Josie is very particular about her skates. I think it’s partly becuase when she first started skating I had her in skates that were way to large and she had a lot of difficulty learning basic techniques – like how to stop. She does not like to stand out in a crowd and when her instructor pointed the finger at her skates after a few lessons, I had lost all credibility as a purveyor of hockey knowledge and steward of equipment. We found a pair of skates she really liked last year – out of serendipity.
It was a dark and stormy night, not kidding, really was dark and stormy, although it was 4am. Josie and I were headed off to her 5am practice and it was pouring down rain. I threw her bag into the cab of truck and jumped in as quickly as I could. I drove all the way to the ice rink; Josie went the locker room and changed; then she came out wearing only one skate – we also lost her helmet, but that’s another story. I drove the 20 minutes back home thinking her skate must still be inside and there it was, sitting in the driveway, right where the truck had been. Being a denialist, I threw the skate into the truck and got back to the rink as quickly as I could. Josie was skating in one rental skate with dull blade and her one good skate. Did I mention these were brand new skates?
She was rather pathetic, so I pulled her off the ice and put her soaking wet skate on her foot and sent her back out. That’s when things got really pathetic. Every time she tried to skate on her outside edge of her left foot, she fell down. It was like someone was kicking her skates out from underneath her. She kept trying for almost an hour. Finally, I called her over and told her I thought I might have run over her skate. She was not happy. That was one the longest trips home I can remember.
The story ends well. I had to buy her a new pair of skates the next day and she has tiny feet. I had to get it at the pro shop in Rockville, where they don’t have much selection. I bought the only pair of skates in her size; a pair of Graf 35o. They just fit. Her first time on the skates it was obvious that these skates were the right ones for her.
Of course she outgrew them in 6 months and I had to find another pair. They apparently do not sell them anywhere near where I live, so I had to order them on the internet. I was a bit concerned about that, since I wasn’t sure the larger size would fit the same way. I have to say I am pleased. I got them from Total Hockey, which I would recommend over Hockey Monkey just based on this one shopping experience. They fit fine; they look identical; and she is happy. Everybody wins.
