http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/ Ice Hockey Goaltending, Equipment, Reviews, Videos, Training, and Forum Discussion. Goalie Crease Network, a global community of puckstoppers. en Wed, 19 Jun 2013 23:14:03 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.goaliecrease.net/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/ http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/304-summer-reflections-i-am-really-lucky.html Sat, 04 Aug 2012 03:32:13 GMT It's been a little while since I've written a blog entry, but I thought it might be good to get one in here for mid-summer. It's hard to believe that summer's already half over. I will admit August kind of caught me a little off guard. Even though I've been out of school for over five years (considerably longer if we're talking high school, but I digress...), I still always find it a little bit bittersweet when the 'back to school' advertisements start showing up on television. Pretty soon it will be September and the start of another season. (Crazy to think of that!)

As it turns out, this has been a great summer for hockey so far. The 'D' or novice league here is very active. I've been taking turns renting ice with one of the other players all summer, so we've all had an opportunity to play at least once a week since the Spring league wrapped up. Everyone chips in at the end of each session, so it ends up being a reasonable price for everyone concerned. We've also been really lucky to have good turnouts. The last few weeks have had 16-25 guys show up with at least two goalies as well - so it's been a blast!

This has been a fantastic opportunity to improve my skills as well as to try some things that I'd be reluctant to experiment with in a game situation without some prior practice. In particular, I've had a chance to practice playing the puck out of the net a bit more (sometimes with comically bad results, I'm afraid, but you have to try somehow!)

I think one of my personal favorite moments this summer was when I had one of my defensemen (who also played on my team this Spring) skate up to my after tonight's session and comment on a few of the things he thought I had improved over the summer. It was a really nice gesture on his part, and one that I really appreciated. (I think all athletes regardless of level want to know that they are contributing something positive to the team effort overall. I don't know if I would go so far as to say that goalies are an extreme example of that, but insofar as, in the words of one of my goalie-colleagues, we get to be 'difference-makers', it is always especially satisfying when someone else recognizes and values the effort involved.)

In addition, there have been several other highlights from the summer session that I have found especially enjoyable. First, there have been a number of guys who have come who had never played organized hockey before ranging from those who have never skated to those who may have played some roller hockey or pond hockey, but no organized hockey.

I have enjoyed watching these guys for several reasons. First - it reminds me of my own experience first showing up to play and I like welcoming other newcomers to the game. Hockey is a fun game, but it is definitely not an easy game to pick up right away, and it takes some commitment to get over the initial hump and get into it. I really respect the courage the new guys show in putting themselves out there on the ice and getting into it. Not only are they willing to take the plunge, but they didn't do too badly either!

The second thing that really impressed me was the way that the veterans interacted with the newbies. They were out there shouting words of encouragement, advice, and were quick with a pat on the back and a kind word as well as suggestions on how to improve and get more into the game. It was really pretty spectacular, and reminded me again that in the pantheon of athletes, hockey players are pretty special. More specifically, it made me realize that I am really lucky that I get to play with a good group of guys.

This brings me to my third point - I've been living in a small town now for a little over five years. I grew up in a big city, and while I have spent time in a variety of places, I've always considered myself to be a big city person. There are certainly things I miss about living in a bigger place. That said, there are some uniquely wonderful things about living in a smaller place, and the sense of community is one of them. (For the record, I'm not saying you cannot get this in a big city, but it definitely is one of the sweeter elements of living in a place like Midland.) Since I've been playing hockey, I find myself feeling more a part of my community than simply a resident of where I live. It comes up when I run into people I know at the grocery store or elsewhere in town and the common-thread we share in our interest in hockey, and that is an enjoyable outcome in and of itself.

I think in the end what most people want is to feel like our existence matters. I'm not suggesting having an out-sized ego or grandiose plans, but merely the sense that we are in a place where we fit - where we can care about others and have others care about us as well. Hockey has been a remarkable vehicle for me in this respect. I find myself really very lucky these days - as a research scientist I get to work on problems that are difficult and intellectually stimulating, as a goalie, I get to work on problems that are difficult and physically stimulating, and as a teammate and friend, I've gotten to know others in my community, form friendships, care about other people, and have a good time all at once. Life can be aggravating and frustrating, but it is also short - I'm lucky I get to pack some good stuff into it! ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/304-summer-reflections-i-am-really-lucky.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/281-spring-leagues-books-summer-fall.html Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:23:42 GMT The season is done. My team played some of the best hockey all season in our last three games. Our final regular season game was an excellent 6-4... The season is done. My team played some of the best hockey all season in our last three games. Our final regular season game was an excellent 6-4 win over our competitors at ECO Water. I have to admit, I always really like playing these guys - I think we are pretty evenly matched as teams go, and they also are just a nice group of people.

