Czech Hockey Camp

The past 6- months or so, there has been a stagnancy in Andrew's play. Surely, he has attended 2-Gary Tan camps, and 1 Indonesian hockey tournament in Bintaro,…but the development of his game has been a direct reflection of at home disturbances. Let us say, that the direct correlation has not only affected his hockey, but his personal growth, his school, and even his classical guitar playing. So, it isn't just the development of hockey that halted. In other words,…he's a boy FIRST, and issues outside of hockey took a front seat. As Andrew is trying to find his way through (things), we have decided to enter Andrw into this winter's Czech International Hockey Camp in Nymburk, Czech Republic.

Andrew met new hockey buddy at airport in Prague

Lukas Tramba and his dedicated staff are going to train Andrew (and the other boys) and we certainly hope that he learns the game better, makes friends and has a great time.

We will keep everyone informed during this Nymburk trip and hopefully this encourages other boys to come join Andrew next year.

The Boys Are Catching Up To Andrew

As Andrew is working on parts of his skating skills it is quite apparent the last month and a half that some of the boys have gotten better and in some parts of the game (stick handling, puck handling) have actually surpassed Andrew. Andrew, the past few weeks has been taking lessons from an American: Jayson Daze Blatt. He is helping Andrew with his stick handling and skating. Jayson has a very calm demeanor and Andrew likes learning from Jayson. With this week as an "off week", and Andrew focusing on exams and guitar, he'll get back on the ice next week. It is now over a year since Andrew took up this wonderful sport, and he absolutely loves it. I don't have to push Andrew to go on the ice….just to focus on improving his ability. The next few months will let us know a bit more of Andrew's growth and desire. Do they match? Is his desire as strong as his growth? We shall see. But, in the meantime, Andrew has moved back from Bintaro to Taman Anggrek due to Jayson and due to the fact that WE,…the parents are tired of being TIRED. So, let's see if this move works. Talk to you soon.

Gary Tan-Hockey Camp-#2….In The Books

Whew…..only 2 days this time. So, was it just as tiring for the parents? YOU BET. I was so exhausted after last night, I could barely see straight. But, it was all worth it when you see a smile on your 9 year old boy from "ear to ear".

Let's go over GT2-2014 (GaryTan Camp #2 for 2014…easier to write).

There were 15 to 21 boys that showed up. 21 in the evening both days. 15-16 for the morning sessions, and slightly more than that for the off ice training.

As the Camp kicked off, I was at home working while Natalie and Andrew made their way from Kuningan to Bintaro at 6am. I didn't get a whole lot of what was being done (by way of sms reports or photos from Natalie), other than saying the camp was 1/2 of last time, and that everyone looks "asleep".

