The Hockey Life: Making a commitment

With the click of a button and the resulting $500 commitment fee, Colin joined the Tampa Bay Jr. Lightning White Peewee A squad last week. If only his return to the organization had been that easy. But, like I've said many times before, nothing good comes easy.

Though we've yet to receive a roster, we've been told, through multiple sources, that the team will lack any of the issues (and people) that led to his not making the team a year ago. That's exactly what we want to hear. It's our goal, just like it is any season, to have fun and watch Colin grow within the game. So, maybe this year, we'll get back on track.

That's not to say, though, there have been some major changes within the organization over the past year.

The Jr. Lightning, the oldest youth travel hockey program in the Tampa Bay area, will now skate out of one rink, in Oldsmar, rather than at two rinks, the other being in Clearwater. That move alone, we hear, led some families, including an entire team, to leave the group.

Not sure what happened there and, honestly, don't want to know. It only reinforces the politics involved within the youth hockey circles down here. As much as you try to avoid it, it's inevitable. And, yes, I know it's not just limited to hockey.

As a result of rejoining the Jr. Lightning, we passed on having Colin try out for another program yesterday. Though we went into the season expecting to have him attend tryouts for three teams, we felt it was best to sign on with a familiar program.

Only time will tell how this season plays out. Hopefully, Colin and his teammates do well. All we can say is we're looking forward to see what happens.