Hockey

I did not grow up watching sports or following a sports team. While I did play sports as a kid, I still wouldn't say that I was one hundred percent sure of all the rules. And other than the fact that it involved ice skates, I would say that hockey was one of the sports that I knew the least about.

Which is why it surprises even me that I am writing about hockey as one of my delights. Nevertheless, here I am!

When Pete and I were first married, he split a quarter season ticket package for the Columbus Blue Jackets with some of his friends. Over time those friends weren't interested in sharing the tickets any longer, and instead of letting them go, Pete decided that we--the girls and I--would take over the tickets. 

Honestly, I was not excited at the prospect of going to so many games. Sophie and I usually went to opening night with him, which was always fun, but as I mentioned before, I knew next to nothing about the team or the sport and how it is played.

I had to find a way to make this interesting, so I started with the human interest aspect--learning about all the players and following them on social media to see what they were like. But, little by little the game started rubbing off on me. 

I used to think that icing was stopping quickly on your skates and spraying ice on someone or that offside was when a player shoved another off the sides of the ice rink. But now I could at least explain those things on an elementary level, or, believe it or not, even notice when they happen. And, perhaps even more shocking to those who know me, I actually own, not one, but four Blue Jackets shirts! And, I actually wear them!

Last week, we attended the final Blue Jackets game of the season, and it was fun and delightful to watch the game, cheer on the Blue Jackets as a family, and get caught up in the excitement and camaraderie of win. I've come a long way from the non-sports-fan person that I was for most of my life, and I am pleasantly surprised to say that I am a hockey fan.