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

By the afternoon, people looked a little more refreshed. During the "off ice training" Gary did a lot of stick handling drills. VERY much needed. Then around 5:30 the boys were released and Andrew had to run downstairs and get ready for his 1st private lesson with Gary. He worked on controlling his speed by proper body movement. Andrew skates by using so much force…in other words, he works too hard to skate fast. You could see that his drills were helping Andrew. He needs to continue skating like that. A late break for dinner Then back on the ice again as the boys spent a little "fun time" playing on the ice before their 8:30 evening session. Ice time is so important for kids. Friendships are developed, skating is strengthened. It's a wonderful time for the kids. The evening session was ALL drills. By the time 10:30 rolled along we saw 21 tired boys. We raced home to do a double load of wash and to get some sleep. (3 hours for me and 5 hours for Andrew). I returned with Andrew the next day by Taxi. We got to the rink well before 7 am. To my surprise, there were boys there well before 7:30. Very few came late. Only 15 showed up for day 2 early morning session. Skating drills, puck handling and shooting drills. Nothing escaped these kids. Gary,as Andrew so poignantly pointed out, "PUSHED US more than the first camp". He actually liked Camp #2 better than Camp #1. They started camp at 7:30 on this day rather than 8am. So, morning session was over by 9:30. All I could think about was where I could lay down and "crash out" for an hour for I was exhausted. Andrew?…he wanted to skate around with the other boys and play on the iPad with Jeff and Kevin and his new buddies. Perfect opportunity for me to find a corner somewhere to sleep………ahhhhhhh, to close my eyes. When I woke up, I had a brief conversation with Gary and the other parents. What I realized is the parents who had opinions that were voiced to me and Nat, were all of a sudden either not present at the meeting, or they didn't back me up when I spoke. Result? Ideas got "shot down" and "downgraded to…'that's not important'. " You go around telling the parents the past 2-3 week you seek to have a "top 8 forwards…top 15 to go to Malaysia",…and the best we got out of that was there actually is no reward system for doing well….We'll simply bring everybody from Bintaro and Jakarta to make up a team,...and we'll spend millions of Rp so the kids can play 2-4 minutes? Wait,..there's more. Then they are going to seek sponsorship for this event,..and I would have been one of the parents to sponsor this team? I'll have to double think that now. Andrew was so excited,"I made the team". It took a whole lot of nerve for me to keep quiet, for I wanted to say, "Yeah,…so did everybody else." But, I didn't want to crush his excitement. In addition, I had a meeting with Gary. He said that Andrew acts differently when he knows that I am watching. I understand what he means…however, what Gary didn't understand was,…I wasn't watching Andrew primarily. I was watching Gary. What's he teaching? How are the kids responding? I wasn't watching in an over-judgemental manner,…just observing. I even observed his correcting of Andrew's misbehavior. I was actually pleased to see that. However, getting back to the point of Gary and his consultation with me. What did I pick up on that conversation? Gary thinks I'm an overbearing parent? Not sure what else to think. Oh well,… let that roll off my shoulder. NEXT... Afternoon session…..bring on the fog. The fog was gone for 1 1/2 days and it returned in the evening of the final day of practice. Same heavy hitting of drills. By the end of that session, I was more eager to go home. Players were all given notice to be at practice on Wednesday for TEAM practice. The GOOD: All the kids felt wonderful about camp and where their team is heading. The BAD: Not a whole lot. (However, I am exhausted today). The INDIFFERENT: Where's the TEAM heading? WE'll see in the next few weeks to months in order to see how Indonesia (especially Bintaro) responds. More camps? Tournaments?

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Camp #2 2014 Starts Saturday

Last Sunday our family made a trip to KL. During this trip, Andrew was able to go to Sunway Pyramid Mall and play at their ice rink. When we first got there, we thought maybe the rink would be like the 2 in Indonesia and be upstairs. But, to our surprise it was on the basement level. As we looked on to the ice, we saw big puddles of water because of the hundreds of people on the ice without a Zamboni running over it. By 8:30, that Zamboni made a good whip around the ice or two,…and presto, the ice was back to normal.

However, I'm getting ahead of myself. Andrew was able to meet a boy there named Austin that he quickly became friends with. It was nice to see that he was making friends with the Malaysian boys.

Andrew with his new buddy Austin just before taking the ice.

Andrew thoroughly enjoyed his experience. What I, as a parent got to see, was just how far behind Andrew was in comparison to the other boys.  This may be near the start of his 9th month of skating, but 7 months of it were simply learning the basics of skating. 

These boys are learning stick handling, cutting moves, toe drags, shooting and carrying the puck in proper body zones…..and much much more.

This Saturday, Andrew will head to Bintaro for his 2nd camp with Gary Tan. We look forward to what  Gary has to bring. Andrew is going to have to do a few changes in his equipment. Shorten the stick, change the T-Blades to the normal runners,….simple things like that. We'll see what else the coaches recommend for Andrew as the two days progress. Plus, Andrew has 2 private sessions with Gary. Skating, skating and more skating. In addition, we know that Andrew has to get better at his stick handling. Even Andrew will tell you it isn't very good. This should be a good weekend.

Bintaro Jaya XChange hockey practice

Andrew's birthday was actually friday, but we were celebrating his birthday with his new teammates this Sunday. Why? Well, a patient of mine designed a birthday cake much larger than I had thought it would be, and when I say it was huge,…it was HUGE.

Andrew's birthday cake

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

There are usually about 8 kids that show up to the Sky Rink in Jakarta, but there was about 26 kids and 5 instructors at Bintaro. The instructors were pretty much following a protocol. It looked a lot like Gary Tan's protocol. This is what the players need. They need this weekly systematic format in order to get better and improve.

Andrew ready to hit the ice.

The coach said that shortly he will be selecting his "traveling squad" to Malaysia for the Jr. tournament in August. We hope that Andrew is on this team. I think he personally deserves to be on it. Hopefully there isn't any "politics" behind their decision making…yes, even in Indonesia, we have this going on. Haykal, Edbert, Refa, Andrew and a few other boys (Arthur, Dominic, Kevin, etc…), should be on this team. We definitely are going to allow Andrew to stay at Bintaro. It is a much better environment there. Better coaching, more players, and he'll improve much faster.

