The Northwood Hockey League offers something most leagues don’tthe chance for siblings to play on the same team. Petrie’s Wild has not just one, but four sets of siblings playing together. Obviously, this is great for Moms and Dads. With only one place to go with both kids for games (and most practices), there are no scheduling conflicts. But how do the players feel about sharing the ice with a sibling? Does playing with your brother or sister make life easier, or more difficult? The answer, it would seem, is a little bit of both.
Emily and Kyle are sister and brother, both first line players for the Wild. Older brother Kyle isn’t quite sure what to say when asked about playing with his sister, but overall he thinks the experience is “good”. Emily’s mischievous eyes light up when she is asked about her brother, someone she appears to admire very much. She has no problem telling me how skilled her brother is on the first line. He goes after the puck and “catches it”, she says, her voice full of pride.
Walker (a first line player) enthusiastically tells me its great to be on the same team as his brother. Gavin has a slightly different take on playing with his boisterous little brother. He claims, ruefully, that at times it can be “kind of frustrating”. For instance, keeping straight what gear belongs to which brother can be a challenge. Gavin relates the story of a missing water bottle Walker couldn’t find before a game. “He’s like, I need your water bottle!” I ask Gavin if he takes on an advisory role with his younger brother. He laughs. “He won’t listen to any tips or pointers. He doesn’t listen to my Dad either!”
Matthew and Mia have experience playing on the same team; this isn’t their first year at Northwood. Matthew says he has no problem playing with sister Mia, “Because we’re on different lines”. If they were playing on the same line, they both feel it would be a little more challenging. As for getting their gear mixed up, it really isn’t an issue at the Bressmer house. “Things are pretty easy to keep separate”, says Matthew, pointing with a grin: “all the pink stuff is over there.” “Although”, he remembers, “one time I wore Walker’s socks for a game.” (A water bottle? Socks? I’m curious to see where the rest of Walker’s gear ends up by the end of the season...)
Another disadvantage to having one’s sibling on the team becomes obvious as I talk more with Matthew. His sister Mia was at a sleepover the night before the game, not getting to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. This has given Matthew the perfect opportunity to poke fun—something siblings seem to be experts at. “She’s probably going to get the puck and then fall down (asleep) on the ice!” he laughs.
Abigail (Abby) and Summer are the only sisters on the team. They look alike, both sharing the same wide grin. How do they feel about playing on the same team? “Its kind of hard because I keep thinking I want to be as fast my sister but I’m not” says bubbly Summer; although, “I think everybody on the sidelines can hear me cheering and yelling (for her).” Is keeping hockey equipment organized an issue for these sisters? “No”, says Summer, “we can tell which “Jill” is each other’s because mine is black and hers is white”. Abby is slightly more reserved than her younger sister, and clearly dedicated to her team. She takes her role as mentor to Summer seriously. She says of knowing younger sister Summer is watching: “It feels better, makes you work harder.”
The take home message: don’t buy siblings the exact same gear. Having different colors seems to work well. Younger siblings may seize the opportunity to look upon older siblings as role models (or they may not). And while having a younger brother or sister on the team might feel like a bit of a pain, it may just bring out the best in an older sibling. Summer describes the best part of having her sister on the team: “I know when my sister is there to watch me I work harder. I don’t know why!”
