Hi Neil, As someone who got their first stick and started playing at 8 years old, I greatly appreciated a story of this kind. It was an easy and enjoyable read which I think many will appreciate as the time goes on. Not only is this a book I feel my players might enjoy, but also my teammates from teams past. The relationships formed with some of the teammates are everlasting. Instead of pledging into a fraternity, a majority of us thought that the team was our brotherhood and a fraternity in itself. We looked out and took care of each other regardless of the situation. Tying in the idea of respect was great in that many kids today sometimes feel they can be a superstar without valuing the learning process or the work of others who went into making the game what it is today. Too many have a sense of entitlement that is beyond reason, thinking they deserve the best without having to work for it. Your stories inclusion of the struggles occurring in order for the stick to continue living are a nice reminder to the efforts that must be made to continue respecting the game. As far as actual time goes, the efforts of your characters to hit the wall over and over again cannot be stressed. I was unfortunate to not make the varsity team my Junior year and I ended up hitting the wall every day, be it in my basement or at the school. Dedication and commitment are characteristics that seem to sometimes be missing with kids today as they try to do too many things. Sticking with the basics is always the best way to improvement and it pays off when coupled with the dedication and commitment. Much Enjoyed,