The Fire Rises

“Don’t worry Nick, you’ll be okay!”  My dad looked at me with great excitement and encouragement.  “You will be fine.  I will be with you the whole time.”  He reached out and grabbed my hand and I reached out with a small sign of trust.  He grabbed my hand and we started down a dark path.  We both stumbled as we walked towards the rink.  The briskness of bit both our noses as we slowly made our way into the brightness of the rink.  I looked up at my dad and continued forward while balancing on tiny slabs of steel hoping not to fall.  The rink was in sight and he stepped on.  The crunch of the blades hitting the ice echoed around the arena.  I looked forward in amazement of the pure size and brightness of the rink sharply contrasted to the claustrophobic and dark hallway we recently traveled through.  “Come on Nick, you can do it!” encouraged my dad.  I hesitantly stepped onto the freshly frozen bed of water.  My skate hit and wobbled.  It felt as if I was going to fall.  My dad grabbed me while I reached forward with my other skate.  My legs were trembling with nervousness.  I didn’t want to fall.  We pushed forward and slowly migrated across the rink.  While passing over the red line, I looked up at my dad.  Towering at least 4 feet over me, I saw a huge smile as we continued down the ice.  I knew we were both having a great time.  I looked down ice and saw a large blue half circle.  Blue more vivid than the Mediterranean filled the semi-circle as a ring of warm red outlined it.  Just beyond it towered a large net with bright red posts and white netting.  We traveled closer and closer and the more excited I became.  “That’s the goal crease for ice hockey,” he explained.  “The goalie protects the net from the other team from scoring on it.”  I pushed forward and fell.  He helped me up and we both glided to the lake of blue.  I stumbled inside of the crease and I knew I would never turn back.  This was my new home.

That was my first time ever skating.  I remember that day so vividly because it is so important to me and how I became who I am.  From there I started to play hockey for Westfield Youth Hockey, I was always a left wing and I hated it.  I always asked my coach to be a goalie but I never got the chance until several years later.  Those years of struggle were completely worth it when I finally got the chance to be a goalie.  After strapping on the pads, I never looked back.  I always pushed myself to get better and better.  Soon after I moved to a new organization called the New England Junior Falcons.  This organization was the best around us and my parents and I both knew this was the right choice.  I played there for a total of seven years until I went to the Chiefs.  From the Chiefs, I decided prep school.  Prep school hockey is the best hockey one can play in New England.  I am now Kingswood Oxford and so far have been the best experience of my life.  It has been difficult to leave such a great life at Southwick High School, but it is worth it on many levels.

Without many people helping get to where I am now, I would never be here.  Hockey is such a major aspect in my life.  That first day on the ice with my dad sparked my interest and my parents both started the fire.  Countless coaches and others acted as an inspiration and an object to help me push myself to be the best I can be.  Bane from the Dark Knight Rises said, “Awh yes! The fire rises brother” My parents started the fire, many helped it burn, and I hope to always keep the fire burning.