A rose by any other name

One memorable event from my days coaching Junior B hockey occurred in Crystal Lake Illinois. I had been working that week in New Jersey on my regular employment in customer service. The hockey team had a game schedule Friday evening against Crystal Lake in their home rink. I also was meeting a new player and his mother to sign the contracts.

I flew into O’Hare Friday afternoon and drove to Crystal Lake ice rink. There I met Brent and his mother in the snack bar. After the usual pleasantries we took care of the paperwork and relaxed with a cup of coffee to wait for the team to arrive for the game. While we were waiting a player came through the snack bar. He was partly bald with a pigtail hanging down his back. He had tattoos up and down both arms. He was dressed in ragged jeans and a Def Leppard T shirt. He was carrying a military sea bag and a couple of hockey sticks that looked like they were dripping blood. Brent’s mother stared at him as he passed through and then turned to me with the question” Does my son have to play against things like that?” I calmly replied to her “He’s on our team”. I then explained to her that Mike played lead guitar in a heavy metal band and that was his image.

Today Mike lives on the Gulf Coast, owns a charter fishing boat, taking people out to catch the big one. He’s involved with model shoots similar to the Playboy swimsuit issue. And he is still involved with the music scene.

I’m always reminded of the old saying that a boy on ice is not in hot water.