As an ice hockey player, I cannot tell you how offended I was to see this picture……it seems like everyone wants to muscle in on our sport.  It looks almost like an ice rink from afar.  But this picture is actually from Phillipi, West Virginia and is the home field of Alderson-Broaddus College, and this picture in particular is of them playing the Lindenwood Lions, the NCAA Division II team my daughter plays for.  And yes, there she is in the middle.

But I couldn’t believe how much this looked like an ice rink from above (AND FAR AWAY).  The ABC field was “under construction” and there were NO SEATS and we were all forced to watch the game from the side of a muddy and snowy hill.  It was a mess, but the Lions got up 10 real quick to make it a running clock and the game then went far faster than it would have been.  (Although I am sure the other team felt like it went on forever!)

But it was great to see her and the team play.  Regular readers will know that being able to do this was one of the primary reasons I retired as a high school women’s lacrosse coach.  Steph has this year and next, and then maybe I will hop back into it again, but for now I am enjoying just being the dad!!  It is pretty cool, I do not have to yell at anyone!!  All the refs seem to like me again!

John Denver used to sing that it was almost heaven here, but I am sure he never stood in the middle of the mud and the snow just outside the scope of his vision.  I have, and I therefore believe that almost is a stretch.  But seeing Steph is what makes it worthwhile, and I can get that vision anywhere we see her.    And I am glad we did!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+