HOCKEY, A GIFT FROM DAD

"A KID ON ICE IS NOT IN HOT WATER" was my dad's adage, and I remember hearing those words of wisdom throughout my childhood. My father introduced me to the sport of hockey when I was just a little boy. I grew up with my four brothers and sister in a small town in upstate New York, and my dad was my hockey coach for most of my youth hockey experience. Growing up with a pond in my backyard, I remember playing my league games at West Point and then rushing back home with my friends to play pond hockey. Building hockey goals out of wood or snow, and sometimes just our sneakers, skating and playing hockey all day are just a few of the wonderful memories I have of playing hockey as a kid. While I learned the excitement of playing hockey at a very young age, there also were life lessons instilled into me that I would come to value later as an adult.

The game of hockey is a gift because it provides a unique opportunity to teach essential life lessons, shaping who we become as individuals. Competition, comaraderie, teamwork, friendship, rising to the challenge in the face of adversity, and winning with modesty are just a few of the things that I have learned from playing hockey. These are lessons that I have carried with me and used throughout my life, helping me to succeed both on and off the ice.

Hockey has been a gift to me that provides a fine balance in my life. It has provided me with a mental escape at times when I am in a quandary. I have the confidence to know that I can go and play a game of hockey even if it's just for an hour, and let my troubles melt away.

As a young man going off to college, hockey, once again, became a gift that helped me to meet new friends in new settings. I realized that I could move anywhere and had the ability to make new friends simply by playing a game of hockey. For parents, hockey provides time with our kids that may otherwise be lost. The back and forth to the rink, the trips we take, all offer opportunities of family time that is so rare today.

I have been blessed to be able to pass this gift to my son and to see the fun that he has, the friends he has made, and the life lessons he is learning. The goal of this Foundation is to pass this gift on to all kids and to enable them opportunities to compete and learn through hockey the valuable lessons that will shape who they become as adults.

Please TAKE A SHOT and help us keep A KID ON ICE and NOT IN HOT WATER.

Thank you,
Matt Dyroff

In memory of my dad, Robert J Dyroff, who dedicated over 30 years of his life teaching hockey to children and shaping them into adults. At the age of 52, he suffered a heart attack and died while playing hockey. He lived his life fully on and off the ice.