It takes real heart and talent to be competitive on the ice and to respect your opponent at the same time, and I think these guys have it down pat.

Our first playoff game followed against the same team and we netted a 3-1 win - my first playoff win ever, thanks to some stellar defense by the boys. Our next game took us up against the best team in the league, and my counterpart in net played a phenomenal game, holding them to a single goal. Some of the best I've ever seen him play - I may have been sitting on the bench for the game, but it made me feel good to watch a teammate doing such a good job. It was beautiful, as hockey often is.

Sadly, it was not enough, and we exited the playoffs. However, I cannot think of a better way to end the season. Of course, it's always nice to win, but if you can't do that, it's nice to go down in a well fought battle. My team could skate off, heads high knowing they did their best. It was bittersweet handing in the sweaters and having everyone go their separate ways. I've tried lots of different sports and physical activities to stay active, but none leave me with a feeling of being... incomplete in their absence the way hockey (and playing goal) does.

And so now I have some time to think and reflect on my first outing both as a part of a team and playing hockey on ice. When the Kings won the Stanley Cup this past week, I found myself thinking of Paul Gallico's famous quote that hockey is, “A fast body-contact game played by men with clubs in their hands and knives laced to their feet." True enough, but this one doesn't quite fit what I was trying to evoke as I write my perspectives on playing and what it means to me.

Another one that I like is Canadian poet Al Purdy's question, “How do the players feel about it, this combination of ballet and murder?” It's an interesting question - hockey is such a unique sport as it juxtaposes raw physical force with other qualities you don't always think of in sports: innovation, creativity, and elegance, and some that you do, sportsmanship, loyalty, and friendship. I love to play, but almost as much as that, I love the post-game handshake in a way that is hard to explain.

Ultimately, however, the quote I thought best captured the feeling I wanted to convey comes, not from the actual person, but from someone else's interpretation of what that person might have said. In the concluding scene from Miracle, there is a voice over of Kurt Russell (as Herb Brooks), ruminating on what the significance of the game in Lake Placid was, and said:

"I’ve often been asked in the years since Lake Placid what was the best moment for me. Well, it was here – the sight of 20 young men of such differing backgrounds now standing as one. Young men willing to sacrifice so much of themselves all for an unknown."

While I concede that D level beer league doesn't quite compare to the 1980 Winter Olympic games, I liked this line so much because I think it captures so thoroughly why we do what we do.

My team is an interesting bunch - 12 skaters and 2 goalies, age ranges from 20 to 65. We have a self-made businessman, a machine operator, an environmental specialist, a pharmacist, a research scientist.... the list goes on. These are people whose paths might not cross otherwise, and yet, twice a week for three months and again in the Fall, we come together, twice a week, dress in our armor and head out to do battle on a frozen sheet of ice. I have relished the opportunity I have been given to play and get to know these guys - it has truly been a pleasure.

In a sense, being on a team is a social activity, but the friendships are forged through the sense of purpose that comes from a common goal. In so doing, they are stronger for it, and I think ultimately that may be what I like most of all.

Today it's sunny and hot, and tomorrow promises to be hotter still. Not very 'hockey-like' weather at all (though I will concede to enjoying not having to drag my equipment through snow on the walk from my front door.) Summer is going to bring some Monday night hockey via ice rental and a chance to get to know some others in the league and hopefully to improve my goaltending skills. There should be a few Friday drop-in sessions as well.

And it's hard to believe, before I know it, it will be September and time to start league play again. I can envision it now - the nervous anticipation standing at the side while the Zamboni cleans the ice, the banter in the dressing room before and after games, the shrill bark of a referee's whistle, the satisfaction of a save well made, the dull thud of a puck off a pad, and the heartbreak of the ones that invariably get through. I can hardly wait. ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/281-spring-leagues-books-summer-fall.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/267-living-dream.html Sat, 02 Jun 2012 16:59:10 GMT Last night in the midst of a 6-2 loss, one of my defensemen skated up to me and said, "Keep living the dream, man." This was not said with sarcasm and I think it highlights something important.