Andrew Tries NEW Skates to improve Feet Speed

We are off to Bintaro Jaya Xchange today to see what Andrew can do with his new skates. We got Andrew a pair of GRAF Supra G35 Jr. skates…with a twist…we got him the T-Blade system. What we are hoping to accomplish here is to get Andrew to improve his speed, his cross over speed, and to move his feet faster in all directions.

Graf Supra G35 Jr Ice Hocky Skates w/ T-Blade

In addition, Graf skates were chosen because I think this will help with with "feet fatigue" due to his flat feet. You can actually see the arch inside the boot. NICE!!!

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED THEM!!! He said he was able to cut the ice much smoother, and in his words, "the skates do whatever I want them to do". Nice!

Andrew Participated In First Hockey Camp @ Bintaro Jaya Xchange

This was a very long weekend. Hockey was the central theme of the entire weekend. Gary Tan of Malaysia came to Jakarta per request of many to help a starved hockey program. Andrew got to get his "first taste" of real hockey. He has been wanting this for a long time, and because of my new job adventure where I just recently quit my job and need to save money,…I am unable to send Andrew to the Czech Republic for summer hockey camp. His cost for 3 full days was very reasonable. It was 1,400,000 Rp cash. What was unexpected was the amount of people that showed up for this camp. Over 30 people signed up to his camp. Even Gary himself was surprised. The late night start with horrendous traffic didn't slow anyone down. Everyone was there. 9:45pm on May 2nd was the beginning of hockey for over 70% of these young boys and Andrew was part of that strong percentage. Gary separates the little kids and the big kids. The little kids are chasing a soccer ball and wouldn't you know it,…Andrew gets into it with Joshia. Now, there was a parent spreading rumors that Andrew started this whole mess….WRONG. I have the entire sequence on video. Andrew didn't start anything. This is a little incident, but it is fun to show you the competitive spirit Andrew has. The problem is that my girlfriend hears about Andrew all the time from the other parents. "Andrew is too rough". "Andrew is too loud or too mean." (okay, I will admit that we have had to clip his wings when it comes to being too loud, or shaking a stick at someone if he gets angry, but of late, I don't see him heavily checking anyone, or misbehaving. Not really. Remember folks, this is hockey. You want your little kids to grow up wearing a dress go figure skating!!!. Anyway,…that was the last of Andrew and his tough attitude. Coach Gary pulled player-x and Andrew aside (an incident I didn't see) and told them to get along or he would take them off the ice. I had a talk with Andrew that he needs to make a GOOD impression,…not a bad lasting one. This attitude adjustment he changed immediately. He didn't want to be punished. Well,…the strong coaching and the kids listened to Gary. It was wonderful!

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Andrew went home that day exhausted. He could barely move. We got home by nearly 12:30 and had to get right back up at 5:30. I was exhausted as well. 5 hours of sleep. My girlfriend and I took cat naps all day long all weekend long in order to catch up on any sleep. The drills were very heavy on the second day with an additional off ice training in between. Whew did Andrew's equipment…and himself stink by the end of the day. I was forced to stay up and wash 3 loads of wash and dry them before I hit the bed. That left me only 3 hours of sleep.

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Day 3 was a KILLER. Andrew had practice in the morning. Then he had to fly on over to Taman Anggrek for some dancing thing performed by the junior hockey players, then rush back for the final practice. This was killer on everybody. We got to meet hockey parents just like us (well, maybe not just like us, for I'm a bit biased), who were very enthusiastic parents and had absolutely lovely children. Also got to meet a few adults who participated in the camp. They were exhausted, as well. Imagine being that exhausted and so happy to be so.

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Gary Tan and his Indonesian Coaching Team

Andrew waiting to enter the ice.

Indonesian Hockey Camp 4 May 2014

The dancers at T.A. between hockey camp sessions

Gary stayed on Monday to sharpen players skates. He said , "over 70% have never sharpened their skates before".

