Lessons from the Hockey Rink:

A Grandma’s Perspective

There’s something about walking into a cold hockey rink that gives you time to think.

The kids are already there. They’ve been there early—always early. Long before the puck ever drops, they’ve been warming up, skating laps, stretching, practicing shots, laughing, falling, getting back up, trying again.

They’ve spent far more time preparing for the game than they will actually spend playing it.

And as a Grandma, I arrive just in time. I find a spot on the bench, settle in, and watch them skate onto the ice—helmets on, shoulders back, hearts full.

And every time, it reminds me…

The rink is full of life lessons.

“From a Grandma’s seat on the bench, I see it clearly: this isn’t just a sport.”

This is what I mean when I say it’s more than a game. It’s where confidence is built, resilience is shaped, and courage becomes muscle memory.

Preparation Changes Everything

It’s only cold if you’re not properly dressed for it.

When you come prepared—warm boots, good mitts, layers, maybe even a thermos of something hot—the cold doesn’t defeat you. It becomes part of the experience.

Life works the same way.

Storms will come. Challenges will show up. Disappointments will happen. But when we prepare—mentally, emotionally, spiritually—we don’t freeze when life gets uncomfortable. We move through it.

Our habits, our mindset, our support systems, our faith, our willingness to learn… these are our layers. They don’t prevent hardship, but they help us endure it.

Warm-Ups Matter (In Life Too)

No one steps onto the ice cold.

They stretch.
They skate easy laps.
They find their rhythm.

In life, we forget this.

We expect ourselves to jump into big seasons, big conversations, big changes without warming up emotionally or mentally. We shame ourselves for needing time. But warming up isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

Preparation doesn’t slow us down.
It strengthens us.

Sometimes You Win. Sometimes You Learn.

Scoreboards tell one story. Growth tells another.

Some days you win.
Some days you lose.
And some days, you learn.

And those learning days? They’re often the most valuable.

Loss teaches resilience.
Mistakes teach awareness.
Disappointment teaches depth.

Some of the most important lessons in life don’t come with medals. They come with reflection.

What Hockey Really Gives Our Kids

From the stands, it might look like it’s all about goals, assists, and scoreboards. But when you watch closely—really watch—you see something much deeper happening.

Hockey builds bodies, yes. It strengthens hearts, lungs, legs, and balance. It teaches coordination, endurance, and confidence in movement.

But it also builds minds.

It teaches kids how to think under pressure. How to make quick decisions. How to recover after mistakes. How to stay focused when things don’t go their way.

And maybe most importantly, it builds character.

They learn teamwork—how to show up for others.
They learn discipline—how effort compounds over time.
They learn resilience—how to fall and get back up.
They learn humility—how to win with grace and lose with dignity.
They learn courage—how to try even when it’s hard.

From a Grandma’s seat on the bench, I see it clearly: this isn’t just a sport.

It’s a shaping ground for confidence.
For grit.
For belonging.
For becoming.

And yes—every early morning, every long drive, every cold rink… it’s worth it.

Skill Comes From Practice

Nobody is born knowing how to skate.

They wobble.
They fall.
They scrape.
They get back up.

Confidence doesn’t come first. Competence does.

And competence only comes from practice.

This is true for everything—relationships, leadership, health, healing, parenting, grandparenting, and becoming the person we’re meant to be.

We don’t arrive skilled.
We become skilled.

The Hardest Lesson: Letting Go of Control

As grandparents—and parents—we watch them step onto the ice knowing we can’t protect them from everything.

We can’t skate for them.
We can’t fall for them.
We can’t prevent every injury.

And last week, that became painfully real when my granddaughter broke her ankle during hockey.

It stopped me in my tracks.

Suddenly, all the metaphors became real.

Our Real Job: Love, Not Control

We can’t control what happens—but we can control how we love.

We can remind them they are more than their performance.
We can help them process disappointment.
We can teach them to become better, not bitter.

That’s the real win.

A Real-Life Reminder

Last week, all of these lessons became very real for our family.

My granddaughter broke her ankle during hockey. And suddenly, the rink wasn’t just a place of metaphors—it was a place of worry, waiting, and prayer.

Her surgery went well, and for that, we are deeply grateful.

But like so many moments in life, it reminded me of something important: we don’t get to choose every circumstance our children or grandchildren face. We can’t wrap them in bubble wrap. We can’t skate the hard moments for them.

What we can do is be there.

We can sit on the bench when they need us.
We can hold space for their tears.
We can remind them of their strength.
We can help them see that setbacks don’t define them—how they grow through them does.

The rink keeps teaching me that life is not about never falling.

It’s about:
• Preparing well
• Practicing often
• Learning deeply
• Loving fiercely
• And growing through what we don’t choose

And maybe—just maybe—that’s what winning really looks like.