I was trying to think about what my next blog topic should be. I had started writing out something, but it just wasn't flowing properly. Then I read Travis' post linking to '5 Things Every Goalie Should Learn from Martin Brodeur' and it just clicked.

In particular, the first point made in the article that he pointed out is the importance of having a positive and passionate approach to the game. Indeed, I think that is something that everyone can learn and apply no matter what their level. We often hear that the goalie is the last line of defense. In a very physical way this is true, because if the puck gets past us, a goal is scored and the outcome of the game can be changed. We stop a puck and we can control the pace of the game - our ability to manipulate the situation is unique. (And that's pretty cool, if you ask me!)

However, there is another aspect as well - goalies need to be there for their team. It sounds cliche, but I think it's true. No matter what it says on the scoreboard, you have to play like it doesn't matter. Don't give an inch and don't let whatever happened in the preceding minute dictate what you do next. I think this has been one of the hardest things to learn but one of my favorite aspects of the position: do your best, live in the present, and you support your teammates. Period. I may not be the best goalie, but while I work on getting better, I can try to have the best attitude.

I had a crazy blooper goal last night where I came out to challenge a shooter and somehow, the puck squirted through and then we all watched in horror/awe as it slid (in seeming slow motion) across the goal line. Not much I could do. One of my teammates skated up to me and said, "Don't take it personally, but that's one for the highlight reel." My response: "I never take it personally, and that was pretty hilarious." What else could I do but laugh?

When I skated off the ice last night, while I certainly wish the result on the scoreboard had been different, but I felt pretty good. Why might that be, you ask? Well - first, I am trying my best to take the long view on things. I'm 33 playing D league hockey and it's not like I'm going to have NHL scouts knocking on my door any time soon, lol.

I play to empty arenas at weird times, so if I didn't like doing this, I'd really be crazy. Nevertheless, when I consider that less than a year ago I couldn't even skate (I mean literally I'd get on the ice and look like a new born deer wobbling through the forest - my knees ache at the memory of all the spills, and I still remember my first comment stepping on the ice, "Maybe I jumped in over my head." lol), and now I not only skate but play hockey for crying out loud, that's really pretty neat. I'm not saying this out of any conceit or arrogance, but I'm pretty happy with that. All things considered, I'm pretty lucky I get to do something I really enjoy.

However, the best thing that happened to me was in the dressing room afterwards. Even though we didn't do so hot, everyone was still smiles and people commented on how they thought I'd improved quite a bit through the season. I can't say my record has been awesome, but for two months of league play (in which I split games with another goalie, so I only really got 4 instead of 9, but oh well...), that compliment meant a great deal to me.

Our last game of the regular season is Sunday, I'll be watching my counterpart from the bench and rooting for the guys to pull out one more win for us before the playoffs start.

Summer will come soon and a bunch of the D league players have rented ice on Monday nights. I am really looking forward to these opportunities to play. A chance to improve, learn, stay fit, and get to know some of the other guys in our league. Fall will be here before I know it and with it more 'Hockey 101' and league games and so another season will begin. And I can't help but think to myself at times: 'I'm a damn hockey goalie, and win or lose, I love every minute of it.'

Truly I am lucky; I really do get to 'live the dream!' ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/267-living-dream.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/254-savoring-every-moment.html Sat, 12 May 2012 04:38:19 GMT Tonight I backstopped a 4-2 loss. This comes on the heels of a 6-4 win last Sunday. Unfortunately, I was too busy to write about that during the... Tonight I backstopped a 4-2 loss. This comes on the heels of a 6-4 win last Sunday. Unfortunately, I was too busy to write about that during the week, so I'll have to try to recap that first and then get to tonight's game. (OK - fine, I'm eating my dessert first and saving the vegetables for later. Just don't tell my mom. lol)

Any win is a good win, in my book. I will admit, however, to being somewhat disappointed in how I coughed up three in the first period to put us down 3-0. Not exactly what I would consider an auspicious start to the game.

Still, this highlights one of my favorite aspects of being a goalie - you really have to live in the moment and can't dwell on what just happened. (Having my back to the scoreboard wasn't too bad either, for that matter, hehe.....)

Well, my team came back and did an outstanding job. I let in one additional goal the remainder of the game and felt like I carried myself pretty well. Of course, this is a team effort and I want to place credit where credit is due - my defense played an awesome game and the offense did as well as the final score clearly reflects.