After the 3rd day was complete, it was agreed upon by the parents and Gary that he would come to Indonesia MONTHLY for 3-5 days. THIS is exactly what the kids need if they wish to someday compete on an international level. We are honored for Gary and his team to do so. Any issues?…The fog. The fog was so high that the kids couldn't play a final game. (I do think they would have loved it, but they were so exhausted anyway. No big deal.) Need to stay at a hotel if we do this again. The travel was killer. Other than that, I didn't see too many other obstacles.

Andrew and Teammates get angry with "puck hog"

The players are between the ages of 7-9. A few of the players have left for Bintaro,…probably where Andrew will head next. There are a few reasons why this would occur. 1) Coach has NO interest in learning more about the way to coach the kids. I gave him a "SEAN SKINNER" video link for him, and he appears to have no interest in what is his paid job. Well, it shows. Figure skating coach first,…..crap they put me in as a hockey coach at 6am. Oh well, guess I'll go teach the little guys something. 2) Because of the certain "puck hog", the boys are starting to get a little tired of it. They pass to this young boy, but he won't pass back unless he has NO other options and he's stuck. Then the pass is usually a crappy outlet pass that is only in the vicinity of "hey I passed it to you…not my fault you couldn't get it"….Truly, a selfish little player. Today, 2 people (including myself) got on this boys little case. Talked about how hockey is a TEAM sport. I don't think he cares. 3) Bintaro Jaya Xchange Ice Rink is more for hockey players as opposed to T.A. Sky Rink which is geared heavily toward figure skaters. 4) A few of Andrew's buddies are already switching over to Bintaro. 5) Slightly bigger rink. NHL size rink. 6) Less people even on the crowded days. Andrew spent this morning after practice getting ready for some Pre-Ceremony dance routine with a few of his other hockey buddies.

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Andrew at Bintaro Jaya Xchange Ice Rink

Andrew(and so far 4 of his other buddies) have signed up for Malaysian Ice Hockey Coach Gary Tan. Gary will have a late spring camp in Bintaro Jaya Xchange from May 2nd to May 4th.

This will be the first TRUE instruction he's had since putting on skates back in September. Gary's had experience internationally, including Canada. So, there is a lot of expectation on his behalf. I believe, if the boys can get a good coach to come over and run a camp 3-4x a year, we will start to see progress in their GAME.

Gary Tan: Captain of Malaysia Nat'l Ice Hockey Team

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Andrew Practiced With Teammates As Part Of Ceremony

Andrew practiced this past Wednesday as part of a Ceremony for the "World Cup"…wtf??? They are going to skate on ice,…let me see if I have this straight?…skate around the ice with a Brazilian flag in futbol/soccer shirts to help spread the joy of the upcoming World Cup…..Who thought of this shit? Worse yet, Andrew was originally not included in this ceremony because the coach didn't think I'd like it. He is correct,…however, you can't isolate a child like that. Andrew being isolated like that sets a wrong message. So, as stupid as this is, he must be involved with his buddies,…his teammates. A few of the parents have gathered a hockey coach for a ONE week camp in Bintaro. Oh,…you bet Andrew will attend. It will be a 5 day camp. 4 on ice, 1 off ice. A combination of cost and visa issues for Nat is making our Czech trip this July a slight issue. We hope to get that resolved. I'd love to send both of them to Prague. In the meantime, we have decided to upgrade Andrew's gear. (Helmet upgrade to Bauer 5100medium…his enormous head) I went to Singapore and brought this one back. icewarehouse.com we got a few things too: (Bauer: Vapor APX2 11" gloves black/red…like Jonathan Toews, 2 pair of ice hockey socks (wine,black), new set of shoulder pads, elbow pads and shin guards: Vapor X100), and since we don't get good cloth ice hockey stick tape here,…ordered Black Renfrew tape. hockeymonkey.com (Warrior Covert DT2 11" hockey gloves…different feel from Bauer, Firststar Overtime Cool-Skin Contour Jr. Long Slv compression shirt, Shock Doctor 270 Basix Yth Compression hockey Jock w/Flex Cup, 3 Blackhawks hockey socks (home, road, third), NY Rangers hockey socks home, Elite Pro S700 Waxed Molded Tip laces 4 pair black 4 pair white. Got them in 96" for I have 8 pair (different brand) coming from China at 84". Why so many laces? OMG, it is nearly impossible to find hockey laces here. Now I ordered 3 toys for Andrew….a) Bauer Vapor XR4 inline hockey skates. His beginner inline skates are trashed and he loves to inline skate here at Taman Rasuna….b) Graf Supra G35 Jr. Ice Hockey Skates with the T-Blade system and the regular blade/runner also…Trying out this new T-blade and the reason for Graf? Good skate especially for those with flat feet. This is the skinny on Graf…we shall see. and finally c)Easton Mako Jr. Ice hockey skates. 4.5 (a size larger for Xmas) hearing great things about Easton from all the reviews so we want to see out of Bauer Supreme, Bauer Vapor ,Graf, and Easton which he likes best. btw…he rarely, rarely uses the Bauer Supreme skates. Those ware the used ones we got the first week here. Still in amazing condition, I bet they haven't been worn 40 times between the two owners of the skates.) I haven't purchased from hockeygiant.com yet. I am asking my friend from San Francisco to help me out on orders. Especially a very nice GRIT wheeled tower hockey bag. We really want that bad boy!!!!. I'll keep you all informed. Oh,…Blackhawks play St.Louis today. I'm off to go watch the game. Let's go Hawks!!!

