Motivated by mention of ‘ball hockey’ when I attended an event in December 2024 with a well known and respected Canadian author (Terry Fallis), I was inspired to write this poem about special childhood memories. As a child and with three brothers, we spent a lot of time playing road hockey ourselves and with our friends on the dirt road in front of our house in Whitby. “Car”….you remember this and you know what I am talking about.
Road Hockey
Saturday night hockey on the road
Does not even matter if it’d snowed
Kids and adults out having fun
Chasing after balls while on the run
The road could be paved or simply dirt
When you fall though, you know it’ll hurt
Slaps of sticks on hands, shins and balls
Curbs or ditches replacing walls
The nets are set but ready to move
For drivers passing do not approve
The shouts of ‘He scores’ or ‘car’ ring out
For parents seeking, there is no doubt
Played from dawn until ‘street lights go on’
Or perhaps when players must be gone
Rules made so as to let games really flow
Be it in the sun or rain, ice or snow
Pucks are replaced by balls that roll
Meaning they fly and there’s little control
The balls do freeze and they do sting
Causing words being used one would not sing
Little brothers dress as goalie targets
Meaning games played without empty nets
Team sweaters vary with all welcome
Score is kept yet it’s not the outcome
Boys and girls, women and men
No matter the age, they play time and again
It’s the joy of playing Canada’s hockey game
It’s for the fun and not the fame