On my bookshelf, I have a 6 oz. disk of black vulcanized rubber - a puck from the game that was passed to me by one of my players. It's difficult to find words to describe how good this whole thing felt - the taps on the pads, the encouragement to and from the boys. Many years ago, I bought a book on getting started in hockey - I was still a teenager and at home, so my hockey pursuits were more dream than reality, but I remember in the section on goaltending a picture of a very tired Mike Vernon and the caption read, "The road may be long, but there is nothing quite as satisfying as a well-played game in goal." I think this captures things perfectly.

Anyway - the win made my week... easily.

OK - so now onto the vegetables. (Happily, these are rather tasty veggies rather than some soggy stuff I left boiling in a pot for too long.) We faced off against a team still looking for its first win. We actually played quite well, but they had a few breakaways where I wasn't able to get the job done (and a couple of really beautiful goals, I have to admit.)

Nevertheless, I think the silver lining in all this was that I probably played about as well as I've played all season. I won't lie - I'm disappointed we lost, but I thought we played a good tight game. The final score, 4-2, while not what I wanted was nothing to be ashamed of, and I continue to enjoy working on getting better.

So that takes me to my final point here. Win or lose, I am so lucky to play. I love every minute of what I do when I am at the rink. I enjoy the banter with the guys in the dressing room before and after, the methodical routine of putting on my equipment, waiting at the side of the ice while the Zamboni driver. The camaraderie with my teammates and players on other teams. The fraternity of goalies in all leagues.

I like the warm ups, waiting for the first faceoff, the flow of play. I love practice, drop in, and games. Even little things like that short stop one makes when you get to the crease and set up for the game (water bottle on the net, get your gloves on and stick in place) or when getting off the ice. The bite of a skate blade into the ice, the plink of a puck bouncing off a post.

Starting, stopping, sliding across, following the play. The feeling of making a save, the relief when the defense clears the zone, the moment's rest when the officials are conferring with the scorekeeper.

I often find it funny when I talk to skaters and they comment on how one must be crazy to be a goalie or how it takes guts to get in front of a speeding puck. (I usually comment that defensemen are the really gutsy ones here... though I am flattered.) That said, I think there's nothing I'd rather do - I love being a goalie and I plan to enjoy every minute of it. ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/254-savoring-every-moment.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/239-10-pm-start-true-beer-league.html Sat, 21 Apr 2012 05:19:24 GMT Well - I got to play in my first league game tonight. We had a 10 pm start against the Punishers (one of the better squads in our division.) ... Well - I got to play in my first league game tonight. We had a 10 pm start against the Punishers (one of the better squads in our division.)

Anyway - while I would love to report a stellar performance my first time in a game situation, I can't do that, but I think overall the experience was positive anyway. :) The opposition scored their first goal on a fluky play where the puck stopped dead in the crease and everyone (including me) thought the play had been whistled dead. Sadly - not the case and one of their guys swatted it in. 1-0. :P

I did have some nice stops, however, and defense did a great job. We were trailing 2-1 going into the third. Then all hell kind of broke lose and they scored 4 goals and we netted one more. Final result - 6-2. Am I thrilled? Well - no, but for a first game it could have been worse. I still found I loved the whole process - there's something pretty cool about getting to play hockey at 10 o'clock at night (especially in a town where the sidewalks sometimes seem like they get rolled up by 9:30, hehe - don't get me wrong, Midland is a nice place to live, but a bastion of night life it isn't.) There' something fun about being on a team, the locker room banter, chatting with other players, having referees, stop time play, all of it is pretty awesome.

A couple of fun moments -

1) Getting my right pad firm against the post and stoning an incoming forward. Felt good.
2) Stopping a puck to the cage.
3) Batting one away with the glove side.
4) Words of encouragement from the team. (Lol - let's just say that afterwards I was congratulated on being properly initiated into the game, though it certainly was not said with that degree of eloquence - if you use your imagination a bit and access the part of your mind that still thinks like a teenager, you can probably guess what was said - suffice it to say, rupture of a certain tree fruit was referenced, and I'll leave it at that., :lol:)

Some not so fun moments -

1) Getting run through - I was a little rattled after, but I think I'm OK. It wasn't on purpose - the guy who did it apologized in the handshake line after, but still - a little bit scary.

Truly I am lucky - I found something I really like to do and I get to do it. When you think about it - you really can't beat that!

