At the end of every hockey season, our garage gets a makeover. And by ‘makeover’ I mean that the hockey equipment splayed all over the garage gets put away to make room for sporting equipment of another kind. I look forward to this time when our garage actually looks normal. I love these two days. 

As every hockey mom knows, there are a ton of hockey-related to-do’s at the end of the hockey season: the namebars get removed, the jerseys washed and returned, the hockey equipment marked for or sent out for deep cleaning, the hockey equipment that won’t fit the next season and is shipped to the sporting goods exchange store, or the hockey equipment that simply won’t make it and gets delivered to the curb. Hockey stuff. 

There are some other end-of-the-season chores that also deserve honourable mention. It’s not just the garage that has borne the brunt of a busy hockey season. As all hockey moms prepare for their garage makeovers, let’s not forget these must-do chores too:

• The backyard rink is now a puddle and all that infrastructure must now be somehow stored away (in the same garage I just cleaned of all the hockey equipment);

• While I’m in the backyard, I might as well collect all the stray pucks that have resurfaced with the melting of the snow, making sure I separate this collection from the other round mounds of brown;

• It looks like deck repair work is needed due to heavy skate traffic to and from the backyard rink;

• I can easily assess the improvement of the slap shot accuracy by the puck marks on the garage door; and therefore, I have also assessed that the garage door now needs a fresh coat of paint (and in fact pretty soon a new garage door will be needed!);

• This is also the time that the Fresh Balsam Fir car freshener is happily replaced with Springtime in Paris scent (or something equally reFRESHing);

• I’m happy to finally remove the hockey tape, tournament Player of the Game awards, and name bars that have collected at the bottom of purse (well, maybe leave the hockey tape right where it is!);

• It’s not just the gear that needs a good cleaning; my beloved hockey blanket has made the trek from the back of my car to the bleachers of a hockey arena far too many times between cleanings. It’s time to give her a break too!

• I also ensure the good hockey sticks get stored and the ones now relegated for road hockey stay in the garage (because it wouldn’t be normal to have nothing to trip over year round now would it?!); and

• Last but not least, that “special” recycle bin that gets a “special” refund at my “special” store also needs to make a “special” (long, overdue) trip.

In our family, we have one more hockey tournament this weekend before the season can officially be called “official.”.After this, the big makeover begins. How about yours?

Three cheers for the end of the hockey season – and the hockey makeovers that come with it.