Rhino's Ramblings - A Trip To Gull Lake

It made for a long day and I had to take an hour nap just outside of Chaplin as heart disease made me tired but after close to a year I was able to catch some Saskatchewan Female Hockey League action on the weekend.

I know it makes for a very long day and ten (10) hours after I set out I made it back home but seriously I was just far too bagged out to write the story up.

So why would I make myself such a long day? I know that is a question more than a couple of people are asking.

And yes I do agree that on the face of it many are going to say that it was silly to go so far to cover a female hockey game.

But here is where I have to disagree.

The trip bantam to Gull Lake was sort of a signal to starting where I had left off when last season’s minor hockey ended abruptly due to the COVID - 19 pandemic.

Now I am not going to be the person to throw cold water on all that has happened.

For many people the cancellation of hockey - and let’s face it two seasons now in a row - has been a very disappointing affair for more than a few in the hockey world.

Certainly there are tons, or if you are all metrified, tonnes of disappointment out there on the seeming loss of the game over the past two seasons due to the health restrictions and mandates set out to attempt to stop the COVID - 19 pandemic.

I suppose if you want the political breakdown when many teams saw their playoff runs eliminated in the 2019 - 2020 there was a lot of disappointment.

For the then Mavericks bantam team (under 15 A) it meant their entire opportunity to finally capture a provincial title came down to a single game as partway through the contest it officially became known that all play had been suspended by Hockey Canada.

It may have seemed highly cliche but everything in 2019 - 2020 boiled down to who won that second period and sadly for the Mavericks it was just not to be.

In 2020 - 2021 there was a brief start to the season with the entire SFHL set up in pods designed to restrict the potential spread of the virus which causes COVID - 19.

The 2020 - 2021 season was also one where I was suppose to - OK promised - to spend an entire day in the Swift Current region.

First to cover the Mavericks and then swing into Gull Lake to cover the Milestone squad.

It was a day that was not to be as the Province once again issued a COVID - 19 mandate which ended the season and moved teams back to an eight player practice only format.

The day I had hope to put in as I had to this point actually been going on the Mavericks road games was effectively cancelled.

So I thought when I was asked if I would throw some coverage this year to the U18 A program out of Milestone that the first game I came back to should be the one in Gull Lake. To finish off a promise I sort of made to people about a year ago now.

With that said I do know this year with the re-birth of the Moose Jaw Warriors, the AAA team and the program firing up out of Caronport plus changes in a local newsroom eliminating the person who did the weekend coverage and minor hockey roundup that coverage has seemed to slip.

But at the same time it is difficult for me to do a lot of coverage to make up some of the slack that is out there.

Because I suffer from stage three or four heart disease and have immune system problems you likely won’t see me diving into close quarters contact but with that said I have no problem going off to a private corner of the rink and doing what I do.

But with that said if anyone wants to submit - legible and readable - scoresheets I am more than willing to write them up and publish them.

It is the same thing really with all kinds of sports. If I have the time and someone wants to help me with submitting scoresheets certainly I can find the time to publish them.

I cannot make any promises - given my health - but if there is something coming up just let me know I will do my best to show up.