Well - it's nearly 1:30 AM here and my day began at 6am yesterday, so after 19.5 hours of being awake which included a good hour of hockey, I'm ready to hit the ibuprofen and then bed.

Sunday brings playing backup to my partner in crime in nets and Friday more drop in hockey - even in my exhaustion induced rambling state, I can say - I can hardly wait. ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/239-10-pm-start-true-beer-league.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/222-first-practice-feeling-good-here-comes-season.html Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:49:59 GMT Well, Thursday was quite the day. Up at 4 am (CDT) and off to the airport. Sure, flying involves a lot of sitting around, waiting for aircraft,... Well, Thursday was quite the day. Up at 4 am (CDT) and off to the airport. Sure, flying involves a lot of sitting around, waiting for aircraft, waiting for departures, waiting for arrivals. Thursday was no different - returning from a business trip to Houston. Everything seemed pretty good weather-wise, but the dewpoint decided to get a little intimate with the air temperature and the result: fog. This meant a 7:30 departure turned into a 45 minute wait for takeoff.

No matter - though it did get me thinking about how air travel is often a lot of 'hurry up and wait,' but as my tight connection in Detroit proved, it can also be a good opportunity to get some cardio in as well, hehe. (I may not be able to run a 6 minute mile, but I can get from B15 to C7 in about 3 minutes flat when I'm motivated, lol)

Anyway - back in Midland - caught a quick nap because the evening brings the first time my Spring League team will get together for a little pre-season practice. I know people talk about goalies (and hockey players and maybe just athletes in general) being superstitious. I tend not to put a lot of stock in such things, but I will admit to being a creature of habit. I don't think I'm one to get overly nervous before games or practices (I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious, though), and I find that routines are, if nothing else, comforting.

Personally, I like to get to the rink about an hour early so I'm not rushing to get dressed and I usually favor a corner spot in the dressing room (mostly so I have a spot to lean my sticks against the wall. I used to have a silly habit of inadvertently lacing my toe ties under my skate guards only to find out when I went to take them off to get ready to go on the ice. While I haven't done that in awhile, I always like to leave myself a little extra time just in case.

There's a public skate going on and there's the usual coterie of skaters from little kids pushing the 'ice walkers' the arena has on hand (sort of an update on the chairs that many people grew up pushing as they learned to skate) to people in figure skates. I have to admit, I get a little thrill as I walk in from the lobby - I've got my sticks in one hand, bag trailing behind me, pads slung over one shoulder. It wasn't six months ago that I used to come to public skate and I'd watch with envy and admiration as the hockey players would tromp in for practices or a drop in session and now it's me. (I suppose if I really poke myself I'd admit that probably no one even notices that I'm there, but it gives me a kick nonetheless.)

Anyway - the guys start filtering in and then our captain, coach, team sponsor, and all around fearless leader John shows up with one of the things I've secretly been waiting for - our team jerseys - and they are even nicer than I thought. There're 14 of us in the room and we're geared up for battle. Outside the buzzer sounds to mark the end of the public skate. I can hear the groan of the zamboni as it makes its way around the rink before our practice session. John has a few words of advice for the team as we get out - he talks about the plays he wants to run, and his hopes and goals for the season, about making sure everyone gets enough ice time and how he wants to make sure people feel comfortable letting him know how things are going. As he wraps up, he intones, "And remember, if you don't know how to play a position, then don't play it, but if you want to learn, just ask and we'll figure something out." A defenseman asks, "What about our goalies?" and the other 'tender and myself have a chuckle. John concludes by saying, "And remember, no matter what else happens, there's no reason why you can't give it everything you've got out there."

And on that note, we get out on the ice. I know I've said it elsewhere numerous times, but I still can't get over how good it feels to get out onto a freshly groomed sheet of ice. In Scott Noble's Hockey for Weekend Warriors in extolling the virtues of hockey not only as a sport but as a way to stay physically active he refers to it as the original two minute workout. The game is fast and ice time is precious - one of the things I love about hockey is that no time is wasted and practice is no exception, so we're doing passing drills culminating in a shot on goal. Jim (my counterpart in goal) and I take turns in net, and then it's on to scrimmage. I give up some goals, but manage to battle it out - considering I've been playing for about a month (which is to say drop in once a week), I'm pretty happy with myself, even while I have work left to do. My personal favorite moments are battling a 2-0 where I manage to hold my own until my defense can get back to help out and also a smile and tap on the pads from our fearless leader. With an end to practice, everyone filters out. John's final advice to me, "Just freeze everything you can."

