The Ringer by Aislinn Leonard
This was the week for ringers down at the U7s. The C field brought in a guest goalie from the sidelines, and he was a mighty tall wall for our littlest hurlers to crash. Maeve’s dad, Shamrock Club captain Vinny Moloney, encouraged players to take shots on him during their match, and to his surprise sliotar after sliotar rolled into the back of the net as every single player found a weak spot in his mighty defense!
Coach Cecelia has taken to calling Chloe Fortier “Mini Beast,” due to the tenacity she shows once the sliotar is thrown into play, and all the C field hurlers are beginning to hit their stride and really understand what this great sport is all about – FUN! “The kids are enjoying a combination of traditional kids’ games with a hurling twist and playing actual hurling scrimmages now, too. Some of the kids are demonstrating advanced skills and we have already moved a few up to have a go on the bigger pitch this season,” said Coach Cecilia. This week, Lemmy Holtzman was called up to the B field and he not only survived the challenge, he embraced it and flourished! Scoring a flurry of goals in the first half, Lemmy directly applied all of the hurling fundamentals he’s learned on the C field, and the Bs proudly welcomed and supported their rookie guest. Defensive highlights have to include Oliver Blackwell’s massive ground hurl that was hit with the force of a thousand rhinos, sending the sliotar high into the air to the opposite end of the field --all halfbacks dream of such a strike!
The eagerness of the U7s this season is unbeatable. On the A field, rookie Colin Corr always plays his heart out and he scored his first goal this week! His fierce play in scrums and his shifty drives toward the net make him a very difficult mark, and he kept Bethany Fortier very busy this week. Colin does a good job clearing and passing, and is always good for a handshake or a chest bump after strong plays from either side of the pitch. Zack Wozniak had his first try in goal this week and made some amazing ground saves, battling two or three attackers at a time. Zack definitely did a great job taking care of “his house!” As the U7s take to the skies with their air hurling, the goalies have to work that much harder to stop goals, and now points, as well. During London Chase’s turn in goal, she was able to stop multiple rebounds with her speedy reflexes, but Christian “I’m Airborne” Griffin popped the sliotar over her head for a point! You’d better believe it when we say these U7s play with heart and determination and never stop running or swinging. You all better be watching your backs - these kids are animals, and they’re coming for you!
photo credit: Kerry Leonard