I’m well aware that, when I was a wee lad pushing a puck around the ice for the first time, I was an absolute space cadet. I had little idea what I was doing at any given moment, and if I was able to stay up on my skates for more than a few minutes, let alone get into the action, it was a miracle.
So I can definitely see where this kid is coming from.
And, weirdly, like many other folks out there, I can relate even more as a grown-up than I could have as a kid.
Mason has just turned 4, and thanks to his dad, he’s already a viral video star, just for being himself.
Mason’s dad is also a hockey coach, and he was curious about what went through Mason’s head when he was out on the ice.
So, knowing that what’s in a 4-year-old’s head doesn’t stay in there for long, he decided to mic his boy up and get a video of his practice. The result is absolutely adorable.
At 4, it’s a little early to say whether Mason will be the next Wayne Gretzky or not.
He’s all about having fun out there. Or maybe just having a nap out there.
Frankly, it’s a feeling that every minor hockey kid has experienced, I’m sure. Heck, most beer leaguers feel that way too.
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And as you’d expect, Mason spends a fair amount of time face down on the ice.
It’s part of the learning process! As @ClatisC mentioned on Twitter, “Laying flat, face down on the ice…and giving himself a pep talk. This skill is gonna come in so handy throughout his life. Excellent.”
Another important hockey skill that they typically don’t teach you in practice is chirping your opponents.
In Mason’s case, it looks like he’s giving the blue line a good talking to during a drill involving jumping over the lines.
But it’s catching on! “‘You’re an old paint can’ is the new chirp for our boys during their games lol (playing Bantam varsity/AA),” wrote @Aisling_HkyMom on Twitter.
In a lot of ways, Mason is all of us.
I mean, who among us can get even 15 minutes into an activity without thinking of the trip for food afterwards?
I mean, hockey practice is always made all the better with some hot nugs afterwards, amirite?
(That was a rhetorical question— I know I’m right).
And, again, folks could totally relate to Mason sailing along even though he’s not where he’s supposed to be.
As @NotSoEasyBreezy wrote on Twitter, “‘I’m not part of this group’ is me every day at work.”
Even when Mason got too excited about skating to understand what he was saying, well, it was just too precious.
It’s that kind of energy that we grown-ups can only admire. “I need his chipperness and self-encouragement as my own inner monologue,” wrote @sammstormborn on Twitter. “He’s such an adorable child!”
Who could get sick of this? Maybe all children should be mic’d during practice.
The kind of insights we’d gain (and the pure entertainment) would be better than the actual games!
Check out the whole six minutes of Mason mic’d up below!
Even if he’s not the next Gretzky, this kid is a star in the making and just so adorably relatable.
Well, that’s our hearts warmed.
It’s funny how a simple idea to mic a child can bring so much joy to the day! You can never know what to expect, but you know it will be good!