Andrew Marking Up The Hallways

I was unfortunate and unable to go to Andrews practice this Sunday for I was abroad. However, this week, I got to play a little hallway hockey with Andrew. He's tearing up the hallway with black smudge marks from the tape. He watched Sean Skinners tape on puck handling and stick handling. So, he was out practicing his maneuvers. As an eight year old he needs to focus a bit more, but you can see the effort and the desire there. He TRULY needs good hockey coaching which he is unable to get here in Jakarta. But, we will try our best with what we have available to us. I heard Andrew scored again. He's starting to score with regularity now. That is good, however we still need him to gain focus on the important elements of the game. Maybe at this age, it is too young, however, I don't think it is. Because he has the desire, concentrating more on what he loves to do will be a bit easier than let's say……Math. hehehehe (well it's true. He hate's math). In a few weeks Andrew will be part of a little show that The Sky Rink is putting on. I don't know what the celebration is, but it has something to do with the "World Cup"…hmmmmm, skating representing the World Cup. This should be interesting. The only reason Andrew wishes to participate is because his friends are going to be there, as well. We are looking at buying Andrew some advanced equipment to help further develop his game. I would also like to buy some "training tools/equipment" for him, to help him when he is by himself. This is the only review I've written without a video or pics (because of my lack of attendance), but next week I should be back on track to writing more interesting material.

Bintaro vs Taman Anggrek. Andrew scores 2 ion 4-8 loss.

Post by Giovanni Barricelli.

Today was a special day. Andrew and his young buddies headed on over to Bintaro Ice Rink to face-off against a older group of boys. Included in that group was a 12 year old American kid who was dominating the ice. He scored 8 goals for his Bintaro team and they beat the boys from Taman Anggrek 8-4. In that loss however, Andrew and Raifa scored 2 goals a piece. It was quite apparent that without the 12 year old present, Team T.A. would have most likely flipped that score. They weren't a good match. What was pretty evident was just how much this T.A. team needs to grow. Other than Andrew  and Raifa,(and they only did it part time), no on wanted to put a body on the 12 year old American and he just dominated the ice. Also evident was the passing without looking, the lack of defensive effort, and the inability to use the backhand.


A few things I learned today.
1) Parents from Bintaro ARE NOT used to people yelling and cheering from the balcony. Many felt that we should be seen,…but not heard.

2) They have a nice little hockey shop next to the rink. It has skates, bags, helmets, shoulder pads, hockey pants, sticks, hockey tape (colored), 120cm laces….I needed laces even though they were 38cm too big,…I bought them. They have jerseys at 300,000 Rp per jersey. No numbers or names, but decent  jerseys with NHL logos. There was also some figure skating things there.

3) The drippy ceiling leaves pot holes on the ice.   I wonder if anyone else noticed that.

4) Everyone loves hockey.

Look at all the boys at Bintaro today

The lobby at Bintaro

Dad Takes a Spill Andrew Dishes Out Checks

To clarify,…he calls me "uncle"…Indonesian tradition. Makes sense to  me. But, since I have raised this boy from age 6 on,…you could say he's my son.
Okay now for todays news.

Good ole' dad,…errrrr "Uncle",…decides that he can run sprints with the team. WRONG!!! Speed wise…no problem. But, I took a spill 4 times in 2 attempts. Seriously, I looked old and awful.….Gave myself a few raspberries…..Yeah,… thought of coming out of retirement ended there….hehehehe. But, I did finish after I fell, to let Andrew know…to never quit.

