Hockey Camp and the Start of School

One of the last things that we do during summer is go to hockey camp. Our hockey camp is week long, 9 to 4 and has two ice sessions. During the day we do off-ice drills, arts and crafts and having fun getting on the ice.

Scott, dad and I were in a van with a couple other of the players. We would go by these houses and the boys would say which house they liked or they would talk about football or hockey. After camp ended they were somewhat quieter and had the hockey stink badly. Phew! (Scott would probably laugh if you told him he smelled bad.)

One of the topics that came up during camp was how much the boys have grown over the years. The Cool Cats are in their 10th year and everyone has their own story about how they got started or their favorite memory about the Cool Cats. From seeing their kid touch the puck for the first time or them be more social or even how they learned about the team. Every one of those players has a different story that I love to see and it's inspirational to see how a lot of them have come.

When my brother started he was shy, was learning how to speak and to be more social. I have seen so much progress in him just from these past years. Scott will say hi to everyone and ask you your name. He won't tell you his name but he's getting there. When my mom was in Pennsylvania visiting family with my brother and my dad she told us that Grandma was kidding around with Scott about who gets the big fries. (Scott picks out all the big fries for himself and will scream NO if you say you are going to take the big fry) My mom was very happy that he learned how to communicate and that he loves to talk about everything.

Tomorrow, Scott starts his Senior year of high school. Yes, I said Senior year. I can't believe it either. Scott loves school and can't wait to be back. Now he has to get out of his PJ's. :)

STORY TIME: When Scott was younger he hated school. He would sit at the table and cry his eyes out when he had to do homework or had to read. It was the hardest and longest thing to get Scott to do his homework. Now Scott comes home and sits right down to do his homework. It is a complete 360 from what he used to be.

We hope that everyone has a great first day! Watch out for school buses. Hopefully we will get a picture of Scott before he heads off to school.

Doing Big Things In Small Places.

This is your warning that you might need some tissues for this post.

One thing I love doing is telling people my experiences with my brother and how he's really grown from when he used to be a runner to now being so friendly to everyone. I was recently talking to a friend about my brother and how he has Autism. The one thing we said was "I'm sorry." I was really confused on why he would say that. Probably because he doesn't know the experiences we've been through and what life is like living with a person with a disability.

Looking back. A lot of things have happened with my brother. At the beginning I didn't want to go out with him because he would just scream but that would his way of communicating. I never understood why he did the things that he did. I told my friend that it was an experience that I'm really glad that I've had a chance to have. To be honest I don't know who I would be or what I would be doing with my life if I didn't have my little brother. We've been through every thing and every where. I've met so many people who I wouldn't have the chance to if I wasn't involved in Special Olympics and Special Hockey.

I do always wonder what my brother is thinking. How he can know every little detail that you and I can't see. It's amazing. He can even tell you what car is coming from them coming opposite way and in the pitch dark. I do miss those days where my brother was on the bench saying "do not let them score!" It still plays in my mind every time I put on my jersey.

I love hearing my brother over the phone. Whenever I'm having a day just hearing about his day even if he only talks to me for a couple seconds I love it. He always says, "Gotta go. Love you too. Bye." then hands the phone to whoever before I can even say it back.

My friend also asked me what my brother would be doing after high school. That will be a new experience that we will have to see. It's another curve in life that I truly don't have the answer to. Only time will tell what will happen.. Scott keeps telling everyone that he is going to marry a girl named Michelle and have three kids (he has names for them but they keep changing.) and when he's 65 he's going to move to Tampa, Florida near his best friend John. I really hope that one day it will happen.

One experience I think I would have never had without having my brother is being the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference (DVCHC) Special Hockey Liaison. What that means is I'm the middle man for the teams and the special hockey teams. It's a great way to get the players out in the community and I'm really excited to get to do this my senior year of college. A lot of the girls are really excited to do it.

Our first Special Hockey/DVCHC partnership will be a meet-n-greet before the Slippery Rock at The Naval Academy. More details will come soon. :) I can't wait to see my Cool Cats if some of them come.

So watch out world, Scott and I are taking it by storm.

It's been awhile since I've posted....

I will admit it has been since Jan when I last posted... Life just has been hectic. I didn't come home at all  for spring semester because I went to Ireland for spring break. Scott was in the hospital for his appendix. It was a scary time for him because he doesn't do well in hospitals and especially needles. He surprised all of us and started to feel comfortable with the hospital and the needles. It was a scary 3 weeks for all of us.

We've been in hockey camp all week and today Scott surprised me yet again. One of my friends from the rink, Jesca, has always said hi to my brother. My brother has always asked about her two brothers and our other friend but not about how Jesca is and after that he would be done talking to her.
Well, this time Scott kept talking to Jesca after asking about everyone else. Which he has never done. It made me tear up to hear that he is having a longer conversations with her.

