2012-13 DSYTHL Squirt Green Champions on Flickr.

I’m so proud of these kids and the hard work they put in this season. It was humbling and amazing to watch them on their journey as a team, bonding and learning to play together.

I told our coach at the beginning of the season that I didn’t care if we lost every game, so long as the kids had fun and all ended up a better hockey player than they began the season. I meant it.

For there to have been across-the-board improvement, AND the team finishing in second place for the regular season, AND going undefeated in a tournament in Colorado, AND winning the league championship to cap it all off: the stuff dreams for your kids are made of.