With a lengthy history and a deep-seated love that crosses generations, Hockey has been praised as Canada’s national sport. Older adults gathered for leisure hockey at Ottawa on a cold winter morning while showing complete excitement during their game. The elderly leader in this group was 88-year-old Aime Beaulne yet he donned skates to participate in the activity.
The older man, Beaulne, expressed his elation through his gleaming eyes as he declared, “This is a dream come true for me.” When I reached this age, I did not believe I would continue playing Hockey, but today, I live this dream I always wanted.
Beaulne was not the only one who loved the game. Ranging in age from 65 to 88, the group of elders all had a similar bond: their love of Hockey. For many of them, the game had been a lifetime pleasure, a source of happiness and friendship that had kept them youthful at heart.
The athletes skated with grace and quickness that belied their age when the game started, and the puck fell. Though there were times of stumbling or fumbling, their zeal remained constant. The team members spent their time playing after the puck while swapping stories about the thrilling experiences from their childhood years.
A Journal of Aging and Physical Activity study shows how senior citizens who participate in Hockey achieve improved consequences for their cardiovascular health, physical strength, and cognitive functions. For Beaulne and his fellow players, the game was a means to remain youthful at heart, not just a method to remain active.
“Dr. Sarah Johnson, a sports psychologist who has studied the influence of sports on aging, remarked, “Hockey’s ability to unite individuals of all ages is astounding. Active participation in Hockey sports benefits both the mental awareness and bodily health of senior citizens while fostering social bonds among them.
Hockey assumed a life-or-death importance for Beaulne throughout his youth as he enjoyed the sport in Quebec since childhood. He recalled spending delightful moments on the ice with friends while he supported his area team at the local rink until he scored the winning goal during an exciting game.
Beaulne now felt nostalgic as he skated with his fellow seniors across the rink. The sights and sounds of the game reminded him of his youth, of a period when everything seemed conceivable when the world was full of limitless options.
The game concluded while Beaulne maintained his smile, seeing players gather at center ice to exchange handshakes. The thrill of playing brought energy to his otherwise painful and elderly body.
Beaulne declared at the age of 88 that he would maintain his hockey activities until his skates allowed him to pursue his love of the sport. Through my core I remain a hockey player because Hockey always contains some aspect I need to chase after and some goal I must pursue.