Inspired by Sean FitzGerald's piece called "50 Things I Miss About Minor Hockey" that you can find here on The Athletic website. It's subscription based, so if you haven't subscribed, you probably should. https://theathletic.com/2216992/2020/11/24/things-i-miss-about-minor-hockey/

I am the TV broadcaster for the Niagara IceDogs and have been since 2007, but I'm also the hockey dad of a 9 year old girl who is a fast developing goalie at the rep level. My observations and list will be based on both hockey experiences and will appear in no particular order, preferring instead the random stream of consciousness format.

1. Tournaments. One parent last year declared our team's parents to be the best set of parents he's ever been with, which is saying something, given he's a veteran of minor hockey. Man these parents were fun from one guy trying to unsuccessfully walk on his hands in the hallway to impromptu talent shows by the kids, this was a fun year! And I say it as someone who missed some of the tournaments. Even the ones that were not overnighters were fun. Oh , yeah, the kids played too. How did we do again?

2. The OHL Media Room. Sometimes I make sure I rush to the rink as early as possible to get settled in the media room. The scouts, the banter, exchanging Four Horseman symbols with fellow wrestling fan BPSN reporter Bill Potrecz, and the conversation with our crew which are uproariously hilarious, though many of the jokes are not repeatable.

3. The first look at the broadcast booth and the arena at the Meridian Centre. I am an arena guy. I love looking at the inside or arenas, the seats and always check out the broadcast booth in any arena that I'm in. That first look at the building and the first step into the broadcast booth brings a tranquility and focus not replicated.

4. My solo perch for my daughter's hockey games. Being a goalie parent means that I don't like to sit with the other parents. As I've stated before, they are wonderful people, but I bet more goalie parents than most adopt a solo perch. I don't like to show a demonstrable response when watching, preferring an inner monologue. People know me well enough not to talk to me right after a game regardless of the outcome. Give me five minutes and I'm good. Yes, I'm talking about 9 year old rep hockey, but being a goalie parent is a different beast.

5. Bad arena coffee. It's like arena's have a contract with substandard coffee beans, or beans that didn't quite make the cut for the big brewers. Man, it's still the best thing going before a game.

6. The Wednesday Night Walking Club. Practices on Wednesday night last year were at Eastwood Arena, literally less than 1/2 a km from Collective Arts Brewery. The normal ritual was to get the kids dressed on the ice, and then get some fresh air and firing down a couple at Collective Arts. Then we would get back to the arena two minutes before the end offering up such banal generic banter like "great practice" or "you really hustled out there" . The kids didn't buy it.

7. "Welcome back to the Meridian Centre...." . My first words before the game starts. Enough said.

8. Pre-Game drives to the game with a special music mix selected by my daughter and set up by my wife. I have nothing to do with this as I'm the guy who still plays CD's in his car. Though I do check the lyrics to make sure they're team friendly.

9. My family coming to IceDog games. If the game is on a Friday or Saturday night there is a good chance that my family will come to the game. Between the tickets (no freebies accepted for this guy!), the food, the drink and the souvenir store I'm pretty sure whatever I make calling the game is severely reduced, but I wouldn't want it any other way. My daughter, I'm proud to say, was raised in arenas and that contributes to her love of hockey.

10. The catwalk at First Ontario Centre. Yes, that's how much I miss hockey because that catwalk is terrifying, as anyone who has called games there can attest. When I got the job calling AHL games on TV for Hamilton in 2013, my joy at getting the gig turned to abject terror as I'd have to make that walk 15 odd times a year now. It doesn't get any easier but I'd give anything to "walk that aisle" to quote Ric Flair again.

11 Pre and Post Game banter. Our daughter's hockey team has opened up a whole new social circle for not only our daughter but also us. The chit-chat before and after a game (after I decompress) of course is always great. I can't put a finger on it, but as a pretty introverted guy, even I love chatting to other parents before a game. We have singlehandedly keep our Waterdown Turtle Jacks in business with the amount of times we have gone there. The owner, Gary Anderson, is the father of NHL'er Josh Anderson, and all his kids work at the restaurant and one works with the Oshawa Generals. It's the best place to talk hockey!

12. My daughter leading her team out on the ice. She's the goalie and almost always is the first person on the ice and she even has a pre-game ritual when she gets to her crease. She's awesome, and quite a good goalie too! She also insisted on wearing number 10, which is the least goalie-like number ever! Thankfully this year she chose #70. Thank you Braden Holtby and Joonas Korpisalo!

13. Meeting other broadcasters. I'm a broadcast nerd. I'll admit it. I'd get star struck if I ever met Bob Cole , Joe Bowen or Dan Shulman. love chatting with the OHL radio guys, or TV guys that come in. They're a unique breed. Who else signs up for long bus rides and three hours of solo broadcasts for some of them? Not all heroes wear capes! I'm far more composed meeting other players so I went totally fan-boy when Wendel Clark was at the Meridian Centre watching his son Kody (drafted by the Capitals ) play. The usual rule of thumb is media do not approach a player like a fan would. Yeah, I forgot that with Wendel whose jersey I used to wear as I rushed up to him to take a selfie. I've also had a picture taken with the Professor Igor Larianov, and away from the rink with Lanny MacDonald and Jeremy Roenick. My crowning achievement was getting a picture with ex PM Brian Mulroney when I was at the Bell Centre watching the Habs and Bruins. I have a folder that I call "Clark Stalks Celebriteis" that I'm proud to call my own!

14. Great saves and the post-game pile on. I'm lucky to have seen a couple of games this year, including my daughter posting a shut out which isn't easy to do when you are playing 4 on 4 with two 22 minute periods! When she makes a great save, my heart soars and win or lose the players all pile on the goalie. It's priceless.

15 Ed, Al, and Darren. Thirteen years ago Darren Sawyer took a chance and put together a brand new broadcast team for the Niagara IceDogs. Something right then and there clicked. You can create only so much chemistry. The rest is just there organically . From day one it was the perfect mix. Ed and I just worked from the beginning. To quote the The Tragically Hip "No dress rehearsal, this is our life". We don't practice a thing but I'll put our call along, along with Al's hosting and Darren's producing with any regional NHL broadcast. Off the ice they've been there when I had my heart attack and lost both of my parents, and that all happened in a four month span. They're awesome.

BONUS ONE: Pre and Post Game drives before and after a broadcast. I do enjoy the solo time and it gives me a chance to catch up on wrestling podcasts. So thank you Jim Ross, Arn Anderson, Eric Bischoff , Bruce Pritchard and Conrad Thompson for the content! I've stopped destroying a bag of wine gums, or Crispers on the way home thanks to the aforementioned heart attack, well most of the time I've stopped...

Steve Clark

Veteran Broadcaster and Veteran Goalie Parent