Silver cup in the cold

  G'day. Middle of winter here and the cold weather has stopped us all this way from getting out and enjoying ourselves. My son Chris offered me the chance to go and watch him play ice the other night, so off we went down too Oakley rink where I thought my trousers were going to freeze to the seat I was sitting on watching him play hockey.

  This weekend was a little warmer, he was playing inline hockey in a bi-yearly tournament we call the Silver Cup, which is played for by the senior players from all over Melbourne. The tournament lasts for nearly a weeks play and finished today in the finals. Chris has played in this contest for many years, throughout his junior and senior comp. and this year he has finally managed with his team to get his name engraved on the cup after the team he plays for won the finals in extra time with a final score of 5 goals to 4.

  With water restriction and conservation a major concern at present, the icerink, as we know it, is becoming like the dinasaur, rather extinct. From three ice rinks around Melbourne we now only have the one and this looks as though it may be the last we see. City planners are now reluctant to issueing licences for rinks due to the amount of water and energy needed to run these venues.

  Now comes N-Ice, a little different from ice as its not cold and wet, yes in November we should have the first N-Ice rink finally layed and ready to play hockey on here in the northern suburbs, this will make him happy as it is only 15 minutes from home rather than 1 hour to the rink hes useing now.

  Well enough of this cold talk, will let you all know whats happening here next time.

                                                                            Robert, Linda and the boys.