Hi everyone! I’m Marlin, Disney vacation planner by trade and hockey mom by heart, and I’m living the beautiful chaos that is hockey mom life. As a solo parent working full time, I never imagined I’d become the type of person who considers a freezing cold rink my second home, but here I am, typing this while my son lives his best life at hockey camp, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Being a hockey mama means my calendar revolves around ice times, tournament weekends, and early morning drives. It means knowing every Tim Hortons between here and the rink (that’s a solid hour drive, but who’s counting?). It means investing in the warmest winter gear money can buy because those arena bleachers don’t mess around when it comes to testing your dedication!

But you know what? I’m incredibly grateful that my job gives me the flexibility to make this dream possible. Not every parent gets to chase their kid’s passion this way, and I don’t take that privilege lightly. When other people ask how I manage it all, the full-time work, the solo parenting, the travel team commitments, I just smile and tell them: love finds a way.

Watching my son glide across that ice, seeing his face light up when he makes a great play, witnessing the friendships he’s building with his teammates… it fills my heart in ways I never expected. This kid of mine has taught me that some of life’s greatest joys come from the sidelines, cheering loudly and probably embarrassing him just a little bit (sorry, buddy – occupational hazard of being your biggest fan!).

To all the solo parents out there, whether you’re shuttling between work and endless activities, being both the cheerleader and the shoulder to cry on, or mastering skills you never thought you’d need, we’re doing something pretty amazing. We’re showing our kids that their dreams matter, that one parent can absolutely move mountains, and that love multiplies to fill every role we need to play.

Sure, my car permanently smells like hockey equipment, and I can pack a tournament bag faster than most people can make coffee, but this is our adventure. Every early morning, every long drive, every goal celebration makes it all worth it.

Hockey families, you get it. We’re not just parents – we’re dream enablers, portable cheerleading squads, and the masters of the art of living out of a minivan. And honestly? I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be than right here, watching magic happen on ice.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go cheer extra loud🚨