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Outdoor rink offers chance t-, e.in lc tI -1i cj Aî1-a 1 l've found a littie outdonr rink i Milton_ It lias boards, Iights, the ice is fairly smooth, and it appears to lie maintainesi by tlie tawn. Sonry, but l'mn nos selling yau wlier it is. Cal] me selfish, but if 1 told you andi then you saIsi saine- anc else, and they told someone else, the rink would lie packed witli people. Nos that 1 would mmnd that, dur- ing (lie pleasure skating turnes, but I have my awn agenda. 1 wans ta try playing hockey again. 1 haven't played for about 15 years - haven't even heen on tlie ice except for the osis practice or 59/o. 1 usesi ta play on two teamas a ses- son, andi as least anc during the summiner. But the turne constraints of paresishoosi andi the fact that 1 was spending several niglis a wcck warking as NHL games meant somneshing iasi to go. I dots't regret that. The respansi- bilities ansi privilege of heing asin- gle parent dwarf mass pleasure activities in temis of importance andi desure. I've had plensy of offers frorn people wlio rent ice, bath here in Milton ansi other places, but I don't go. t's nos thast Idon't want ta, but ratiser thas I can't bring myself ta do it because it's been so long. I usesi ta lie a decent hockey player. I'vc playesi with players, on my team ansi on oppasing teamas, who also playesi Major Junior, lier 2 Junior, U.S. coîlege hockey, European hockey ansi even in the 1 remember playing hockey comn- pctisively. 1 remember sitting in the dressing room, which becamne quiet riglit befare gaine time as evcryone sunk insa their own tisauglis. The husterflies frain ncrvous excite- ment waising for tise Zamboni, NHL. In misiget hockey, far example, 1 always rememberesi the name of this ane player who scored five goals againat us in the Toronto ares finals. Paul Gardiner went an ta have a prctty goad cameer in the NHL. And hey, in my greasesi individ- ual hockey achievement, 1 once scored six goals in a game. But anyway, it's difficuit ta ga and do soniething that you were once goasi at andi aren't anymore. It's ot so much that I'm afraid of embarasaisg myseif, but rather that I would look as myseif andI sec that I'mn nos very gond anymore. It's not that 1 could even think I'm doing okay for sornebody my age. If 1 had kept playing ail along I could say that, but nos now. It's different finin when 1 played football with the Milton Marauders Iast year.l1 had neyer playesi before, sa whatever I was ahle ta do I thouglit was okay, considering my age. Oh, 1 knew I could have heen hetter 20Oyears ago, or even 10, but 1 didn't have anything concrese ta make that comparison. which secmed ta take farever ta finish its tank. T7he tiny moment of pleasure wlien ssepping onta the freshly-cleancd ice ansi taking your first Iap araunsi your aide of the rink. Ans i te susisen elation of scor- ing a goal. Thiere aren't many lies- ter feelings than shas, no master how many yon've scored ansi n masser how you score tiser. Most of ail, it's just playing that I miss. Befare, during ansi after tIhe gaines. 1 was almost always dhe tirat player ta arrive liccause 1 cauldn't wait ta ges there, ansi almost alwaya the Iast sa ga because t sud- n't want ta leave. These are things you sion't for- ges, ansi sometimes wlien yau think they'll always lie just lnmroes, you stand on the esige of an out- door rink ansi you stars thinking insyle yau can do them, again. 1 waulsin't tmnd playing in an aid- timer's league, if 1 caulsi as leasi perforin as a reasonable level. I've dug ous my skases, a puck andi an aId hockey stick, ansi anc of these sisys or niglis wlien nobady is arounsi, l'Il go ta the lintle out- door rink that 1 founsi andi sec if thcre's anysliing lefs. Front-end *ris do the trick in Snowshoe Series qualiflers Both Raider Rain ansi Pick A Trail provesi thas the front-endi was thse place ta lie during a pair of $16.000 second keg divisions of the Snawslioc Series Friday evening as Woodbinc Race Track. Raider Ramn ansi Chris Christofarou gos ta tie Icas esrly ansi made it Iook easy, going gase-to-wire in 1:58 siuring tise apening dash. PH Tisial Wave ansi driver Phil Hudon hasi a pocket ride tliraugh :28.4,3:9.3 ansi 1:28 fractions, but caulsi- n't convert tise trip - flnishing tisme-quarters of a length hack in second. Retraspecr, in rein ta Keitis Oliver ansi tiras up tie backstretcli, deliveresi a suSag finish ta place third, aone Iengtis in anears. Victoriaus in tie tiras leg, Jackie Brown - with Luc Oucîlette as lise cositrols - fn ishecl fourts. With Ransiy Waples as die heIn, Pick A Trail gos up in dic clasing sades ta get die better of l»berboy ansi driver Maria Baillargeon in 1:57.1 in tie second shawdown. 'lyberboy set fractions of :28.4, :58.4 ansi 1:28. 1, but with Pick A Trail pailces flrst-ovcr in second since thc dte-quarters pale, tie pace-setscr was overtaken by a Ho of Beat with JFF RNON quarter-Iength at the wire. Post-simne favouie Genghis Pan - who won a divi- sion of thse tirst leg - sas foursis through the majority of the mile and hasi ta steer wide ta clear a breaking Nojoke Kiev at the third stasion. Coniing on in dhe lase stages, Genghis Pan flnished third - one lenglis back. Trained by Rolibie McNeilI, Pick A Trail - a Prince Lee Acres homnelresi - recorded his tiras victory of 2004 Friday. The $52.800 final of the Snowshoc Series is slased for Friday. Old Friends slo-pitch set to expand 1 Back liy papular demansi, tise Olsi Friensis bnop was createsi Milton Olsi Fricnds alo-piscl liecause a number of players iasi league is set ta welcamce N'a new siroppesi ous of the Milton Men's teama inta this year's folsi. SIa-Pitcli League - citing sucli 'Mias means 30 new spaces are reasons as an inabiliry ta compete open within Uic men's 50-ansi-over with Uic younger playera ansi proli- league, which wilI include six lemns associatesi with playing under squads tisis coming season. Uic liglats siuring late-niglit gaines. Startesi last sumîuner, Uic Milton Registration for the 50-plus league will lie lieli ts Sasursiay ansi ncxs from 12 to 4 p.m. as Ibe Milside Restaurant, locatesi as the camner of Main ansi Martin streets. For more information, call Daug Leal as (905) 878-743 1, or drop liy Mike's Barber Shop for a sign-up sheet. 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