Andrew FINALLY got his YOUTH sized Marian Hossa jersey.  (Aliexpress / Made in China's Store)
About 25 days…. They were not perfect on the order…. 2:3 were correct….all three look amazing. So, we kept 2 Hossa jerseys and gave one to our staff member who knows nothing about hockey, so she could care less what player she received… ~ 300,000 Rp per jersey  fyi.

The coaches don't really go over productive hockey skills. You're talking about 2 figure skating coaches that also coach hockey. Indonesia, not your hotbed for hockey. We have to do most of our practicing off ice. But, what they did do today was a speed drill. Land and Ice. Andrew was the fastest on both. (I don't include Mr. Simon…he's a 40+ yr old mad)… Andrew was 17:44 seconds around the ice. His practicing on cross overs when he got to the goal line has really helped. As the others guided around the back of the net,…he was skating using his cross over speed. Good Job!!!

On the ice today…well, let's say he was a little testy. The parents asked us to tell Andrew not to BODY CHECk them. This isn't Europe, Canada or the USA. So, it's supposed to be less physical. I don't know if that will stop him. How do you tell a boy to not have a 'fighting spirit', especially when there are a few players who won't "pass the puck?" I have an issue if the 2 forty year old men were to check an 8 year old,…but an 8 yr old checking a player  ages 7-11? I see no problem with that. As long as it's in the context of the game.
Alright,…that being said,…he got a little upset and gave  the 9 year old a little message,…if you will.  Then after that, he got a little angry at the goaltender.  I heard Haikal's father complain, but I actually missed that body check to Haikal. I saw both of them collide…and Haikal fell like a ton of bricks…Maybe that is what he thought was a check… that was actually NOT a check.  It was two young boys losing their balance.
Uh oh,…I hear Mom was screaming from the balcony…..Uh oh...I'm sure he knew we were watching, because after practice, he didn't want to look at us. I went up to him and explained that raising sticks in temper (this he did to the 9 year old after practice while they were clowning around)…even if you aren't going to use it as a weapon IS NOT ALLOWED at any time…. So, on his own, he went to 2 of the 3 players and shook their hands. One of them is his best friend at hockey…."Haikal". As you see, they forgave each other.


I downloaded today Hockey by Sean Skinner. We are going to get Andrew to practice these wonderful techniques at home. Then he can take those skills to the rink on Fri and Sun.

Andrew and Haikal after practice 30MAR 2014

Andrew geting "loud"….uh oh…Mom's telling him to calm down.

Andrew Scored His First 2 Goals

Andrew Killin 23 March 2014

Interesting day today. Andrew was sick, (in a bad mood all day), yet he took the ice and at the beginning, he looked awful. I didn't see any energy. I thought he didn't have enough to eat. Then he left the ice. He threw-up and I asked him if he was okay. I told him I would run downstairs to McDonald's to get him a chicken sandwich,…when I came back, everyone told me that Andrew scored two times. Great…I missed it. Oh well.  He and a bunch of his hockey buddies raced the circumference  of the ice (outside edge and from end to end…no cheating)…He skated in 17.1 seconds and now holds a slight lead on two of his other buddies also in the mid to high 17's. He then skated backward. He came in 3rd. So, he has work to do on the backward skating speed.

Andrew was skating down the ice with one hand on the stick and he was starting to poke check. Still, doesn't like to chase someone down to take the puck away, and in a scrum, will either pass up the puck, lose his balance and sometimes fall down. He did go to the corners and fight for the puck though. So, the progress is nice to see, even though I missed the goals…SHUCKS!!!!!.

After Practice…Haikal and Raifa fighting for the puck. Egbert in the rear. Andrew (left) waiting for action.

Rollerblading To Success

Yesterday, I got to see first hand just how good Andrew is getting on the rollerblades I bought him back in early September. He was kicking the hockey ball with his roller blades with his leg going behind the other...in order to kick the ball up to his stick. That is  pretty advanced. He has completely worn out his rubber break and his straps are starting to rip and break. When we are outside on the 4th floor Podium, he is skating up ramps, jumping down stairs without worry or hesitation. He's going to be a good little player. Today, we discussed how we are going to further his development. Are we going to send him to Czech Republic this summer for hockey camp? It costs a lot of money. 10,000,000 Rp per week, + airfare for my family, + hotel, + entertainment, + food. Looking at sending just Andrew and his mother to Prague to limit the costs. We're still talking about it. Plus, is it worth sending him over for just one week? Should we invest in 2 weeks? Decisions decisions.