Since I'm splitting time with our other goalie, I don't play until the 20th. He heads right back out to fill in in net for another team's practice getting underway. Dressed and on my way out, I see another goalie in net who I remember from my 'Learn to Play' classes in February. He sees me out of the corner of his eye and gives a friendly wave with his trapper. I return the gesture and head back out - I'm so happy to be part of this goaltender fraternity.

Friday brings another two drop in sessions for a good three hours of hockey. I'm the only goalie this time (oddly enough, for the first time since I've started coming to drop in), and so I get a good workout. The weekend starts sore but satisfied. It's hard to believe that excluding the 5 learn to play classes from earlier in the year, about 25% of my time in net has occurred in the preceding two days. I just can't get enough of it - I think I can safely say I'm hooked. ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/222-first-practice-feeling-good-here-comes-season.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/214-adventure-continues.html Tue, 03 Apr 2012 02:42:47 GMT Well, it's time for another blog post. I think this one will probably be less eloquent and probably shorter than my last, but I digress...

Anyway - greetings from that hockey hotbed of... Houston, TX where I am attending a conference for the next few days. I can only think of one word to describe it here: hot. Well - OK, two words: hot and humid.

Anyway - I am reminded of something that someone said early on in my days on this board, "Before you know it you'll be playing on three teams...." lol - well, that's not quite what happened, but I did get another e-mail this morning asking if I'd fill in for another team whose goalie isn't playing in the Spring. I already committed to another team and I like their mindset, but I guess I'll have to see what happens. (I don't know if goalies can play on more than one team in a division - I know we can fill in... anyway... I'll stop thinking out loud.)

In other news, I checked the arena's updated schedule for April - wouldn't you know it, lots of evening drop in this week (when I'm in Texas instead of Michigan, hehe.) On the plus side - my spring league team has a practice on Thursday and then there is lunch time and evening drop in on Friday! I'll have to ask someone to just zip me into their gear bag and carry me home, because I have no idea if I'll still be able to walk after that much hockey. Should be a good way to end the week! hehe ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/214-adventure-continues.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/203-reflections-one-hand-spring-hockey.html Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:38:40 GMT Well, the weather here has been unseasonably warm, hardly seems like hockey weather at all, in fact. I can't say I'm complaining too much, however; it's nice not to be dragging my goalie bag through the snow on the front walk. Still, it feels funny to be at a public skate and to feel a warm breeze blow when the rink attendants open the door to the Zamboni garage to empty the snow out behind the arena. Clearly many people's minds are starting to wander on to non-winter pursuits. For a good 5-10 minutes on Saturday I found myself skating with an entire olympic rink to myself. All I kept thinking of was the closing line to "Wrath of Grapes II: The Don Cherry Story" where Don Cherry comments wistfully to his son, "I do love the look of an empty rink." I think I almost see what he's getting at - there's a peacefulness to it, but almost a sadness too. The empty bleachers, the crisp scratch of my blades on the ice.

I've continued to play drop in for several weeks now. Indeed, this is what I mean by 'reflections on one hand." I can still only count the number of times I've gotten between the pipes on one hand. This week will make four. Progress can seem quite slow at times, but I found myself stopping more shots last week than the week before, so I can chalk the week up as a success.

Drop in is really hit and miss, but these days it's been more hit than miss with at least two goalies (including myself) showing up. It's funny, it always proceeds the same way each time. I get to the rink about an hour before hand. This time of year is the quiet time at the arena. Sign in at the pro-shop, chat up the guys in the office and then drag my gear from the lobby into the rink. Through the double doors and the temperature drops a good ten degrees. Then there's the smell - it's hard to explain, it smells cold, and a little rank, but it's a good smell, a reminder of the game. Into the dressing room and start unloading my stuff. Guys start to filter in. I'm kind of the new kid on the block, so I don't know most of them. I find myself on the edge of the conversation - interjecting a joke here or there. Drop in covers a wide range of skill levels from rank novices like myself to guys who have clearly been playing the game for some time. It's amazing how hockey can make you feel young - at 33 I'm not exactly over the hill, but in the dressing room I feel like I'm 16 or 17 again. Eternal youth through sport, I suppose.

