Indeed, you can go home again!

This Sunday, Blake will return to his hockey roots, where it all began in Dec of 2003. Blake was in Kindergarten and he came to me when he was star of the week and told me (in front of the class) that he was named after a hockey player (Rob Blake), and when he grew up, he was gonna be a hockey player! Mind you, this had never come up before, so before Christmas, in a class with about a dozen girls in sparkly glitzy fashions, Blake took the ice in his signature blue sweats, long sleeve hockey shirt, and black mittens. Two eight week sessions of ring around the rosey and duck-duck goose with the girls, and Blake was in hockey skates. Termites, mini-mites, and on to Mites.

Much nostalgia will follow Blake as he takes the ice at Aliso come Sunday morning, where he has not played a game since the June 2006 photos you will see below. From there, he was contacted by the Beach City Lighting Squirt coach, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear--

June 2006--Can you find the two current PML players? A number of these kids still play for OC and Anaheim and Beach City

Notice the scoreboard in the back, a 3-2 win. The game went to a shootout, and the kid standing, 4th from the left won the game-- Elijah. Everyone had a chance, and it went around again, 14 rounds to settle it. Literally, the most exciting game in Aliso Viejo history! Coach Jay is our neighbor, and Blake was taller than him three years ago! His son still plays for OC..small freakin' world, eh??

Blake was the 13th shooter, last of the first round..no, he did not score, but he sure had cool gloves! Oh my, who is that strikingly handsome coach in the background in the white Kings jersey?? Yep..he went on to be a famous blogger or something--

Blake was the only kid who could lift the "Gino Cup" on his own!

Gino is a staple at Aliso, been there since day one. He used to sort of run things, now he sort of just hangs out, but every summer, the kids play for the Gino Cup in house, and the winner celebrated like there is no higher prize in the game! NICE!!!!!!!!!!!

Summer 2005--can you pick out Blake and his buddy?