Confessions of a Hockey Mom

Peshie Needleman

             I may complain a lot about my family’s obsession with hockey, but deep down, I’m grateful.

             Of course I complain; I’m the one who has to patiently sort through roller blades, ice skates, shin guards, jerseys, knee and elbow pads, and helmets.  It is not uncommon to find a puck lying on my dining room table or a face mask in the playroom.  Hockey is a big part of our lives, thanks to Yeshiva Hockey.

             My son Tzvi joined Yeshiva Hockey in its inaugural year and, together with my husband who plays on the Forshay Flyers every Thursday night, convinced our family that hockey is the perfect sport.  While baseball, basketball, and soccer depend on good weather, ice hockey can be played all year round.  It’s the perfect way to let off the steam that sometimes builds up when school keeps you sitting still all day.  Yeshiva Hockey is an organized, well-structured way for our boys to have fun in a Heimeshe setting – including pre-session Divrei Torah!

       Tzvi has developed both discipline and grace from his Yeshiva Hockey experience.  He has learned the importance of being a team player; he knows that sometimes he should pass the puck instead of trying for the goal himself. Better yet, as many fellow hockey moms have reported, the boys come home on Sunday evenings thoroughly tired out and don’t put up the usual bedtime fight!

     Under Rabbi Yehudah Koblick’s gentle and responsible management, the boys develop strong skills in skating, stick-handling, shooting, and game play while having fun participating in games, contests, and exciting drills. Here’s another great plus:  all Yeshiva Hockey participants receive half price skating during any public sessions at Sport-O-Rama – so the boys have more opportunity to practice their skills.

        The entire Needleman family has been swept into this craze.  Even my two year old Yosef who is, alas, too young for skates, asks for his sister’s old pink roller skates, grabs a small hockey stick, and skates around with the family.  One memorable evening even found me in the garage with the kids, shooting pucks.  (Me! Who spent five years in sleepaway camp never scoring a single point in baseball, volleyball, and basketball!) 

       Yes, I’ve become quite the hockey maven since Yeshiva Hockey came into our lives.  But… are you?  

Note: Don’t worry if you score low on this test.  You can still sign up for Yeshiva Hockey- all you need is the ability to skate across the ice.  Yehudah and his crew will take care of the rest.

 TAKE PESHIE NEEDLEMAN’S ICE HOCKEY CHALLENGE: ARE YOU A MAVEN, A MASTER, OR JUST PLAIN CLUELESS?

 

  1. Who is NOT a Yeshiva Hockey coach: (a) Cozz

                                                               (b) Mark Doherty

                                                               (c) Lipa Schmeltzer

                                                               (d) Gene Katz .

 

  1. Which is NOT an official Yeshiva Hockey team color:

(a)  red

(b)  gold

(c)  navy

(d)  lavender.

 

  1. How does a Yeshiva Hockey Mother get her son to do his homework?

(a)  Offers candy

(b)  Begs him

(c)  Does it for him

(d)  Tell him that he’ll be doing the dishes instead of playing hockey Sunday afternoon   

 

  1. Which is something NOT necessary to wear if you want to play ice hockey:

(a)  mouth guard

(b)  helmet

(c)  neck guard

(d)  tights

 

  1. Which is NOT a legal brand name of hockey equipment:

(a)  Easton

(b)  Sher-wood

(c)  Clinique

(d)  Bauer

 

  1. What do you have to do to your skates after every six games:

(a)  rub them with olive oil.

(b)  Hang them upside down in a steamy room

(c)  Touch up scratches with clear nail polish

(d)   Have them professionally sharpened

 

  1. Who is a famous hockey player:

(a)  Gordy Howe

(b)  Michael Jordan

(c)  Tom Seaver

(d)  YoYo Needleman.

 

  1. When you are in the stands watching your son play on the Yeshiva Hockey league and he scores, what is appropriate for you to do:

 

(a)  Break out the pompoms.

(b)  Go next door and buy him a victory slurpee.

(c)  Shout, “Way to go! I’m so proud! Who’s my cutest son?”

(d)  Run out on to the ice with a video camera.

 

  1. (This is a difficult one!) The winner of the Stanley cup playoffs won:

(a): a trip to Eretz Yisroel

(b): A custom wig by Shevy

(c): A Magic Mill

(d): The Stanley cup

 

  1. When should you sign your son up:

(a)  after you clean out the gunk in your sink drain

(b)  Mid November

(c)  When I find my lost cell phone.

(d)  NOW!

 

YESHIVA HOCKEY

Yeshiva Hockey is offering TWO  FREE INTRODUCTORY CLINICS for boys ages 8-13 years:

Sunday, September 10th  4:30pm – 6:00pm

Sunday, September 17th  4:30pm – 6:00pm

 Skates, sticks, and helmets are provided free of charge for introductory clinics only; full equipment purchase is necessary for the official Yeshiva Hockey Winter Program.

 MESIVTA HOCKEY – NEW!

Yeshiva Hockey is offering a FREE INTRODUCTORY CLINIC for the new Mesivta Hockey program for boys ages 14-17 years:

 

Friday, September 29th  1:15pm – 2:30pm

 

Skates, sticks, and helmets are provided free of charge for introductory clinics only; full equipment purchase is necessary for the official Mesivta Hockey Winter Program.

 

Mesivta Hockey will meet at Sport-0-Rama Ice Rink on Friday afternoons between 1:15pm-2:30pm. Details to follow – check out our website: www.yeshivahockey.com