January 29, 2013

Learnin' to Fly Part 1

After accepting some hard truths, I decided that the next step in my return to hockey was to transition from an old school "stand-up" goalie towards the modern "butterfly" technique used exclusively in today's game.

I scoured Ebay and my local Craigslist for suitable pads- namely something made after the turn of the century that would serve as my transition pads. What I quickly realized was that I didn't have the vocabulary of the modern goaltender and I knew less than squat about modern pads.

I set out to get educated and landed on the small but extremely knowledgable community at ModSquadHockey.com . Senior member, "Law Goalie" not only answered all of my questions about modern pad design, he guided me through the creation of a pad anatomy diagram. I hope this illustration is a help to anyone wanting to learn more about modern goalie pads.

Acknowedgement- Law Goalie at ModSquadHockey.com

With my new found knowledge I continued my quest for replacement pads for my Manny Fernandez customized Heaton pads, circa when-baby-jesus-was-born.

Ebay don't fail me now!

January 21, 2013

Hard Truth

I'm headed towards week two of my first Instructional League session and having now been on ice 3 times with full gear and looking at some pictures and video, I'm realizing a hard truth.

"Stand-Up" Goalies are Dinosaurs

In the late seventies when I learned to play hockey, no coach was teaching anything but traditional, stand-up goaltending technique. This method focused on mobility, challenging shooters and above all else, going down to the ice only when players were in your crease with the puck.

Stand Up
















Today nobody teaches or uses anything but some variation of the Butterfly technique and there's a good reason. Net coverage with the Butterfly is vastly superior with the bottom portion of the net almost completely covered. Today's light-weight materials used in goal pads allows the drop-down/pop-up movements more viable than the heavier and bulkier old-school pads.

Butterfly


















As for me, while some of my old-school techniques are starting to come back to me, the reality is that these heavy, old pads have to go and I've got to begin learning a new style of goaltending. I plan to begin integrating the Butterfly style into my game and it will begin with using a hybrid pad that is constructed in a way unfamiliar to my game.

I should have my new pads later this week and will post about my transition.

January 16, 2013

I-League Week 1

The players have been divided up and last night my team was scheduled for play week 1 of the new season.

I was uncertain how much "instruction" and how much play would be involved but our coach announced in the locker room that tonight would be a full game. He would be using tonight to see where each of us needed improvement and next week would be "practice".

I took to my crease, ready for my first full game in 25 years. It took just 25 minutes to learn the following;

1. My beginner butterfly stance looks more like a caterpillar.
2. It takes approximately 5 shots in a 5 minute span to leave me gasping for air.
3. I-League defenseman don't really worry about opponents coming out from behind the net.
4. A team with only 7 skaters does a lot standing around in the 3rd period.

My net had the bulk of the action during the first two periods and I was really having trouble catching my breath. I am going to have to drop some weight and work on my cardio if I'm going to be able to give 100% through an entire game.

I let in 2 goals in the first and a 3rd in the second period before my team got on the board. Two of them were slap/scramble plays that found their way in probably because I haven't got my pads spread out across the net when down in the butterfly- something I'll be working on.

Suddenly with only a few minutes left in the second period, the referee raises his hand and indicates an interference penalty against my team. I mentally steel myself for the onslaught of shots. Only after a moment of confusion do I realize that in this league, all penalties result in a penalty shot- not a two minute man advantage.

The next few minutes are a blur. A white-jersey starts from center ice. My coach is screaming, "challenge him!". I move forward and then start my slow retreat, mirroring the skaters advance. He makes a weak move to my right but I see hes a right-handed shot and guess he will move back to his forehand. He does! As he takes his shot I go the ice with my pads stacked and block his shot. No Goal!

This was the highlight of my night's play that otherwise was just a loss and an 0-1 start for my team.

I have got to hit the gym. I had forgotten just how much work it is to mind the pipes.


This video taken by my friend Paul documents the last two saves of the night.

January 11, 2013

And the Trumpets Blared Part 2

We jump right into a scrimmage. Three 20 minute periods. The other goalies and I hash it out by the boards and decide we'll split each period into halves and switch out after each.

I choose to sit the first half period out and watch from the bench. I'm eager to evaluate the talent and see if I'm over my head after so many years out of the game. It takes me about 3 minutes.

The hockey is terrible and the realization trumpets in my head with delight.

Whatever reservations and doubts I have quickly vanish as I realize that theres a very good reason this is called the Instructional League. Most of the forward skaters do fine in straight lines but hard turns are only wishful thinking. Puck handling consists of pushing the puck ahead with the vaguest notions of control. Passes are of the general location type and the overall speed of the game is a bit faster than a public skate.