One day we will get him to ask how she is with everyone else he asks.
We had a fun week at hockey camp. We can't wait for next year.

ASHA Hockey Camp & Battle of the Golden Helmet.

This past week has been crazy (in a great way) Scott, Coach Randy & I headed up to Maryland to go to the ASHA (American Special Hockey Association) Southeast District camp. We rode up to camp with Bowen, David, Steven & Brandon. Let me tell you it was a fun car ride.

While at camp we were on the ice a little over two hours a day. Then lunch and down time at the rink they melt down to make into a roller rink for the summer camps. This week we learned a lot about each other. A lot of the kids who never really talked before were talking up a storm and it was great to hear what they had to say.

Coach Randy made the kids work hard and all of them were tired after each day.  This picture will probably tell you how much we tired them out. On Day 4: 4 kids are down for the count & let me tell you I was right there with them.
 

I didn't want to leave these kids. Today felt so weird not waking up early & putting on my skates to be on the ice with them. I can't wait to see all these kids again at christmas time for the tournament. I probably won't recognize any of them they will be so fast or talkative. This week made me realize that this is what I want to do with my life. I love these guys like they are my brothers and sisters & I wouldn't change it for the world. I really don't know what I would be doing with my life if I have never met every. I <3 you all.

In the next post I'll post some more pictures of the week and some videos we took. Yes, the one of me singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider & of the one the kids are pushing coach Randy in Wesley's chair.

After that whole week of camp we had one last thing. The battle of the Golden Helmet.  Scott's team the Rangers Won. Scott did amazing he had a triple and two doubles. He almost hit over the fence twice. It was a great game to watch by all of his teammates. Then after that we had a picnic with Scott's favorite. Hamburgers and Hot dogs. He also met a new friend who he took pictures with.

Fewwwww. I think it's bed time now. Another Sunday of Hockey for the Cool Cats. (:

Peace & Love,
Amanda & Scott.

Softball

Today was Scott's last official softball game. (picture coming soon) even though they still practice until August where they will be going to Chicago, IL for the NIT tournament. (:

The battle of the golden helmet.

My grandma kept asking what he got for winning it. His team (The Rangers.) won the golden helmet and the other team from Loudoun County also won it too(:

Congratulations to both the Rangers & Cardinals.

You would think that Scott would be tired out from all the softball this morning but him & Coach Randy are (I think) at the batting cages & getting our car a new battery & oil, because today the battery had its moment again & thanks to Mrs. Knight we got it to jump start and home.

The car still has it's bumpy moments and I really don't want to ride in the car until it gets fixed. You can see how lower it is than what it should be.

We finally have Cool Cats tomorrow and for each team we have an hour practice for both of them. I'm excited. Are you?

Peace & Love,
Amanda & Scott

Party like Rockstars.

To end off the summer & started school.
We threw a party.
(Whoa wait rewind. The Brawley's had a party?)

We're making it into a yearly tradition.
But one thing about the tradition didn't continue.
SAMI DIDN'T FIND A BUG..... :(
We had a GREAT time with some of the Cool Cats.

Its time for hockey season already.

So for the past two days I got to drive my brother & sister to school because the bus didn't come.
He's not on the bus list. allrrriiggghhhttyyyy.
When Scott gets out of the car he says HAVE A NICE DAY & waves!!! :)

Scott also told his teacher that his mom was picking him up from school yesterday.
when she didn't have a car so he got picked up by dad.

Peace & Love,
Amanda & Scott.

i wish i could see what they're thinking...

Do you ever wonder what goes on in the mind of an autistic person?

I do. I wonder what they think & what goes on.

In my family Sunday's are Cool Cat days.
The Cool Cats is a special hockey team my dad started in 2004. We never miss a practice or event. It has helped so many kids in many ways.

During the summer my dad has what he like to call Boot Camp. To get the kids better at skating and technique.
It is four Sundays out of the summer.

My brother came up to my mom & asked her if he needed to wear his boots to boot camp.
We explained to him that it's on ice skating drill and he didn't need to wear his boots.

From the cool cats i have learned so much about autistic kids.
how to handle them, what i should say, what NOT to say.

I have seen the way kids have grown because of what my family & I are doing.
From kids who scream NO HOCKEY and once they step on the ice they play like they weren't just screaming NO HOCKEY.
i learn from these kids every time i see them
from the 105th digit of pi to having a kid who never speaks to me finally says hi.

this is what i do.

i <3 the cool cats.

peace & love
amanda & scott :)