My Passion By: Ethan Sherle

The Smell The smell of the freshly cleaned ice when I walk into the warm lobby, escaping the chilly, unforgiving weather outside. Smelling the warm, mouth watering foods at the concession and the wet hockey bags that smell like a big bag full of garbage. Walking into the dressing room and unpacking your bag and either smell the fresh, washed and dried equipment and jerseys, or smelling the unwashed, wet, stinky hockey gear as you open up your bag. Stepping onto the bench and smelling the excitement of a championship game or a tournament game. Getting onto the ice for warm up and skating up and down the ice smelling the fear in the enemy team. Getting off the ice and back into the warm, stinky dressing room and taking off your sweaty, wet hockey gear and back into your old spice smelling clothes. Walking back out into the lobby, looking for your parents you smell the delicious foods at the concession once again and the smell of victory or the smell of defeat.

The Sight The Sight of the rec center in your vision after a long drive far away from home and the sight of your friends walking into the rink. Seeing the lobby packed with families watching their kids play and seeing kids younger or older playing the best game on ice. Swiftly walking to the dressing rooms and seeing your teammates talking amongst each other and greeting you as you put your heavy hockey bag down. Opening your hockey bag hoping you remember all of your equipment and the sight of all of your gear in there, as you think to yourself “ You got lucky this time”. The sight of the Zamboni cleaning up the ice and seeing the other team down the hallway. Getting onto the ice, getting the puck and looking around to find a teammate for a pass. The sight of the score at the of the game and seeing your teams score is greater than the enemy team. Getting unchanged and walking out into the lobby again and the sight of parents talking to there friends and there kids. Finding your parents and driving back and the sight of your warm, cozy house.

The Sound The sound of the freshly sharpened skates on the ice and the sound of the puck hitting against the post or the crossbar. The sound of skates getting sharpened and the sound of the yells of pass or shoot coming for the coaches and players. The sound of the coward minor league or major league when you score or make a good play. The sound of the puck hitting the boards and the sound of somebody getting hit into the boards or in open ice. The sound of the your teams bench support every play you make and always has your back. The sound of the Velcro strap when putting on my gear and the sound of sock tape wrapping around my leg. The sound of the sticks smashing against the post after you keep losing even single game but you keep going out thinking it will be different but it is not and it just drives you insane (Got a little carried away there). The sound of the puck hitting the ice on the opening face-off and the sticks clashing against each other.

The Taste The taste of water after you have a long shift or before a game when the nerves kick in. Also the taste of the of a cold Pepsi or coke- cola from the venting machine or the delicious, warm foods from the concession stands. Getting a hot chocolate and having it warm you to the core. The taste of the blood in the water when you are beat a team so bad you start to feel bad for them. Tasting the freshly clean and soft looking ice and the sharp skates cutting into the ice like a hot knife through butter. Tasting and smelling the fresh and warm skate blades after they have been sharpened. Tasting the gold medal or the championship gold at the end of the tournament or playoffs games. Tasting and feeling the energy, joy and fear from the crowd and sometimes you can taste the venters peanuts or there smooth, cool soft drinks that they sell to the crowd. Finally tasting the delicious sweet of victory and the sour and disgusting taste of defeat.

The Touch Touching and holding your first pair of hockey skates and your first hockey stick and feeling that excitement and joy and being super excited to test them out at the next practice or game. Feeling the warmness on your hand as you hold your hot chocolate in your hands as you watch your friends game or walking out into the chilly, unrelenting weather. Holding a championship trophy or banter and feeling the joy and relief of holding that championship up high and feeling a sense of a complement. The feeling of make a good pass or the feeling of score the game winning goal in a crucial game. Feeling and holding the puck in your glove after making a fantastic save on a break away. Touching and holding a autographed picture or stick from your favourite player that still play right now or a former player who used to play when you were young or that you read about them or saw highlight from when they played.