normally summer and winter sports whereas here you also need to add spring and fall sports – so the sport seasons are a bit shorter. This spring the boys decided to play Rugby Union and Ball Hockey. Ball Hockey is just like Ice Hockey except you play on concrete (Ice hockey rink with no ice), you use a ball and wear shoes instead of skates.

It is probably the first time that Ben has been extremely keen to play any sport and I put that down to the coach and managers of his club (this is particularly in contrast with the coach and managers of Tom and Jared’s team but more on that later).

I think the highlight of Ben's season was his game as goalie. He did let a couple of goals in - usually because he was picking his nose or his backside, but the team won.

All suited up and ready for battle!

Benny in action.

As is customary at the completion of the game, the team swarms the goalie in appreciation of their efforts. I think this was Ben's favourite part as he doesn't mind being the centre of attention.

Benny being thanked by the team.

Ben progressed very well given he had not even seen the game, let alone played it before and they never trained. In fact they did so well, that they made it all the way to the last play-off game only losing 3 games throughout the season. Unfortunately in the final play-off they were blown away and ended up losing 11 to 5. Either way, Benny loves the game and continues to ask when it starts again. He had a blast and the coach and staff were awesome.

The Runners Up.

While Benny's team was awesomely organised, Tom and Jared's was anything but. It was a bit like Lord of the Flies and a fight for survival - and that was before the game in the change room! Despite that the boys enjoyed the new sport and also made it to the play-offs although they bowed out quite early in the piece.

Jared in the face off.

Tom defending well.

Tom and Jared before the play-off.

The team after bowing out.

Rugby was very well organised and well financed with Rugby Canada playing a part even at the junior level. Training through the season included a visit from the Canadian National team and the boys escorted players onto the ground for the international between Canada and Tonga. It was appropriate I think, that our boys escorted Tongans rather than Canadians.