What do you mean today is the last day of May?

Really?

You've got to be kidding me right? Wasn't it just a couple days ago that we just had spring break? Apparently I missed the entire months of April and May as tomorrow is June 1, 2011. The last 2 months have literally flown by. Heck I was in Chicago on April 29th and that feels like it was just a couple days ago. I really can't fathom that the year is approaching the halfway point. I know the primary reason and unfortunately that's not going to change anytime soon. Oh well moving right along...

Frudoch finished up the tryout process last weekend and for a change we are happy with the result. Not ecstatic, but happy. He did very very well in his first tryout for a spot on the Tier 1 Ohio AAA Blue Jackets. Well enough that the coach needed an extra couple hours of tryouts to get those last few spots sorted out. Over those 3 tryouts Fru played masterful. Never the flashy player, but always the workhorse you build teams around. As I left the tryout I knew he was close. However this year that team would be part of the Tier 1 Elite League and frankly the amount of money this season would have cost was going to be crazy. This league stretches from coast to coast and is serious. We did decide that if he made it we would let him play and worry about the money later. How many chances do you get to fulfill a dream? When the phone range the next day I knew the answer immediately from the tone of the coaches voice. Not this year for AAA hockey. However, the coach said he was indeed a AAA player and would love to have him on the team. He was that close--razor thin margin. When you consider he played A and down a birth year its amazing they didn't laugh him off the ice. He made a quantum leap. So that brought us to last weekend where we had 4 tryouts over 3 days to hopefully avoid last years saga of not having a spot. Armed with the recommendation of the AAA team we decided which league would be best and did the tryout. Fru was not feeling 100%, but played great in the first 2 only to be cut from AA contention after just minutes. I was dumbfounded. He however worked even harder in the other groups tryouts and was on a island with a couple other kids clearly better than anybody else. Come Sunday we had back to back tryouts with just a couple hours between. So would it be AA or A or even no spot again. The answer was pretty quick as again he was on an island this time by himself. After the tryout I felt good. When we got home the phone was ringing and a AA offer was extended. Success! So this year Frudoch will again play with the Columbus Capitals. Only this year he will be on the 98 team at AA. To heck with the other group....

Poppy was up next. Her first tryout went well. Her second is now 5 days away. Its with the 'other' group and I don't trust them. Cross your fingers for us. So bringing this season to an end I promise that the ONLY hockey we will play--the ONLY time I will set foot in an ice rink--the ONLY time I will smell that awful hockey gear smell will be June 5th. After tryouts I need a break. Hello Grand Cayman Island in 3 weeks!!!!!