What Hockey Means To Our Family...

{This post is part of YummyMummyClub.ca's support of the Dove Men+Care® Hockey Contest. This post reflects my personal opinion and was not influenced by any sponsors. Show your passion for hockey and click here to enter: http://www.familyhockeymoments.ca/}

Anyone who's familiar with our family knows how our son has been crazy about hockey since before he could walk. In fact, 'hockey' was one of his first words and he was playing  with mini hockey sticks when he was just a wee little itty bitty crawler. My husband has enjoyed a lifetime of playing hockey, and so it seems that our little guy was born with this love in his blood from the get-go. There was just no escaping it!

Ty started playing organized hockey as soon as he was eligible to play at 4 years old. And he has been playing ever since. And like thousands of families across Canada, we spend many weekends at local arenas....watching him get his game on and play out his passion.

The thing about this game called hockey is that it has given father & son a bond that is unbreakable. They have spent hours together....shooting pucks, practicing, shopping for gear, driving to practices, travelling to tournaments and playing, playing, playing. They are the best of buds and share together in amazing hockey experiences every week.

Hockey imitates life. There are ups and downs. There are new skills learned. There are friends made and fun times had. There are lessons from winning and even more lessons learned from losing.. And like life, you keep going, working hard, and learning.

It is our hope that our son will take all of these meaningful hockey experiences into adulthood and apply everything he has learned from hockey to real life....things like making friends, teamwork, a can-do attitude, a hard work ethic and being a leader. That is what hockey means to our family....preparation for life.

And to all of you hockey people out there....please don't miss this fantastic opportunity to win a backyard rink for your family and a visit from a hockey legend! Enter a favourite hockey photo for a chance to win....and that should be super easy because if you are like us, you already  have a  gazillion hockey photos!  Hurry.....the deadline for this contest is August 1, 2012.

Show your passion for hockey!  Visit Dove Men+Care® Hockey Contest and submit your family’s favourite hockey photos for a chance to win one of three $15,000 backyard rinks. Plus, one of two legendary hockey players-­---Wendel Clark or Guy Carbonneau-­--will drop the puck at one of your backyard games!  Visit http://www.familyhockeymoments.ca  to enter!