Where have I been? Sheffield Steelers and 2013 being a terrible year.

I haven't uploaded anything to this blog in months. Sometimes I just lose interest in writing & making YouTube videos and other times real life steps in and takes my attention away. This time it has sort of been a mixture of the two.  Anyone who's followed me on Twitter will possibly know that 2013 really was not a good year for me.. at all. My cousin was involved in a serious car accident, my gorgeous dog Pennie sadly had to be put to sleep, my uncle had a tumour, my aunty died of cancer and to top it all off my mum had a heartattack four days before Christmas. So yeah, life's not been easy, but I am thankful for some wonderful people in my life that helped me get through it and I'm also thankful for a wonderful sport which has actually done me the word of good.

I went to see the Sheffield Steelers years and years ago, but I think I was too young to really take in what was happening. Then there was a gap of around.. err.. 22 years before me and my mum decided to take a punt on going to the first game of the 2013-2014 season at the Motorpoint Arena.  All I can say is... where has this sport been all my life? I've never felt such a rush as I did at that first game and with each game that passes, the excitement just grows and grows. It's weird how I look back now and remember sitting there during the introductions thinking to myself 'I have no idea who any of these guys are.. I have no idea what the rules are... ARE THEY FIGHTING?!' and then compare it to how I am now. Yelling encouragement, joining in with the 'Whoosh' chant, owning jerseys of my favourite players, meeting the players and not being able to contain my excitement until the next game.

It's sad the end of the season is only a couple of months away, but thankfully I'll have a bit of a hockey fix when Team GB face the Netherlands at IceSheffiled in April.  At a charity event my mum and I attended we managed to bag ourselves two season tickets for next season for half the price of one season ticket in a charity auction, which Doug Christiansen himself said was 'a good move' & we, for some reason, got a round of applause from all the players.
I have only missed one home game and that was because I attended a friends wedding. I sadly haven't been able to attend any away games, but look forward to doing that next season.

The sport has also save me money.. weirdly. You'd think that going to a hockey game every week would leave you out of pocket, but somehow not me. I used to spend money like it was going out of fashion, but now my mind is in the mindset of 'Well... that £15 could buy me a ticket to the Steelers.. and I'd prefer to see the Steelers.' Do that a few times per shopping trip and you're saving a bunch of money.

I cannot wait until my mum is well enough to make her return to a hockey game. She's been missing it so much and she's hoping to make her return on Wednesday at the game against the Edinburgh Capitals. We'll see.

I'll leave you with a few of my favourite pics.