The dream has begun: beginner season has started

[Hermans]

Originally Posted by chekist

Played my third game on defense last night. I thought I played good overall. I only iced the puck once, because my pass was a bit hot for the center to catch. I had two sketchy plays. The first was clearing the puck behind the goal, it slipped off my stick a bit and was almost a shot on my own goal. The other was a turnover that resulted in the tieing goal. We were up by one with about 1:30 left. I tried to pass it up to a teammate, and one of the other teams best players intercepted it at the blue line, skated in hard, and scored a goal. I didn't see the other guy there, and in retrospect, I probably should have just cleared it up off the boards.

I'm getting more comfortable jumping up and joining the play. I skated up from the blue line and picked off a pass for the wing, and got a quick shot on goal. I did a good job of keeping the puck in the offensive zone.

You almost always have more time than you think! That's what I've learned. Well, at least in beginner leagues. I also have been starting to do a new thing, which is to keep moving or start moving faster as I pick up the puck. This means I have to have my head up more as the plays develop but allows me to be ready when I get involved and let's me make more passes up the ice. More importantly because I'm moving to and throught the point of picking up the puck I have a few seconds to move the puck and that seems to be the golden magical moments that the wingers need to get open (because we're all so slow).
The trick is that I can't get the puck on my stick without having to look down yet and so if the play changes too much in those couple of seconds... well let's just say... mistakes will happen.

[tomarass]

Originally Posted by MIRV Griffen

Where are you playing? In the states? Canada? I've read posts from a guy from Canada on here that say even the "beginner" level leagues in Canada are hardly for the faint of heart.

Anyway, I wouldn't give up just yet. I played with a 62-year old beginner grandad at the camp I just came back from who's just now hitting his stride. Take yourself out of the game completely and go to some public ice sessions. It's just too much to try and get your footwork solidifed while also trying to handle a puck. It can be doen, sure, but in my humble opinion, it slows the progression of both if you're just getting back out there or are a stone-cold beginner. Get your feet right, get your stickhandling and shooting strengthened down the road, and then give the game itself another try. I think you'll enjoy it a lot more if you take those baby steps.

This in response to you're hit from behind in the game on youtube.

Glad to hear you are still goin' for it. I had a neighbour who broke his femur in a pick up game because the guy was having a bad day, there is always one out there.

I was talking to you at the beginning of this thread (Canadian guy)and I am finally taking a clinic starting next week, just a learn to skate thing but you need to have some control so you don't run into anyone. I also am Ass. Coach for my son's team (He did not make competitive this year) and have been getting out on the ice during practice, very wobbly at first and I would just be standing there and almost fall. i have been out about 4 times now and am getting a little more stable and learning how to stop. What the coach has me do is shot on the goalies, I did that for about 20 minutes one practice and my arms were about to fall off, forearms were on fire, back and stomach were sore but it helped me find my balance.

I was playing D in a 3 on 3 scrimage for the boys and I would keep the puck in play. I stopped the clearing attempt with my skate and it was about a foot of the ground, got it to my forehand and fired a snapshot saucer to the boards to dump it back in. My son looked over and smiled and nodded his head. That was the first practice and made up for all the parents watching me in the stands and smirking, I am sure, at me wobbling and constantly catching my balance. Hockey parents are a treat in Canada!

Someone was once trying to explain why he liked too golf, "It pisses you off when you slice it into the trees, when you miss you're putt by feet not inches and the whole day is a disaster...then you hit a perfect ball right on to the green and it's magical. Those shots strart to happen more often if you keep it up" That is what happened when I fired of that snap shot, it was pretty cool.

Still looking for a "beginner" league in Ottawa, Canada. Alot of leagues you have to get a whole team together and everyone is competive and they don't want some knob who can't play on there team. I will just get better with my son and the team and try when I am more confident. Lots of league up here though and hopefully there is something.

[Hermans]

Originally Posted by tomarass

This in response to you're hit from behind in the game on youtube.

Glad to hear you are still goin' for it. I had a neighbour who broke his femur in a pick up game because the guy was having a bad day, there is always one out there.

