The larger, less-experienced, but just as charming group
When will I learn? After a hard week at school, I anxiously awaited the first HF session since before France’s winter break. Given that I had felt really comfortable before the break, I felt prepared and ready to be back at the rink with the kids. While getting all of the equipment ready I could hear their voices approaching, a little more noise than usual. Then in walk many faces, faces that I have never seen before. This was when things became difficult. It’s not that I don’t like having new participants come; on the contrary, I want new participants to come. There have been kids new to the sport/HF at virtually every session. But instead of having a ratio of maybe three new kids to seven returning participants, I now was looking at five returning participants and eight beginners. This poses some significant challenges to both our stock of equipment as well as my ability to instruct. Ultimately, it took nearly 45 minutes (nearly half the session) to find enough skates, helmets and gloves to work for everyone. At the beginning of HF it would take this long even with a smaller group, but we had recently cut this time off since our returning participants know what equipment they need and how to properly put it on. (continued after the pictures…)
After we got everyone going, I had to face the issue that more than half the class had never participated before. Working with thirteen kids still stretches my language capabilities and also prevents me from being able to give too much attention to just one individual. Doubting my level of control over a larger and less-experienced group I made the decision not to bring the sticks and pucks out. The returning kids, who are pretty into playing hockey at the moment were disappointed, but I’ll make sure to make it up to them today. After explaining my situation to the administrators from the Centre Aèré, hopefully I have the same surprises/problems.