Pretty soon the room fills up - everyone getting ready and then we tromp out on the ice. A few shots to warm up and we're off to play. The shots come in bursts - sometimes hard and fast, sometimes long periods of nothing. Unlike the D league where I will be playing in a few weeks, slapshots are game here and I took a beauty right off the glove side bicep raising a purple puck-sized bruise that just started to fade in time for the next drop in.

As our rink manager once put it to me, there's a humility to hockey players and nowhere is this more apparent than at drop in where multiple skill levels intersect. My first week out, once the guys realize I'm not that great, they back off a little bit - flipping me some soft ones. I won't like - it's embarrassing when a few go in. By the next week - I've found my legs a bit more and they turn up the heat so I don't feel like a 'charity case' as he likes to put it. Still lots to learn, but there's nothing that compares to the way it feels to be out there. Before in the room, getting onto the ice, leaving after nearly 2 hours, exhausted but content and oddly energized, and then back in the room for those precious few minutes of banter before jumping into th shower, back into street clothes and on with the routine of life. It's hard, it's nerve-wracking, it's exhausting, but I love every minute of it.

Spring league comes up in a few weeks and what had started out as a few e-mails here and there as people signed on for the team, has gradually morphed into more e-mails as guys affirm their intention to play and talk about some pre-season ice-time. The captain has ordered team jerseys - (Chicago Blackhawks 3rd jerseys from the Winter Classic). I'm excited to see what my first team sweater will look like and anxious for the season to start. Will I be good? Will I be abysmal? Will I fit in at least? Above all else, I want to learn and have a good time. This seems to be the goal of the team which is diverse both in age and walks of life. I think it will be a good fit for me and Spring League, at a short 10 games, will be, perhaps not feet first into the fire, but maybe feet first into the toaster. hehe

Sooner than I'd like to believe, spring will give way to summer and more opportunities for drop in, more time between the pipes, and the pleasures of longer nights, time outdoors, and of course, always, more time in net. ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/203-reflections-one-hand-spring-hockey.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/192-stellar-drop.html Sun, 04 Mar 2012 03:47:55 GMT I've been waiting awhile for the local arena to hold another session of drop in hockey, and tonight was the night. (They have lunchtime drop in, but short of taking a vacation day, that is not something I can do all the time. (Kind of bummed about that, but such is life...)

Anyway - tonight's drop in was pretty unusual in that we had three goalies show up. (This seems to happen every time I go somewhere - there were three goalies in my adult novice classes - apparently I am a goalie magnet or something? I'd make some joke about pheromones or something, but given the unique boquet of most arenas and locker rooms, I doubt that's it, lol But I digress...)

So it started off kind of slow with just 2 'tenders and 5-6 skaters who took turns making runs at us to get us warmed up. Eventually, about 6-7 additional players arrived, so all the skaters gathered at centre ice and threw their sticks in the middle to make up teams. We actually had enough players to play a full 5 on 5 with subs (including goalies).

Suffice it to say, I know it can be hit or miss with drop in, but this one was pretty awesome, and the guys skating out really knew what they were doing. I was pretty firmly reminded that I am very new at this, lol. (Nobody said anything unkind, but their playing ability was really quite good!) There was one player in particular who could just do things with a stick that were amazing. It's like there was an elastic band between his blade and the puck the way he dangled. I know as a goalie, I probably shouldn't go on about skaters, but I had to give credit where credit is due.

Anyway - I had a great time; we didn't have a particularly vocal room before or after unfortunately, but people were friendly enough which was good. I know what I must work on - I need to get faster with lateral movement (there were some rebounds that I shouldn't have let go by), positioning, and I also need to improve my recovery from being down on the ice. Some of this will hopefully come with practice and as I improve my overall level of physical fitness. (Which is part of why I got interested in hockey in the first place.)

I am trying to get all the playing time I can get my hands on before spring league, as I can really use the practice. In any event - considering this was my first time playing in a game (even if it was pick up shinny) and my fifth time strapping on the pads and playing in any way, I am pretty happy overall. (I'm also exhausted, so I think I'll wrap up this post here.) ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/192-stellar-drop.html http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/186-joy-being-team.html Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:17:32 GMT Hehe, I very nearly created a thread in the forums, and then I stopped myself realizing it wasn't really the appropriate place. However, I could barely contain my excitement! Then I discovered this blog feature and I thought, "Hey - this is perfect." The way I see it, I can write to my heart's content, and everyone can read or ignore to their heart's content, lol.

