The problem with last games and practices

The problem? After that that's it- no more weither or not you're in playoffs. Last games are hard on coaches, players, staff and fans. I went to the last game for the Gladiators on April 3rd. It was kinda sad because this was the 1st time in the 7 year history of the team that there would be no playoffs. It was time for goodbye. I went with my friend Kelsey-who is awesome by the way- and on the way we kept talking about how sad it was that this was the end. What made it easier was I knew coach wouldn't get rid of everyone, he might but it was unlikely. The boys were playing the stringrays for at least the 2nd time that weekend. It didn't feel like the last game, it just felt like a game. I was happy to see Krystal since wasn't at the last game I went to so I went over to say hey-I absulutley love her, she's awesome. I told her since I had gotten to be friends with forney and a couple of the other guys that I may cry and she told me that if I cry she's cry too. I was good during the game- I didn't cry. It was an aweful game though, my boys didn't try. They had somewhere around 10 shots on goal where as the stringrays has about 40. David Brown, the goalie, was a rockstar letting only 3 in. There was some shoving matches but nothing too major. Chad Denny tried to insert hinself into the begining stages of a fight and ended up being the only one drawing a penalty for it. Now I love Chad and I love his rough style but why would you butt in on the begining of a fight? Sadly it ended being 3-0. That's right my boys got shut out in THEIR house, on THEIR last night. Over the season someone told me because I had prayed over them that the boys were now my brothers. So "my brothers" came and saluted the fans and the booster club president. It was then that I realized I had seen them for the last time. We stayed for the end of the season slide show thing and some of the jersey of their backs auction but it was time to go eat @ the after party!! We had gotten there, found a place to sit and ordered when Phil and 3 other boys came in, it was only going to be 4 there that night, it was then that I decided to go deal with a little problem me and Phil had. So I went to say hey to the boys. I went over to Phil and patiently waited for him to get done talking but he looked at me and smiled, "hey what's up?" I smiled and said "Hey! I justed wanted to talk but it can wait til you are done." SO he finished up and we walked over to his table, "So what's up?" So I told him what I had to say and he just smiled and said that it was ok I didn't have to apologize it was ok! He smiled again and can I just say that I love his smile, I don't get to see it much but I love it- it's sweet and simple. So I went back to Kelsey and ate. I felt sooooooo bad because I kept leaving her. I loved it (besides feeling guilty for leaving Kelsey) because I got to talk to Kelsey and my boys, I also met Liz (sulli's wife) and just had fun. At some point I looked a Phil then said something about him to Kelsey and she laughed and said "Did you just say something about his butt?" I laughed and leaned over saying "Well since you're accusing me of looking I am now!!!!" I know I know I'm running a ministry but I'm human. I'm not proud of it but I checked him out. It was pretty funny and I know Phil won't be offended. At the end of the night I went to say good bye to the 4 boys and Liz. I went to Pat 1st and he hugged me. I about cried when he told me he MAY see me next season then I had the same situation with Jason. What is it with my boys wanting me to cry?? Then I went to Phil and he was the only one not to hug me or even really say goodbye. It was then Sulli's turn and he hugged me and told me that he'd see me at camp over the summer if I came to help out. So after I talked to Liz for a while we left. I got home at 1 and Kelsey and I sat and talked for a little bit. Finally at 2:30- 3:00 I was getting ready for bed and at 4 I was falling a sleep. Getting up for church was hateful. The wednesday after the game I went to see bogi practice for the las time. So practice went on as normal nothing too exciting. Bogi came off the ice and I told him I'd see him in september. Then Evander Kane and Ondrej Pavelec came out from putting their gear up to sign some autographs. I told Ondrej I wanted to be a goalie because of him and he seemed shocked (and kinda delighted) that I wanted to be a goalie but humbled that it was because of him that I made this desicision. He's a really amazing goalie. When Evander and Ondrej tried to get back in to the locker room they were locked out. I walked behind them to go to my car and I didn't feel like I had just said goodbye to them. The next day they had their last practice and I didn't go I had just got done with 1 house sitting job and was on my way to another. While unpacking my stuff from the 1st job I was unpacking the stuff that I wore to say goodbye and the stuff I had signed. It was kinda sad because it was like it was really real that all the in person stuff was over. I watched the last 2 thrasher games on TV. The 1st one they lost with Pavs in goal and the last one was a shut out (and a win) with Moose in goal. I guess I picked the wrong goalie to look up to. So it's all over and all I have to do is wait until I know who may be coming in for next season and write blogs.

Star player--- Coach Jeff Pyle!!

