Work, Hockey & Golf…

Posted on Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 3:46 pm

Hi everyone, it has been a couple of weeks since I updated so there are a few things that have been going on. Our work with our summer off ice training group has been going really well. Like I said in my last blog it is great to see the parents with such enthusiasm, but it is even better to see kids that want to train so hard and enjoy working on their game so much. One of the groups we have are all Jr A players and a couple that play Major Jr A, now those kids keep us on our toes, they work really hard and have me pushed to the edge when I am training with them. Oh to be young again! It has been really good to be involved in the program with the kids, last summer all I did was my own workout and play poker all day and it got to be a bit boring by the end of the summer. With this camp we are working about 6 hours a day (not much in “real life” standards but lots for me!) so it is keeping us more than busy compared to last year.

I am looking forward to the season so much this year. A couple more signings for us that complete an already great defence. I think we are going to have a lot of firepower back there which is going to give us another element to our offence. I think most teams are just finishing up there signings as are we, I think we match up great against the other teams and there will be some very entertaining hockey this year in Belfast. On another hockey note, for those of you who have been following the NHL free agency, there have been a couple of interesting signings around the league, with some big money being spent. I can’t believe how many NHLers are going to play over in that new Russian league, I am sure they are paying some big money over there as well. Ray Emery, the former Senators goalie just signed in Russia for next year. He was on a sports show the other day and said part of his deal was to include a full time body guard! Not sure how that is supposed to work, but good luck to him! Another hockey note, Dallas Drake from the Red wings is from the next town over from where we are and he is bringing the Stanley Cup there tomorrow. I have seen it a couple of times at the Hockey Hall of Fame so probably won’t be going over to see it, but congrats to him!

Everything else has been going well, weather here has been pretty hot, in the 30’s every day, so we do most of our workouts in the morning before it gets too hot. Petrol prices in Canada are rising at a pretty high rate and people are getting pretty upset about it. I think it is about$1.50 Canadian a litre, so about 75p. Not bad compared to UK standards, but considering last summer it was just over $1, it is quite an increase.

Anyone who remembers my brother David being a hockey goalie, well he is now David the golfer. He is 18 and getting really good, his handicap is a 4 right now and he expects to be below a 1 by the end of the summer. He is trying to follow in my footsteps in getting a scholarship to the States, only for golf though. He is pretty unreal now and I won’t be playing him for money anytime soon. I am bringing my clubs back with me and if we do have a free day this year look forward to playing some of the great courses over there again. Two years ago we used to play at Royal Belfast all the time but I am not sure if we have that “hook up” anymore. (so if anyone has any good golf hook ups, please contact me!)

I will leave things there for now, but before I go I have to mention Gordie the Gorilla. I know he is very excited to get his new suit this year and sweat it up in there at the Odyssey! I know all the players appreciate his effort and enthusiasm, keep it up big fella!

Colin Shields