Adding New Indonesian Friends To This Wonderful Game Of Hockey

Andrew is so tickled right now because he is able to bring one of his friends to the rink. This friend doesn't skate, so he is going to learn how to skate from Andrew. SLEEP OVER> …since we get up early,….you guessed it,…Andrew's friend is sleeping over. (I'm sure they will get about an hour of sleep tonight)….

The next morning, I don't think I've ever seen Andrew up on time to go to practice. I have always had to wake him up...even if he has an alarm set. However, THIS Sunday morning would be different. He was up and he was prepared. He let his buddy use his Boston Bruins jersey (as seen above), while he got to wear his New Mighty Ducks Teemu Selanne jersey...Adult Small...it looked so large on him,...but he didn't care. He was going to wear it regardless.

We told Andrew to focus on ice SPACE. Don't wander all over the ice. Play your position. That he started to do, and it left him 3 shots on goal and he ended up playing the best game he's played so far in his young hockey career. He actually had a beautiful assist. Hard for kids to do. Usually when they see the puck,they instantly want to shoot. He passed to a wide open guy and Mr. Simon shoved it in an empty net as Andrew had 2 guys draped on him. Great job!

Andrew Shows His Grit

During yesterday's practice, one of the Indian Ex-Pats ran into Andrew and cut in on him in the line. Well, Andrew was going to have none of it. The boy proceeded to say "I'm better than you"...(which if 100 people were to see both players play...100% of you would disagree with this boys rationale)...Andrew and this boy got into a little shoving match....and punches were thrown. Indian boy age 11, Andrew age 8.

I proceeded to yell at both kids (even with the boys father present) and warned them both to quit it. After the coach gave them a "stern warning"....hockey continued.

I told Andrew, that if you are upset with somebody, take it out ON THE ICE.. However,
1) Don't seek out the trouble
2) Make it legal.
3) and ...makes sure HE FEELS IT!

That is exactly what happened. Andrew got a little "mouthy" with the young lad from India. However, he proceeded to check him off his feet (remember, Andrew is only 8 years old and the other boy is 11), and then he took the boy off his feet as they both went into the boards for a puck.

There you go Andrew,.....no need to "talk the talk"........simply "walk the walk".

Andrew (in black) 09MAR14 morning exercise before taking the ice.

The First 6 Months Of Skating In A Nutshell.

The end of September 2013 and the beginning of October, Andrew was spending nearly 10 hours a week on either the ice or he was practicing by way of roller blading. He was determined to be a good skater.

1 month into hockey and he's already wearing hockey jerseys all the time.

As I try to figure out how to put my mobile phone videos on blogger, I will just put the pictures on for now.
During the first 2 months of hockey, Andrew learned how to roller blade and he was learning how to do hockey maneuvers. (hockey stop, weaving in and out of traffic, cross over skating, backward skating). He was able to skate one end of the ice to the other end in about 9 seconds. Andrew was interested in speed first, and had to be pulled back and refocused many times in order to progress. Balance and skating on his edges were more important. However, to an 8 year old, speed was the most important thing.

His favorite NHL player is Marian Hossa (not a bad role model) and I find him in the apartment pretending he is Hossa. He started to slack a little bit on the rollerblading during November and December. He got content with the ice. Because Andrew is getting a lot of guidance, and he loves the game, he follows what the coaches, older players and parents say….with a little nudge of course.

Like all kids, what makes him feel important,…or feel like a hockey player is all the equipment and the hockey jerseys. I recall the first time he came to the car with his school buddies, and they didn't believe he was a hockey player…..when they found out,…it was "oooohs and aaaaaahs"…and "Andrew you are so cool", "Andrew you are so lucky". Well, this makes an 8 year olds smile go from ear to ear. So, pushing Andrew was not even a case because he enjoyed all the attention and accolades. During the incredibly rainy December and January, Andrew wasn't outside much. It was time to pick up his ice time during those rainy months, so that he didn't forget how to skate. Come February, Andrew was making friends near our apartment and was rollerblading almost every single day. FOR HOURS. I noticed that improvement as he started to hit the ice come March.

