Dec. 19, 2007

Passing the Torch
By Kevin Schmidt

Growing up with my grandfather just a few blocks away, it's safe to say that I was one lucky kid. My Grandpa, Harry, worked at two local arenas in my hometown of Markham, Ontario, as the Head of Public Skating. Ever since I can remember, he would to pick me up outside of my house or school, to take me along to work with him. Grandpa Harry is pretty close with just about everyone, so I was fortunate enough to reap the benefits that he shared with all the employees at these two rinks.

I guess since I was the youngest of four boys in my family, he really paid close attention me. Just about every week, sometimes even twice, Grandpa Harry used to pull me and my close friends out of school to go play shinny hockey during the day. I don't know how he convinced my parents, and others, to allow this to happen, but it went on for quite some time. Maybe it was after the time I shot the puck at him as he was fishing the pucks out of the net and broke his wrist, that he thought maybe we were getting a little too old for this, but it never even ended there.

Grandpa Harry set me up with a part-time job as an open skate attendant during my elementary and middle school years, and as a part-time employee during my early high school years. Here, I became friends with most of the full-time employees, and thus, I kept on receiving the benefits that come along with working at the rink; ice just about anytime I wanted it! I worked at the rink as long as I possibly could, but junior hockey eventually forced me to pass the torch on to some other lucky teenager. However, Grandpa Harry never turned in his keys and fortunately enough for me; I still have my contacts at the rink.

My friends and I still get together every year to play a midnight shinny game on Christmas Eve, and I still get ice because of Grandpa Harry's longevity and love for hockey. I talk to my grandpa twice a week and he listens to every game. He's probably my number one supporter and is a main reason as to why I have been successful in hockey.