However, his 7th player experience wasn't just yesterday, it was something he looked forward to all week.
It all started with his decision to want to write his name down on the 7th player draw when we were at Subway on Friday - It's a tradition in our family to eat at Subway on payday Friday.
To our surprise and joy his name was drawn on Sunday as I received a call. It was at the moment when we told him, that his excitement and nerves set in.
As the week went by, Jackson's dream of being on the ice at the same time as the Dynamiters was becoming a reality. We had to make sure his unsharpened skates fit, that his helmet straps were adjusted, and that he could find his hockey stick and gloves.
It was on Thursday, when 14 Nitro's showed up at his school for the Terry Fox run, that he was sold and ready to go. Franco Colapaolo, Ryan Hozjan, and James Farmer were assigned to his kindergarten class. They played with Jackson and shared in his excitement of being the seventh player. Jack was now more excited than nervous.
Saturday, the big day. About every hour Jackson would check in and ask "Is it six o'clock yet?" After dinner we packed up his skates, gloves and helmet; and headed to the arena.
Even my wife was coming to the game! The last time she was in the Civic Centre for a hockey game was when she face painted for a Sunday Family game many years ago. We were all going to support Jackson.
We were greeted by helpers Scott and Neil; and assistant Coach Keiver. While getting dressed, Korbyn Chabot came up and gave a fist bump.
As the players flooded the ice for the warm ups; it was at this moment that my 3'5", 40lbs, 5 year old son realized how big the Nitro's players really are when they are on skates and fully equipped. He got scared, panicked and said he wasn't going out. Which was OK with me and my better half.
During the warm up, the glass broke, and there was a 30 minute delay. It was in this time that Hozjan, Farmer and Chabot kept interacting with Jackson. He spent that wait time rebuilding up his confidence and courage.
During the second go of the warm up, he watched with enthusiasm. His fear was gone. Several players greeted him as they skated by during the warm-up.
This was it, he was going to do it.
As the players entered the arena for the game, the smoke came billowing out, lights started flashing, music was blasting, announcer was blaring, and fans were cheering. It was too much. System overload, and shut down. Fear came back, and he wasn't going out on the ice.
Chabot came back and encouragingly said "come on bud." Hozjan tried motivating him from the bench. And Farmer took extra time to say "come on" as well. My wife and I really appreciated these efforts. But Jackson chose to stay on the bench for O Canada.
It was exhausting and emotionally flooding expereince. But he has his jersey to show his courage for trying.
And the morning after, he said "I want to do that again!"
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