Author Topic: Another hockey beginner  (Read 17899 times)

AndyinSwindon

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #33 on: June 16, 2017, 03:02:11 pm »
Hi Greycut,

I skated in Altrincham on Wednesday morning, there weren't many on the ice.  I did get chatting to one chap with grey sweats on, wouldn't have been you would it?

Alas though, I only skate there rarely.  My home rink is Swindon, but when I am working away from home, my skates go with me and I find a local rink to try out.

If I am there again though, will let you know.

Cheers, Andy
Started skating 07.01.17
Currently working through NISA LTS Levels.
Currently wobbling through hockey LTP sessions.

Greycut

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #34 on: June 16, 2017, 08:22:26 pm »
Ah ok I was there on Wednesday but not the guy in grey.  I was the guy having a lesson at the beginning of the session with my wife, we doing the routine to the Bonnie and Clyde music in the silly outfits.

I guess you were the gent in the hockey shirt.  I hope it wasn't me or my wife that tutted at you, if it was my profuse apologises, although I certainly don't recall you or us getting in the way of each other.

I don't know whether you saw the lady doing the free skate routine, but she fell during the session and damaged her wrist.  We didn't find out till afterwards, it must have happened while we were off ice having a drink.  She was taken to hospital for an X-ray.  Hopefully not broken.


AndyinSwindon

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #35 on: June 17, 2017, 12:28:18 pm »
Hi Greycut,

Rest assured, it wasn't your good selves that tutted at me, and I have to say, you and your wife had a superb dance routine, and very original!  Great music too, it's years since I've heard that track.

I saw the girl go down on the free skate,  but wasn't sure what had really happened.  I think she was maybe trying a spin and took a tumble.  I hope she recovers soon.

Best Regards,

Andy
Started skating 07.01.17
Currently working through NISA LTS Levels.
Currently wobbling through hockey LTP sessions.

santa-maria

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #36 on: June 21, 2017, 09:08:32 pm »
Session six last night.

Learnt to fall over without being pushed by a fellow team member. This is all part of learning to stand on my own two feet.

Someone passed the puck to me during the scrimmage. Probably a case of mistaken identity.

Cleared the puck from a scrum by kicking it with my skate. This looks to be a viable alternative to using the stick. Must investigate further.



Dear Leif,
After reading some serious stuff on here, I've read your post and laughed so hard I've nearly fell off the sofa..
Thanks
Santa (who never thought about going into hockey section before you & Andy vastly improved that..😂)
Life is just question of priorities...

For Fame, Glory and Cuddly toys..

AndyinSwindon

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #37 on: June 22, 2017, 10:27:14 am »
Hey Santa....we aim to please, after all, our aim with a hockey stick is abysmal!

Leif always makes my day with his posts, and it's always nice to get some feedback.  My approach is that this should be fun.  I have a job already, and whilst I do seek to progress and improve with the Ice Hockey, I'm never going to be in a position where I am making a living from it, so if it's not fun, it's not worth doing.  Too many people take life too seriously, and before you know it, it's all over.  I want to look back at life and say 'you know what, I had fun!'.

Now, welcome to the dark side.....you know you want to!
Started skating 07.01.17
Currently working through NISA LTS Levels.
Currently wobbling through hockey LTP sessions.

Leif

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #38 on: June 22, 2017, 11:49:11 am »
I'm glad at least some of my posts provide a bit of amusement.  :) I enjoy reading Andy's posts, and other peoples comments, it's nice to hear what someone in a similar position is going through.

Hey Santa....we aim to please, after all, our aim with a hockey stick is abysmal!

 ;D

Leif always makes my day with his posts, and it's always nice to get some feedback.  My approach is that this should be fun.  I have a job already, and whilst I do seek to progress and improve with the Ice Hockey, I'm never going to be in a position where I am making a living from it, so if it's not fun, it's not worth doing.  Too many people take life too seriously, and before you know it, it's all over.  I want to look back at life and say 'you know what, I had fun!'.

Now, welcome to the dark side.....you know you want to!

As Trump would say: "It's great, really really great." And if you need further encouragement, even that nice Vlad Putin is an expert player:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xg9r2B4-do

 :D

Last weeks' session was fun, although the drills were too short, and during the scrimmages I spent most of the time rushing in vain after the puck. It sounds daft, but I'm never really sure what to do, do you continually rush after the puck, or place yourself in a good place to intercept the puck, or do a balletic dive and then lie on the ground writhing in agony, which is what I believe they do in football. I guess there must be strategy and game play, but I'm damned if I know what it is.

