Joe's Return to the Ice

Joe started playing hockey when he was 8 years old, growing up in Michigan. His memories of it are exactly what you'd expect — cold early morning drives, house league championships, and the excitement of scoring his first goal in Toledo. It didn't last long though. At 9, he broke his wrist during a game and ended up stepping away from hockey, shifting his focus to football instead.

Even after that, it never really left him. He still skated whenever he could, played street hockey and roller hockey, and stayed connected to the game in his own way. It was always there, just not in the same form.

Being from Michigan, becoming a Red Wings fan was easy. Those teams in the 90s were something special, and he grew up watching players like Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, and Sergei Fedorov. The back-to-back Stanley Cups and the rivalries, especially with Colorado, are some of the moments that stuck with him the most. Even now, they're still his team.

When Aidan and Matthew started playing, everything came back. Watching them step onto the ice, learn how to skate, and fall in love with the game was something really special for him. It wasn't just about them playing hockey. It brought him right back to where he started. The moment that really stood out was their first practice together. Seeing them on the ice at the same time felt like something had come full circle. That was when it really clicked for him.

Not long after that, one of the coaches he worked with asked if he'd ever thought about joining a men's league. He said yes, even though he wasn't completely sure what he was getting himself into. Going back after all those years was not easy. He was nervous, and by his own words, felt like a pylon on the ice for most of that first season. But at the same time, he loved it. The competition, being part of a team again, and just being back out there made it all worth it.

Now, it's something he looks forward to. He loves the game itself, the competitiveness, and the camaraderie that comes with it. In a lot of ways, it feels the same as when he was a kid, and in other ways it's completely different. He still sees the game from a bigger perspective, always thinking, always trying to help, even while figuring things out himself.

Coaching the boys has become just as important to him as playing. It's something he truly loves. Being able to teach them the game, while also teaching them discipline, work ethic, and creativity, means a lot to him. He holds them to a high standard, but there's a balance there too. He knows what sports gave him growing up, and he wants them to get the same out of it.

Hockey has always been a big part of our lives, but over time it's become even more meaningful. It's been part of our story from the beginning, even before the boys were born. In a lot of ways, it's the foundation of our family. It's what we share, what we talk about, and what brings us together.

For Joe, getting back on the ice filled a gap that had been there for a long time. He had played other sports as an adult, but hockey was different. It brought back a part of him that had been missing.

And now, he gets to share that with his kids.

That's the part that matters most.