So my hockey 'story' begins back in the 1990s when I was 13 or 14. I'd always liked road hockey, playing at summer camps, etc. but the summer of 1993 I stopped going to camp and had started a summer job working in a medical research lab (they had an outreach program for high school students interested in science).

Anyway - most of my classmates in school played ice hockey, but I couldn't skate to save my life. Additionally, I don't think my parents were too enamored of the idea of me playing ice hockey. Anyway - in the summers they'd play roller hockey in the park and the best way for me to get in on the action was to man the net. We used a roll of electrical tape for a puck and when I started, I had no equipment to speak of - talk about painful! :scared: Anyway, some Mylec pads and an old catcher's chest protector later, and I was a bit more protected. I continued playing and had a great time - I don't know if I was any good, but my friends certainly enjoyed having something more than an empty net to shoot on.

Anyway - time moved on and while I still enjoyed the game, I got away from it - we graduated, I went off to university and then grad school and really had no time for anything but studying and lab work.

Now I find myself in Midland, Michigan - in a job for 5 years having a good time and the hockey bug bit me again. Luckily for me - the arena here offers some pretty amazing programs. I still didn't feel quite ready, but I decided to take the plunge and buy some goalie gear. (If nothing else, I figured the investment would be a motivation, lol) I had played broomball the previous year and it rekindled my interest in getting into hockey.

I still remember going to my first public skate - probably the first time I'd been on skate since I was 7 or 8. I convinced some friends of mine to come along and I still remember my first words as I stepped on the ice, "Maybe I bit off more than I can chew!" But I stuck with it, kept going to public skates, fell a lot, looked ridiculous a lot (I assume), and got totally outskated by the local high school rink rats and the seven year olds who appeared to have no fear of gravity (or really any laws of phyiscs, lol)

January rolled around and I saw that the arena was offering another round of 'Hockey 101' which is our local learn to skate and play classes for adults. I also saw that the figure skating club operated some learn to skate classes, so I sent e-mails off to the organizers of both. The figure skaters never wrote back for some reason, but the arena manager who also coached/taught the 101 class responded and said, "You should come - this started out as a learn to skate/play class, and it's a supportive group." So I took the plunge.

I was pretty nervous that first time showing up in the locker room, getting my gear on. But boy, getting out on the ice that first time - it was the first time I had gotten to skate on a pristine sheet in recent memory (maybe ever?) It felt amazing - like nothing I had ever done before. I fell a lot during some of our skating drills (again) and looked ridiculous (again, lol), but stuck with it. Gradually, I found I was getting the hang of things - I could keep my balance, I could stop on skates, I could skull in and out of the net (that was an amazing feeling.)

Gradually I began to add other tools to the toolbox, I started participating here at GCN (what a great site, by the way), and generally found that I looked forward to Sundays as my favorite day of the week. And of course, no discussion of that first time getting bitten by the hockey 'bug' would be complete without a mention to the other guys in the room. There are two other goalies in my class, both who warmly welcomed me to the netminder family. The other players were friendly too and a special mention goes to Kenny Benson, our rink manager and coach, who really wants to get people into the game - I think that speaks volumes to his character and (I hope) the character of hockey players in general.

Anyway - so the weeks wore on and I found myself asking after one practice, "Well, I know I have a lot to learn, but what else can I do to keep learning and moving forward." Kenny's repsonse? "What is this 'lot to learn' stuff? I've seen you skate, you need to get on a team and just give it a go." So onto the free agent list I went.

Two weeks ago, I got an e-mail - someone was forming a team for spring league and was looking for a goalie. A trip down to the arena to chat, and it looks like I'm on a team for the spring. I'm excited, nervous, eager - it's an almost indescribable soup of feelings. I'm sure it'll be tough, but when I think back to that first time on skates when I was afraid to even lift my feet off the ice, or that first time in gear when I couldn't stop gliding forward, it's been a pretty amazing journey so far. I can't wait to see what comes next!

I do have a lot to learn, and I'm still very much a novice at this, but I have to admit, I've loved every minute. The time in the locker room before and after practices, skating drills, shooting drills, working on moves and there's a lot to look forward to as well - drop in hockey, spring league, the camaraderie of being on a team, the quirkiness of being a goalie. I look forward to doing this for a long time. ]]> Victor Sussman http://www.goaliecrease.net/blogs/victor-sussman/186-joy-being-team.html