Monday Clinic

Tonight’s clinic started in what I’m going to start calling The Bad Way – that is, goal-line to goal-line skating drills that I’ve described in two of the last three clinic posts.  Not going to elaborate further again.

However, they didn’t wear me out as much as previously.  I’m wondering if it might have something to do with the enormous amount of water I drank between noon and skating – maybe there’s something to that whole hydration-thing.

Drill tonight was shots again – first dragging the puck in from the blue line and taking a shot, then something different.

Coach set up on the right boards at the blue line with a pile of pucks – seems most of his drills consist of him standing in one place with a pile of pucks and making us shag them.  It’s good to be the coach.

Anyway, two lines of us – one at the left boards and the other at center, but on the blue line. 

Coach dumps the puck in around the boards – skater at the left boards goes in and gets it, skater at center heads for the net.  Shot, pass, deflection-attempt, whatever and then back to the end of the other line.

On my first attempt I was on the boards.  I tried to stop the puck with my skates and forgot how to stand, which resulted in me flat on my back on the ice. 

Second or third attempt from center and I’m trying to screen the goalie and maybe deflect the shot, but the guy taking the shot lifted it a bit. 

Note to Self: Puck-deflection with ‘nads inadvisable.

Not really – it hit me on the outside of the thigh about two inches below the level of Mr. Johnson and the Boys, but it was the first time I’ve taken a puck anywhere, so it was surprising.  And made me glad I remembered my cup, just in case.

Will now always remember my cup – pending divorce or not, I may need those again someday.

My “shot”, and I use the term with much derision and mocking, showed itself again to be weak.  I need to figure out a way to strengthen my right elbow – I broke it a few years ago and it twinges quite a bit taking a shot. 

I also discovered, when stopping the dumped-in puck along the boards, that it’s difficult for me to see a puck right at my feet.  I stopped them all after that first fall, but had to look around to find them again – kept getting lost under me and squirting away.  Since I’m not heavy at all, I’m going to blame this on all the gear.

I felt really good after the clinic – tired, but not completely worn out like previous ones.  I think I might target trying to play in the Monday game starting in February.