Meet the Gillards.
Angela and Darren Gillard of Deer Lake, along with their three sons and two daughters, live and breathe hockey.
Mom is always busy, trying to keep up with the daily schedules of her hockey players for the cold months of winter and it’s even crazier when dad is away working as an electrician in Alberta on a two-one schedule.
Angela said they could spend their money on other things, but when hockey is the favourite activity of her children it’s a given that there’s a significant investment in a game that even the parents play when time permits.
Every year, before the start of minor hockey season, the Gillards ask the children if hockey is what they want to spend all their time at.
The response is always a resounding yes. So, she says life will be “in one word, crazy” for the hockey season that starts in October and ends in April.
“I’ve never had to force them to go,” Angela said. “Some times I’m saying ‘You don’t have to go today, please.’’’
Of course, she’s only kidding. She’s content knowing her children are content.
The family vehicle — a new Dodge Caravan — is a steady go. She carts the children back and forth to the rink almost every day. Her life is hockey and that’s fine with her.
Jalen is the oldest at 16, an elite athlete who was the top scorer for the Dennis GM Western Kings in the regular season, in only his second season of major midget hockey. Jolena is 14, a member of both the Western AAA bantam female team and the Deer Lake bantam boys team. Sarah, who is 12, plays in the peewee division, and Luke, who is eight, is registered in the novice 2 division.
The youngest of the siblings is Caleb. Now, Caleb is only four, but he’s been harping on mom to put him into hockey.
It seems Caleb got his wish.
Mom finally gave in to his keeping on, registering him for minor hockey earlier this week.
“Oh my, he’s ready to go. He wants to go ... every day he’s coming with the gear on,” she said of the prodding that made her let him join the rest of the gang.
Hockey is life at the Gillard household. They talk hockey, they watch hockey and they also support each other in their quest to improve their skillset.
Mom wouldn’t want it any other way when she sees the smiles on their faces when it’s hockey day.
It’s Minor Hockey Week in the province so mom hopes every minor hockey player continues to enjoy the game.
“Not to take things too serious,” she said of her advice to others involved in minor hockey. “Let the kids be kids and have fun.”
By the way, the two windows will stay boarded up as long as the children are firing pucks at will. It’s a project that will have to be completed later, because all hands have hockey to play.
