The book "For the defence" has been very interesting, so interesting that I have read 103 pages. The book talks about the famous defenceman  Larry Robinson and how he became a professional hockey player and how he progressed to become one of the best defenceman all time.

Retell
So far the book has gone from his birth to when he was drafted.
 He was born on the 2nd of June in 1951 in Marvelville which is a very small town, so small that it isn't located on a map, there had been a lot of controversy about this. His family was a farming family so he spent most of his time working hard on the farm. When he was a tot his dad bought him skates and he learned to skate on a small pond on his backyard. He would spend all his time skating and playing hockey on outdoor rinks improving and honing his skills. He was a tall and lanky kid and he was a natural at sports, he also excelled at football and track and field. He began to play on a hockey team at the age of 9 and although he was skilled no one ever saw him as special till he reached his teens, he was always a good defender with an offensive upside whose teams we're always competitive. When he turned 14 he began to play junior, although he was good he was sometimes sent down to B which is the weaker division of junior hockey but he kept improving and eventually he was a star at the "A" level. His size and style of play earned him the nickname "big bird" and it stuck At  the age of 17 he married a girl named Jeanette and they had a child. Even though he played junior he had to work other jobs to pay for his family. Those we're the toughest times of his life. At the 1971 Larry wasn't very confident but he knew he was to be picked, he had smarts, skill and size but he wasn't the fastest or most agile defenceman in the draft. To his surprise he was drafted 20th overall by the Montreal Canadiens. That would begin his famed career.


REFLECT
This was a very interesting story. It seems to me that Larry Robinson had a very cliche beginning to his career and the obstacles he faced we're kind of like those of a movie. He was born on a farm, he worked hard his whole childhood, he learned to skate on a pond and he absolutely loved to play the game. These aspects of his life made the book very interesting, it shows that the road to get into the big leagues is difficult and that it takes more than just skill. It takes courage, determination and perseverance. If Larry became discouraged and quit after he was shunned by the Ottawa 67"s wouldn't be the famed defenceman whose name is known by all hockey fans. Who would've thought that this bona-fide famous defenseman was just an average player as a teenager, I found that intriguing. I find myself admiring this guy because he surpassed so many obstacles and challenges to get where he is. All in all it was a very interesting beginning and I can't wait to continue reading this book

RELATE
I've learned that like me Larry Robinson learned to skate as a tot on a backyard rink and that brought back memories. He's also a big time hockey fan who loves the game as do I. Other than that we don't have much in common. He worked hard on a farm as a child, all I do is chores. I admire that even though he was good he was never cocky or overbearing which lead to him taking a leadership role on all of his teams.
 All in all he was a good guy who was always a team player and those are good characteristics for a hockey player. I can't really relate to him because he has experienced so much more than I have and he has made a lot of major decisions I have yet to make.