Soon the first 10 minutes are up and suddenly I'm skating towards my net. A passing gloved high-five with the starting goalie and I'm in the crease!

The whistle blows and I'm playing. I follow the action with razor focus and have to check my posts about 30 times a minute. My built-in radar from those many years ago seems to have vanished but still I'm in the game and moving.

My first save is a weak push from the top of the circle and I direct it towards the corner with my stick. I've passed the first shot, first save test and I am quietly relieved. 5 minutes into my debut and I'm huffing and puffing like a locomotive. I don't remember being up and down so much in my earlier days.

 "I stick out my right leg in a flash as the shot hits my skate..."


Suddenly a 2-1 break towards my net! Never mind that I could have sipped some coffee before they made it inside my blue line, I was ready. The puck carrier moved to my left and the lone d-man followed. The puck is passed across the net to my right and the waiting shooter. I stick out my right leg in a flash as the shot hits my skate and stops inside my crease. I scramble to cover and the whistle blows. The shooter says, "good save goalie". My teammates tap my pads as I stand up. The game continues. The smile on my face was invisible behind the mask but it was wide.

I undress after the game and head out into the cold. I played 30 minutes total and let none in on a dozen shots. I drive home and share every detail with Amy.

I came back to hockey.

January 10, 2013

Pause for Effect

If you are reading this in order, no doubt you are squirming in your chair. Wondering what happened on my first night back from a 25 year goaltending hiatus. I ask for your indulgence as I ponder the emotions that poured out of me that night.

I am a happy guy. I'm successful by many standards. I have a well-paying job with a growing company. I have two fantastic, happy and well-adjusted daughters. I have a wonderful partner who I love and who loves me back.

So why should a whimsical decision to return to hockey after so many years get my juices flowing like nothing else in recent years?

Redemption.

There are many things I've done or left undone in life. Some because of outside circumstances and some because I was younger, less experienced and less disciplined. Most of those things can never be revisited or recaptured. You don't get a re-do on many of things that happen.

As I've gotten older, I've gotten physically stronger and mentally tougher. While these traits aren't a substitute for talent they've served me well in my efforts to play competitive tennis. My opponents may beat me but I almost always out work them on court. This also helps me in business. I haven't risen to the ranks of a senior manager of a Fortune 500 company but I have been able to gain the respect of people I work for and work with. I can be a hard-nosed SOB when it comes to doing what I think is right. I am a competitor- more so as I've gotten older.

"You don't get a re-do on many of things that happen."


Taking the ice that night gave me an opportunity for redemption. Not because of a well of untapped talent that was squandered in my youth. I realized at a very early age I didn't have enough to become a prospect. But because I know in my gut that I never really fought very hard to get the most out of what I had when I was 14. Instead I resigned myself to simply being a participant and didn't exhibit the kind of metal toughness that would have resulted in a much better player.

It's not about becoming something I should have been. It's about finding out what I am now and getting self-satisfaction for leaving everything out there today- something I didn't do back then.

Don't most of us want that chance?

January 9, 2013

And the Trumpets Blared Part 1

I pack my gear into my Jeep. It's raining and unusually cold for a January night in Texas. I am barely able to contain my anxiety as I wave goodbye to Amy and head to the rink for "draft night".

I get to the rink early- hauling about 80 pounds of gear on my shoulder and pay my league fees. I get directions to the locker room and set up in the corner. Its a funny thing about goalies and locker rooms. Theres an unwritten rule that we get the corner furthest from the door.

Guys begin to file in and I hear the room next to us filling up too. I am silently putting on my gear, careful not to screw up the order and end up taking it all off because I forgot to put on my socks. I'm also looking for other goalies. How many will show? Who will bump me from the league roster?

I head out to the ice. I step out and am careful not to make my first an illustration of belly flopping onto the ice. I skate around the ice feeling my gear. It's the first time I've skated with it on and the confidence I built up over the recent weeks is waning. I'd forgotten how bulky and heavy the gear is.

Soon the ice is filled with players and I count 4 other goalies. 4 teams, 5 goalies. My fate is sealed. Surely I won't make a team. I park myself next to one of the benches and go through the motions of stretching but my focus is on the players circling the ice and pushing pucks around. Slowly I realize that the ice isn't filled with Gretzkys and Brodeurs but by wobbly skaters, beer bellies with sticks and youngsters who are focused on not falling down as they cruise the ice.

Quickly the coaches split up the players into 2 teams and just as we are skating to our benches I hear one of the goalies say he won't be playing. He's in another league and came out just to make sure we had a goalie for each team.

My heart jumps in my chest.


