Sports editor’s note:
Throughout the season, Ben Dalpe will write a column for the Western News giving readers insight to his life on the ice and away from the rink.
Many people have a place where they find peace and happiness. For most, this can be as simple as on the couch watching sports on TV. For some it can be more extreme, like a hike to a far away waterfall. For me, this is anywhere is the ice. Where I can tie on my hockey skates, cut through and carve the ice until snow covers over. It’s something about the fresh air that sneaks inside your body with every breath.
Ever since I can remember, I was skating on a pond behind my house. I fell in love with hockey at a very young age. Most may say the reason is because I’m Canadian, and that’s what every young Canadian child grows up doing. Maybe so, but in my opinion, I could have been anywhere in the world and the place where I could find myself most content, would be on a sheet of ice.
The best thing about going on the ice is how I feel. I could be having the worst troubles in life, but when I step on the ice, that all goes away. My mind simply changes and I’m instantly happy. I have no worries and I feel fully in control of my relaxed body. Hockey is a fast-paced, physical, exciting and passionate game. The best thing about the sport for me is that even though the game may seem so fast and physical, I can still in my mind slow it down and play like I would when I was a young boy on my pond back home.
My father has to be at work for 5:30 a.m. every day. When I was younger, he would wake up at 4:30 a.m. just to shovel the snow off our pond so my brothers and I could skate on it before and after school.
I can remember coming home from school every day and running down to the pond. I would strap on my skates and not return back to the house till dark or when my mom made me.
My passion for hockey came from my two older brothers and parents. My mom and dad drove to so many far away games and practices just so I could do what I love.
It’s important to always follow your dreams and have the support from your parents and loved ones. Hope to see you all at the South Okanagan Events Centre this weekend for two big home games.