I think Gladiator fans have a pretty solid arguement for best coach. Coach Jeff Pyle has been the coach since the Gwinnett Gladiators since the 1st season in 2003. He was also the coach for the Mobile Mysticks before they became the Gwinnett Gladiators. Coach has been a constant supporter of my ministry allowing me to pray over the boys once this season. I enjoyed that experience with coach's support I felt like I was actually doing something and that I was needed. He has lead our boys to playoffs 6 of the last 7 years, which really isn't bad when you take into account the trades, injuries and all out craziness that goes on in the minor leagues. I know many times I would mention coach to one of the boys and they would just say "yeah I love coach" and just go on about all the great things about coach. He is so calm and encouraging to the boys. I had sent him a letter in 2009 about the ministry and since then we've been emailing back and forth. The 1st time I saw him at the ice forum I went up to him and introduced myself to him and everytime he's seen me he has made some effort to say hey or something to me. If it's true what some of my friends had said about the boys being my brothers since I prayed over them that would make Coach Papa Pyle!! But in all seriousness coach has had to deal with a lot of craziness in the past few years and I'm so proud of the way he has handled everything and how he has treated the boys. If someone mentions you to a lot of people you have coached and none of them can say one thing bad about you then you're doing something right!! Coach, I thank you for all of the support you have given to the ministry and the oppurnity you have given me, it means the world to me. I can not say enough good things about you coach. Good luck with everything coach!!

Hockey Monday,Saturday, Friday, sunday and friday

Monday March 8 I planned on putting in applications then go to the gym and then to the game. Grandma had a bad feeling for me to go to the game by myself so I wasn't going to go until I found someone who was available last minute. Then mom called me telling me that she had some tickets from work. I had to call Grandma to say that I was going w/ mom and someone she knew from work. She was happy that I was going with someone. When we got to the game we walked around for a while which turned out to be a good thing because I saw mama Linda. Mama Linda is the team mom for the Gladiators and she is awesome. I guess I'm one of her adopted kids. When we got up to the suite warm ups were almost over so I went to the end of the suite to watch. As I stood there I felt important, like I was the owner or at least the owner's kid. The boys looked good, strong and confident. When the game started coach met their confidence. I get so worried for coach during games and I don't know why! It's like I'm his daughter or something. It started out good with the my boys scoring a goal. In the 1st and 2nd periods Michael Forney got a penalty one for hooking the other for interference. Also not to be out done or forgotten Tim Miller got a penalty in the 1st and 2nd, one for roughing and the other for fighting. It's no suprise that he got those penalities, he's a bad boy but I love it! Then the Cycolones answered back with a goal. Then in then in the second both teams scored twice. Not to be defeated Mr. fancy pants, Tom Zanoski, scored a goal. My boys won 4-3! That saturday I went with Grandma and Aunt Patty to see the Gladiators practice. Practice was almost over when we got there but we still got to see my boys. After practice I got some of the boys to sign a hat for a girl at church. After a few signed I found my way to Michael Forney. When I found him he had his mouth gaurd hanging out, typical Michael. When he saw me the mouth gaurd went in and he said "Hey Christina!!" Grandma and Aunt Patty turned to see who said hey to me as I answered him. We talked for a while then I called Grandma over to meet Michael. He was so cute when I called her over he was like "Yeah grandma come say hey to me." I smiled at him as he wiped off his hand to shake hers. Grandma kept asking him all these questions about their road trip and the bus. After each question he'd ask me a question or try to say something to me. It made me feel special that he cared enough about me and my work out to want to know more. After I talked to Michael I went to get Phil to sign the hat for the girl at church. The following friday I went to check out bogi and Chris "Cheli" Chelios. Bogi looked up to Cheli when he was younger. Cheli was so sweet with bogi, playing around with him and laughing. I gave Bogi an early birthday card at the end of practice. Sunday I went to church then to the game. It was awesome but it almost wasn't. They played the Devils for the second time that weekend and both teams scored in the 1st then the devils pulled ahead in the 2nd. I was so hopeful that my boys would win and sure enough in the 3rd my boys tied and pulled ahead of the devils! It was 4-2!! Dan "Sulli" Sullivan about jumped in his team mate's arms after the last 2 goals. We won!! YES!!! So the devils went down IN Georgia and started a fight on the ice after the game ended......sore losers!! The following friday I went again to see bogi and Cheli, this time Grandma went with me. My boys were playful that day. Slava Kozlov knocked Arty's stick out of his hand and skated away laughing only Arty wasn't laughing. Then Max hugged (yes hugged) one of his teammates while laughing. What the crap is happening with my boys? Then Bogi was chilling by the bench box with coach Rob when the rest of the boys came rushing by. Coach told Bogi to jump into the bench box he did but he messed up the landing and I was left looking at his stick and the top of his helmet. Grandma asks "he's ok right?" I started laugh harder then composed myslef long enough to say "yeah his egos just bruised." Yes Ladies and gentleman my beautiful baby boy fell in front of his hero and his fans. Then after I composed myself coach had them run another play but he stopped them to yell and curse at them. Then they seperated the defense men from everyone else. I asked Grandma if she wanted to go with me to the far end of the rink where bogi was and she said no, she recognized Max from the Olypmics so she stayed with him. I went to be with bogi . Toby enstrom and Johnny Oduya were there too. I love Toby he's so precious and sweet, quite but sweet. Toby looked me up and down while I was watching Bogi but I caught him and gave him the confused puppy look. He continued to look at me and then skated away. I watched them work on drills for d-men. I mainly watched bogi- he did good but he went to hit someone (full body) but spun last minute to avoid contact. After a few drils the boys came off leisurely and grandma got to see them close up.

