Even though we “lost” 8-9, it was still a win as the Coconuts forfeited due to having too few players (I think they had 2 “real” players; all the rest were subs from other teams).
I haven’t wrapped my mind around Ice Oasis yet. There’s no coaching, and skills practices are at very odd times (10:45pm on Saturdays and 9:15pm on Sundays) so not many people go. This results in a weird mix of aggro “Hulk must win! Hulk chase puck!” and well-intentioned advice from people who have never worked with an actual positioning coach.
I need to find some way to let the OCD part of my brain relax and just have fun on the ice, but I’m having trouble. I’m in no way, shape, or form the Queen of Positioning, but I get out there and see my left wing deep in our defensive righthand corner, for example, and my brain explodes.
Peter says that most of the time, this happens when people “try to help”, which I would find infuriating and condescending — but fundamentally understandable — if it were true. Really, I think the status quo at Ice Oasis is just to chase the puck and not even look up to see where one’s teammates are. It’s not a conscious thing — no one’s all “hey, I know, I’m playing right wing, I’d better get in my left D’s face!”, but it still happens. All The Time. I can’t count how many times I would look up last night to find my D partner sitting on top of me, and with a wing 4 feet away.
Sigh. I sound like I’m whining. I just want to have fun, and I’m having a really hard time of it.
I did have one really good play last night, though, when actually left to play my position. 😉 I was playing left D and was right up at the blue line for once (I do fall prey to Pessimistic D, where you fall further and further back until, as Susan joked last night, you’ll eventually be playing Go Fish with the goalie).
Anyway, I was at the blue line, and the puck started coming towards me. Some part of my brain actually slowed the puck down in my mind and I realized that I could keep it in the zone if I skated really hard and then dove for it……so I did. I dove across the ice and flicked the puck with my stick, keeping it in. The left wing picked it up and got it to one of the other forwards, who then scored!! Our whole bench was cheering and clapping. That was cool.
I think I’d like playing D at Ice Oasis; I think that might be fun for me. I don’t want to be That Player that’ll only come off the bench to play a certain position, though. This requires more thought.
Next hockey: Sphinges vs Flying Carpets, Sat 6/17 at 8:15pm (Ice Oasis)