For those of you who may not have known, there was a lockout in the NHL this past year that resulted in over half of the games in the 2012-2013 season being cancelled. Anyone who spends time with me has learned from me either proudly (pre lockout) or begrudgingly (during the lockout) that for the first time in my life this past year I became a season ticketholder for the Philadelphia Flyers. Needless to say the recent news that the lockout had ended made me very happy. Strangely enough as I reflect back on it, my relationship with the sport of hockey as I know it began here at camp.
As a camper in the late 90s and early 2000s, hockey was by far the most popular sport on camp. At the time, it was the only sport represented by a camp t-shirt until it was replaced by Gaga after shirt production was halted due to various labor disputes. It is emblematic of the fanaticism of hockey fans in general as well its popularity at Ockanickon at the time. It was not uncommon for boys to bring their sticks from home, and to be on the hockey team at the Ocky Olympics was a right of passage and immense honor for many.
I never played organized hockey, and this is not a story about how picking up a hockey stick at a Y camp propelled me to a hall of fame career . Where hockey made its biggest impact on me was the time that I spent chatting with my newfound friends and listening to them talk about something that they were genuinely passionate about that was completely new to me. It was also, years later, in watching a good friend of mine and longtime camp staff member, Wayne, practicing on the Ockanickon Basketball courts after dark blasting old school Metallica. Regardless of one’s initial attitude towards something, when given the opportunity to enjoy that thing with a close friend, it is hard for them not to become passionate about it too. It is the shared positive memories that help us discover new skills, new careers, new passions, and in my case a love of hockey.
The next time you have the opportunity to share in a friend’s hobby, or to try something that you may not be good at or know very little about, go ahead and do it. It may end up changing your life.
Enjoy the season!
James