Skoshi-Bit is skating again

Improve my ice hockey skills (read all 34 entries…)
Game 16 - Rebels vs. Acme 22 months ago

The unfortunate thing about playing Acme is that several of our players also play for them. The players that switched over this time were Dave, Chris, and our back-up goalie.

Since our regular goalie is out with a serious medical condition, we were forced to find another goalie to help us out. Eventually, one was found, but no one on our team knew who it was. By game time, though, no goalie had arrived.

Just as we were taking the ice for the game, a woman goalie showed up. She was not able to take a warm-up, but was ready in time for the start of the game.

Initially we were able to hold our own, and were only lagging by one goal after the first period, and at second intermission we were behind 0-3. However, everything fell apart in the third, and the final score was 0-9. While the goalie had some issues, our appalling lack of defense and even less offense was the real culprit.

We told Dave in warm-up that there was a “bounty” (a la “Slapshot”) on him, and two of our defense did end up fouling him. Big John said that he even warned Dave to keep his head up before he checked him! In the ensuing penalty kill (the score was already 0-7) I even tried to foul Dave, by holding his stick. But they scored anyway.

Oh, well, it’s just a game….

Feb 13, 2008, 07:18PM PST | 1 cheer


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Feb 14, 2008, 01:20AM PST

Skoshi-Bit is skating again

First answer is short:

In the early 1980s I was dating a Canadian man, whose favorite sport was ice hockey. He had heard of a local adult rec hockey league that would actually teach you how to skate and play. I didn’t have a clue about the sport, and had only been on ice skates once, so getting the lessons was key to my participation. (If I had known then what I know now, it never would have happened!)

We were to join and play together, but somehow he never signed up. By the end of the first month, I was hooked on the sport and dating someone else, one of my teammates.

The answer to the second question is long, but one major factor in my appreciation of the game is my inability to master it. It’s an activity in which the basic skills (skating, stick handling) are not at all natural, and therefore require a tremendous amount of effort to master. So when I see a pro player like Jeremy Roenick score his 500th goal, and I haven’t scored any this season, I can appreciate it that much more.

As for the game itself, it’s full of action, physicality, grace, speed, and emotional intensity. And even though the levels I play and officiate at are very low, just about all those factors are present in most games (at considerably lower levels, of course).

I’ve always contended that you only need to see the game (in person) once or twice in order to get hooked!

Feb 14, 2008, 04:22PM PST | Thread | Respond to this

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Feb 15, 2008, 02:03AM PST

Skoshi-Bit is skating again

Co-Ed Hockey vs. All-Women's

I’m curious to know more about the league and level of play that your gf played in.

In my area we are fortunate to have some hockey options for females. We have an all-women’s recreational league that is just that: recreational (I am the Referee-in-Chief for that league). We also have a competitive all-girls’ youth division, but so far the only other all-girls’ teams are quite a distance, so they usually play against local similar-aged boys’ teams. Some girls play co-ed in the competitive youth division, and some women play co-ed in the adult rec leagues.

The “flavor” of play in the co-ed youth and adult rec leagues is considerably more intense than in the women’s league, even though they are both supposed to be recreational. Everything: aggression, physical contact, penalties, and injuries is at a higher level and frequency of incidence.

I’ve played in the women’s league, but prefer to play co-ed, and have for much longer. I guess the reason is that my father was an athlete and coach, and I was always more comfortable around men. I’m also really happy with the team I’ve been on for the past several years- my teammates and I are a pretty good fit.

It’s interesting to me that even in this day and age it’s still a bit of an anomaly- e.g., I’m the only female out of 20 on my team’s roster, and only one of a handful of female officials out of several hundred in my area.

Because I’ve been involved in this for such a long time, and I’ve been accepted by my male teammates and officiating colleagues, I don’t see myself as unusual, it’s just me and my life. But since I’ve been meeting a lot of new people who aren’t involved in hockey, the reactions range- from very surprised, to admiration, and sometimes (especially for those who don’t know anything about the sport) no reaction at all.

Well, I think I’ll stop talking about it now, before I really get started!

Feb 19, 2008, 04:24PM PST | Thread | Respond to this

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Feb 20, 2008, 02:18AM PST

I'm impressed! - Skoshi-Bit is skating again

Skoshi-Bit is skating again has gotten 1 cheer on this entry.

 

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