Only 3 weeks on the ice. He was coming to the ice nearly 4x week for 4 hours a day during this stretch.

Andrew had to learn a few things about "etiquette".  He saw too many hockey games. In fact, he was learning way more about the actual game then the present children on the team. Other than Crosby or Ovechkin (who they couldn't even pronounce), many didn't know a single NHL player. Ok,…that being said, Andrew needed to learn about not crying during a game because he got checked too hard, or learn how to dish back a good check of his own…or worse yet, not to "be dirty" on the ice because he got "slashed' or "hooked" or "checked too hard". Over the past 3+ months, this has definitely been improved upon.

During our first 6 months of playing almost solely in Jakarta, Andrew has played at J-Cube in Singapore (where we purchased his new Bauer skates and a new stick), and the new rink (soooo unfinished) at Bintaro. Nobody liked the rink in Bintaro. Smog machine heaven. Nobody could see across the ice, it was loaded with first time skaters that were dangerous to be on the ice with because when they fell, they looked to grab on to someone to keep themselves from falling.

It is apparent that Andrew will need TRUE coaching if he wishes to get to that next level. We have looked into schools/camps in europe that would help Andrew further develop.  That is going to be our next step in development.

One thing that many people don't see across other parts of the world, is that players from the tropics sometimes have an advantage because HOCKEY is all they do. In Jakarta, there isn't much else to do. Sports in particular are not heavily pushed. This therefore means the ice hockey and inline hockey world in Jakarta is a small world. Everyone knows everyone (for the most part), and for someone like Andrew, he will get the coaching when and if necessary ALL YEAR LONG. Unlike Canada, where they may only be on the ice 6 months, in Jakarta, Andrew will be on the ice for all 12 months. His game will progress slower, but his skating ability will progress faster. As he progresses in the skating, the other things will come in time,…so I am not worried much.

Now, it's time for me to figure out how to post these darn videos.

-until then. Keep skating' !!!

This is the hockey life of Andrew Killin…Welcome

Andrew meeting hockey players. (He's a bit bashful on this day). First day on the ice.

This is Jakarta: Warm, damp, rainy from November to March, heavy traffic, and ....not a mecca for a sport known as ice hockey. I am starting a blog 6 months after Andrew first took the ice at "The Ice Rink" @ Taman Anggrek Mall in Jakarta.
 

12Sept2013 Andrew meets Michael Shu

Andrew is 8 years old and he started the interest of hockey because of me. I am insanely nuts about my favorite hockey team: The Chicago Blackhawks. So much so, I have written hundreds of articles about my favorite team on www.hawktalkalways.blogspot.com  .

He got to see the Hawks win the Stanley Cup on television and became as interested in hockey as me. I offered him the opportunity to ice skate in early September after our vacation from Bali. September 8th 2013 he got to meet a few people on the hockey team and he was introduced to Mr. Simon, who has a boy on the junior hockey team. Mr. Simon offered to sell us his back up pair of skates for a mere 1.7j Rp. (about $170 USD)….yikes….skates are a luxury, so get used to paying high prices for things we in America didn't have to pay that steep a price for.

1 Month skating, Michael teaches Andrew how to inline skate to speed up his balance. 

So, on September 12th, Andrew made his first appearance on the ice. He fell….and fell,…and fell,…at least 30 times. All he kept doing was getting up. He wanted SO badly to make the junior hockey club. I could tell the fire was in his belly. He cried  the first 2 practices because he wasn't on the same level as the younger kids. So, I made sure he got his ice time (and off-ice time) and I paid 3 of the guys to help him skate. But, there had to be at least 6 people that offered to help him learn how to skate the first 2 months. The support from Indonesians was simply Amazing!!! There are few Indonesians that love hockey, so when they saw a little 8 year old who wanted to learn,….they were MORE than willing to help. I will try to show you just how quickly this little boy started to learn the art of hockey and skating. Each post, I will try to put in progression of his learning….so, I will have to date each of his pictures and videos so that we can get an idea when these events occurred until we get caught up to our present date.

My intention is to follow Andrew and his progression of ice hockey throughout his childhood years, into his teen age years, and to give everybody an insight of Indonesian hockey and an insight on Andrew's growth ( or lack thereof) of this wonderful sport called…. hockey.

Welcome to Indopuck.blogspot.com , the hockey life of Andrew Killin. (cool hockey name eh?)