I was talking to you at the beginning of this thread (Canadian guy)and I am finally taking a clinic starting next week, just a learn to skate thing but you need to have some control so you don't run into anyone. I also am Ass. Coach for my son's team (He did not make competitive this year) and have been getting out on the ice during practice, very wobbly at first and I would just be standing there and almost fall. i have been out about 4 times now and am getting a little more stable and learning how to stop. What the coach has me do is shot on the goalies, I did that for about 20 minutes one practice and my arms were about to fall off, forearms were on fire, back and stomach were sore but it helped me find my balance.

I was playing D in a 3 on 3 scrimage for the boys and I would keep the puck in play. I stopped the clearing attempt with my skate and it was about a foot of the ground, got it to my forehand and fired a snapshot saucer to the boards to dump it back in. My son looked over and smiled and nodded his head. That was the first practice and made up for all the parents watching me in the stands and smirking, I am sure, at me wobbling and constantly catching my balance. Hockey parents are a treat in Canada!

Someone was once trying to explain why he liked too golf, "It pisses you off when you slice it into the trees, when you miss you're putt by feet not inches and the whole day is a disaster...then you hit a perfect ball right on to the green and it's magical. Those shots strart to happen more often if you keep it up" That is what happened when I fired of that snap shot, it was pretty cool.

Still looking for a "beginner" league in Ottawa, Canada. Alot of leagues you have to get a whole team together and everyone is competive and they don't want some knob who can't play on there team. I will just get better with my son and the team and try when I am more confident. Lots of league up here though and hopefully there is something.

apparently there was a person from Ottawa who wrote an article or a column for the Globe or the National Post about learning to play hockey. Try searching for that. I also ran across a couple of webpages about someones experience with learning the game in an adult clinic (even skated in the Palladium/Scotia Centre/insert previous names here).

If you do find one I'd love to know in case I find myself back that way. In T-dot they have beginner leagues a plenty.

[rollernoob]

Another old noobie here (38).

I played pick up inline games in the park about 15 years ago pretty regularly. I joined an indoor league briefly back then, but the team was full of d-bags that didn't seem to like beginners at all, so that ended quickly.

I've been skating outdoors lately and will be trying out the open play at my local indoor arena starting tomorrow. I'm hoping to get some sort of skills going well enough to join the Spring over 30 league.

[tomarass]

Originally Posted by Hermans

apparently there was a person from Ottawa who wrote an article or a column for the Globe or the National Post about learning to play hockey. Try searching for that. I also ran across a couple of webpages about someones experience with learning the game in an adult clinic (even skated in the Palladium/Scotia Centre/insert previous names here).

If you do find one I'd love to know in case I find myself back that way. In T-dot they have beginner leagues a plenty.

I remember that article, I came across it and saved the bookmark but the computer I had the link died. That is were I am taking the lessons, at the Bell Sensplex same as what he was taking. I don't remember the league he ended up playing for though.

I am going to look for something, I just have an itch to play.

[Hermans]

Originally Posted by tomarass

I remember that article, I came across it and saved the bookmark but the computer I had the link died. That is were I am taking the lessons, at the Bell Sensplex same as what he was taking. I don't remember the league he ended up playing for though.

I am going to look for something, I just have an itch to play.

refer, refer, refer (or in you case, ask for the referral). ask the instructors or other players. the main issue is that I imagine a lot of leagues have started already but keep asking.... everyone! that's how I found a couple of pick up leagues, a couple of low level rec leagues and get ratings on other leagues.

Next time I'm in the Valley I'll ask around and see if I get any leads. What about places like Carp, Stittsville or Kanata, etc or similar on the east end?

[Pezzle]

Good #1: We're winning games now.

Good #2: I have a bazillion shots on goal

Good #3: During games, I develop an aura around me. By the third period, I'm given so much space by the other team out of fear it's ridiculous.

Advice of the day: If you're gonig to use small activated carbon pouches in your skates to deodorize them, dont forget to take them out. They can feel like a superfeet arch at 6 AM, and then you have powdered pulverized charcoal all over your foot and skate. lol