The next session is tonight, and I hope that we have proper drills this time as they are really helpful for a beginner such as myself as it is pretty much the only time that I get to touch the puck.  :o And of course during normal public skating you are not allowed to take a puck and stick onto the rink.

AndyinSwindon

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #39 on: June 22, 2017, 12:38:07 pm »
Leif - a brief response to a couple of your points :-

Quote
do you continually rush after the puck, or place yourself in a good place to intercept the puck,
After spending weeks of puck chasing, I have finally been informed (must be an initiation thing, or just entertaining for seasoned players to watch newbies chasing the puck) that the best bet is to mark a player (preferably from the opposing team), and stick to them.  As Gretzky said (and I paraphrase), 'Be where the puck is going, not where it's been'.  So I try and mix the two now. My 'game sense' isn't good enough to read where the puck is going, but the idea of shadowing an opponent seems a bit more useful.

Quote
during normal public skating you are not allowed to take a puck and stick onto the rink.
I would contend this....if you take a puck and stick onto the ice in a public skate, only positive things will happen.  When people come up and complain, you can sneer at them, growl intimidatingly, and skate off.  When the rink steward approaches, you can practice body checks, sneer, growl, and skate off, and then when security get onto the ice, you can brush up on your speed skating skills, sneer, growl, and practice being on the end of a body check!  Quite a learning curve :-)

I am doing the Swindon LTP session tonight, and I have a nice new Washington Capitals jersey, so I'm bound to skate better as a result!

Started skating 07.01.17
Currently working through NISA LTS Levels.
Currently wobbling through hockey LTP sessions.

Leif

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #40 on: June 24, 2017, 09:48:18 am »
Another session on Thursday, and a good one. There were some good drills including skating with a stick and puck around cones, and then skating backwards with the puck. That last one did my head in until someone explained how to do it. I thought I did a decent job of the first. Then we had scrimmages, and following Andy's guidance, I marked an opponent, and went for the puck when the chance arose. I made several intercepts, and several successful tackles, taking the puck away from the opposition. Overall I am really pleased with progress.

I've spent a lot of time on public sessions working on crossovers, forward and backwards, CW and ACW, and it seems to be paying off in terms of stability. One legged slaloms are strengthening my knees, which haven't felt better for over ten years.  :D My backwards one legged skating is atrocious and needs work. And my transitions are mediocre at best. Most friends can do the Mohawk with ease, but not me. Ah well.  :)

Leif

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #41 on: June 25, 2017, 08:55:56 am »
I forgot to mention that I was wearing trial contact lenses and could see properly for the first time, which may explain why I could intercept passes and no longer did a passing Mr Magoo impersonation.  :) I'd tried contacts before, but the vision was blurry, and worse than without contacts, and of course glasses are worse than useless due to sweat and condensation. But these new contacts are excellent.

Leif

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #42 on: June 25, 2017, 08:58:42 am »
Leif - a brief response to a couple of your points :-

Thanks Andy, yet more top tips.  :)

Leif

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Re: Another hockey beginner
« Reply #43 on: July 20, 2017, 09:04:03 am »
I've spent lots of time in public sessions doing basic drills, lots of going in circles to improve my crossovers which need a lot of work, and lots of turns on one foot to improve inside and outside edge control. My forwards ACW hockey stop is still weak, but improving, I can do it well on one foot, but getting that trailing foot down on the ice and using the outside edge is tough. The other forward hockey stop, and both backwards ones are good going by comments from friends. Forwards one foot hockey stops on the trailing foot are progressing. Forwards one foot slaloms are also progressing. I was told off for lifting my free leg too high, and not wiggling my hips enough. Hi ho.  :) Backwards one foot slaloms remain totally out of reach.

In the last stick and puck session the coach was on the ice and playing in the scrimmages, and seeing someone skate and play so well is both inspiring and deflating. His skate and stick control was amazing. It shows how bad I am, and yet it gives something to aim for. Can someone in middle age ever reach such a level or is that only for someone who learnt as a kid? Ah well, there is only one way to find out before they nail down the lid on the box.  :)



 

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