January 7, 2013

My Secret

I now have the date on which I will step onto the ice in my goalie gear for the first time since Ronald Reagan held the highest office in the land.

January 8th.

That is the night all the skaters and goalies from the local I-League report to the ice for "draft night". Am I expected to try out? How many goalies will show up for four teams? Will I make a team? Will I be drafted? I check and re-check my gear in anticipation of the night. I put it on again and again looking for equipment flaws. I am ready.

"It's funny how quickly I am transported back to my 10-year old self."


But its a secret.

I haven't told anyone except Amy about my return. I am busting to tell my friend, Paul, about my plan and to scoop him up in my excitement. I don't tell him. I don't tell anyone. Not my friends and not my family.

What if 7 goalies show up for 4 teams and I am told, sorry we don't have room? What if I can't play anymore, or never really could? What if, by some cruel fate, I am asked to exit the ice- ridiculed for my poor showing? Memories of minor league try-outs and bench-sitting flood my mind. It's funny how quickly I am transported back to my 10-year old self.

I'm determined to put myself out there but I'm terrified I will fail before getting started.

January 8th.




January 5, 2013

Top Gear

I have a team!

I am now consumed by thoughts of re-living my past hockey glories and getting back to playing. Never mind that my youth hockey career was filled with nicknames like, "Leaky" and "Red-Light", I am excited. Night and day all I can think about is getting back between the pipes. Perhaps no longer held back by my younger, smaller, pudgier self I will burst onto the local adult hockey scene as a stupendous stopper!

I've only got skates.

My wonderful partner suggests that laying out $2,500 on brand-new senior goalie equipment might not be the best decision at this early stage of my comeback.

While I voice my agreement with this very reasonable conclusion, I harbor a secret feeling of outrage that she doesn't see my very recent explosive interest in returning to the world of hockey resulting in a wildly successful and legendary career in my late 40s. What is she thinking?

I start scouring Craig's List for goalie gear with a meager budget of $500.

With a stroke of luck- for me, not the poor unemployed SOB who's unloading his gear- I find an almost complete set of gear for just $400! As I inspect the booty, I note the leg pads are a little "worn". That's a bit like saying George Lucas is a little bit rich. The seller spins a wonderful tale that these pads are none other than those worn by former Dallas Stars net minder, Manny Fernandez! While they do sport the Stars colors under the wear and tear, I can find no photos on the web of Manny wearing them. No matter, it sounds good and besides, where else am I going to find an almost complete set of gear in my size (just a bit north of 6'2", 260lbs) in my budget? SOLD!

I spend the next few days repairing old tears, adjust straps and trying the gear on in my bedroom.

I am counting down to my triumphant return!

Manny, contact me if you want them back.

January 2, 2013

Who Would Want Me?

So I passed the first test. I am skating. Maybe not with the strength and flair I recall from my youth but let's be honest. Good memories have a way of getting better over the years. In any case, I feel good enough on the ice to move onto step 2 of my plan.

In my years of lurking at the local rink and watching adult leagues I was always curious how someone like me would break back into the fraternity. Having moved to north Texas in 1999 I had no ties to organized hockey and none of my friends played the great game.

I had seen notices posted on the rink's bulletin board with calls for players needed to join this or that team and sometimes a league. But without any ice time I had no illusions of calling someone out of the blue. I imagine the call..

Hockey Guy: Hello?
Me: Uhh. Hi.
Hockey Guy: Hello?
Me: Soo uhh, you're looking for a goalie?
Hockey Guy: Ya man! When can you play?
Me: Uhhh well here's the thing. I don't have any gear and I haven't actually played since before you were born.
Hockey Guy: *click

Sometimes I'd see signups sheets for leagues with designations like "I", "D" and "C". None of this meant anything to me. Playing junior hockey in Canada when I was young meant you were on the "A- Travel Team" playing tournaments and prime ice time or else you were hauling yourself to practice with all the wanna-be's at 5AM.

"he asked twice if I was inquiring about a team for me or my kid."


But I was ready for the next step so I sucked up my pride and approached the rink manager armed with questions. He was helpful although he asked twice if I was inquiring about a team for me or my kid. Soon enough he and I agreed that a good starting point would be the Adult Instructional League (I-League) which he assured me would be full of beginners of all ages- a perfect starting point for an ancient net minder who hasn't played in 25 years.

I had a team!

January 1, 2013

Around and Around

I've now been to my local rink four times with my new skates and I am happy to report my journey towards a return to hockey continues.

Each visit was better than the last. More confidence. More stamina. And no foot pain!

After beginning with a simple skate around, my most recent session resulted in a few old techniques creeping back in.

Could this be happening?