I PLAYED IN THAT GAME

I played in that game. We all must have something in our life where we can
say "I was there", "I saw that" or "I played in that game". It could be a
meaningless backyard football game, or attending a no hitter or having a
beer with Brett Favre in a bar. Whatever it is, you will likely recall it
and talk about it dozens or hundreds of times in your life.



Today 32 nine and ten year olds lived a game that they will never forget.
Who won or lost will never matter, the game was played and as improbable as
it might be to believe. It really did happen.



The Flagstaff Northstars and the AHU Knights hockey teams had met 4 times
this season prior to today. The two teams tied all 4 games, 1-1; 2-2; 2-2;
1-1. All four games were evenly matched, hard fought and great to watch.
The players have mutual respect for each other, they like to hang out. The
families of both teams enjoy each others company, even getting together on
multiple occasions to have lunch or beers after a game. It is a rivalry of
respect with no negative feelings toward anyone in each others organization..



This weekend both teams entered the 9th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Shootout
in Phoenix. The teams did not meet in round robin play or in the
semi-finals. However, as serendipitous as it was, they met in the
Championship game of the tournament. The joking and banter immediately
began how we will finally have a winner, a Championship game can't end in a
tie. If tied at the end of regulation, there would be a 5 minute overtime,
if tied after that there would be a shootout with 5 players from each team,
if tied after that it would go to a sudent death shootout where each team
puts another player out there until one team scored and the other did not.
Now we all know, it won't come to that....



The game began and immediately it was clear that this game would follow
suit. Northstars score first, Knights tie it up in the third. Tied after
regulation. Can you believe that . 5 ties against the same team in the
same season, all games ended 1-1 or 2-2. Overtime period starts and ends
with no one scoring.



Let the shootout begin. 5 players for each team are selected, after the
first three rounds the Knights have two goals and the Northstars have none.
The Northstars goalie stops the last two Knights, the last two Northstar
shooters both make theirs shots. Can you believe it. This is a
Championship Game. 6th player, then a 7th, an 8th, then 9, then 10, then
11. On the 11th player in the shootout the game is finally settled.



What a game!! The feeling is odd, awkward, we lost. We lost? it did not
seem like we lost. They won, they won? They did not seem as ecsatatic as a
team that jiust won a Championship. The emotions are running crazy, one of
the strongest is feeling bad for them that they can't go nuts and get wacky
and celebrate because they feel bad for us.



I am not sure how many folks are walking around that can say they played in
a Championship Game against a team that they have tied 5 times over the over
the course of 3 months with the last one going 11 deep in a sudden death
shootout. But my guess is that there are not many.



Today 32 kids made some Squirt hockey history and will be part of something
very very special for the rest of their life.



Time will go on and the stories about the game will take on their own new
life. I know as a coach I will always be wondering about the two goals that
we put in that were called off and not allowed. I know as a friend to every
kid on both teams that deep down I am glad the game ended the way it did.
Heck, if they were allowed then all of these awesome kids would not have
likely spent the rest of their life saying.............



I PLAYED IN THAT GAME !!!

----Assistant Coach of the Flagstaff Northstars, Mark Manone.

*Printed with permission from author