sad time for the ministry

This finally ends hockey season for almost all of the teams in the ministry. Yes the Chicago wolves are the only team in the ministry going to playoffs. The thrashers ended their season this saturday while the gladiators ended their season last Saturday. It's kinda sad especially when they do those year end videos like this one



Sad. It's kinda like sending your brothers off to college if your brothers are all freakishly tall and are really good at hockey. I think the part where it hit me was this week when I checked the Gladiators website and there was no practices and no games listed. Also when I talked to Drew Akins and he mentioned being back home studying or doing some project for college. I do know the old saying remember the good times and I also know they'll be back soon. To the point of remember the good times here is a video I found from Christmas that is kinda good


I'll be posting videos and pictures later. To the point of you'll see them again, I'll see some or most of the guys again--not all. So I couldn't sleep hence why I'm up at 3 am working on this when the last Thrasher game (which I watched on Sports south) ended between 10 and 11. I just couldn't believe it, it's all over. This is the time of the year when I make sure I have full support for next season and see how the last season went. I really didn't do that last season, I guess cause I was lazy and not a lot of people cared. so here I am looking at the past few months wondering where the time went and how I could get it back. There were no problems in the beginning of the season then there was a few times when situations and drama came up but I handled it and I'm learning from it. There was a lot of changes of the rosters and a couple changes to the ministry. One of the big changes to the ministry was the addition of the wolves to the ministry. I also got a partner with the ministry. Coach Pyle of the Gladiators has been more involved which is nice. I got to pray over the boys and got some friends out of it including Michael Forney. One difference between this season and last was that last off season Jeff Mason's father died and never had we had someone involved in the Gladiator nation die since I became a fan but this season we had a loss during the season Mr. John Martin who was the Zamboni driver at the Gladiator games, he was only 66 and died of a heart attack. This ministry is a living breathing tribute to him so it can not fail. This season was hard on me. It was the 1st full season of the ministry and I had no clue what I was doing still. I still have my moments where I'm completely confused at what to do. This season was good in some ways, I grew as a person learned some stuff and I know what I have to do during the off season. I have to pray, reflect and move on. so there maybe more blogs about the 2009-2010 season. It's so crazy that this time last year the Glads were in the playoffs losing to Florida and the Thrashers were not in play offs but won their last game. This year there's no play offs for either team but the thrashers were the only winners in their last game. I believe the wolves will be in the playoffs this season but I have to check. Also this season we got rid of a super star, Mr. Ilya Kovalchuck. God I wish we got into playoffs to show Ilya we could do it. ok so It's nearing 4 and I have to at least temp this thing called falling asleep one last time. So here's the anthem of the ministry or at least 1:

another late but special star player blog Ryan Miller

Ok so Ryan Miller may not be a Thrasher, Wolf or Gladiator but he is one deserving goalie. I love goalies, I actually want to be a goalie- I just have to learn 1st. Ryan is a 29 year old American hero. He played for America in the 2010 Olympics. Even they didn't win gold Ryan did an amazing job. I felt so bad for him they lost in over time!! This is another reason to hate Sidney Crosby he scored a goal right over Ryan's shoulder in over time and you know the rules, you score a goal in over time you win. So Canada wins and poor Ryan went to his knees and my heart sank for him. The whole time after the game Ryan hung his head and just looked so pitiful I couldn't imagine being that close to the gold and then been scored on I would have probably killed Sidney. So congrats Ryan you handled it a lot better than I would have. Ryan plays for the Sabres but to everyone who watched any of the olympics he'll be America's goalie. Love ya Ryan you should be so proud of how you played.