Alright, so the day finally came. I woke up pretty early, you know, that mix of nerves and excitement buzzing around. Grabbed a quick bite, double-checked my gear – skates, sticks, all that jazz. Didn’t want to forget anything crucial. The drive over wasn’t too bad, gave me some time to get my head in the game, I guess.
When I got there, the place was already kind of humming. Lots of other guys, all looking pretty focused. Found the registration table, signed in, got my number pinned on. That’s when it starts to feel real, you know? Like, okay, this is happening.
Off-Ice Stuff First
So, we kicked things off with the off-ice testing. They ran us through a whole bunch of drills. Man, that was a grind. We started with a good warm-up, which was definitely needed. Then it was straight into it:
- Sprints – just flat out, as fast as you could go.
- Jumps – they measured how far and how high. My legs were burning after a few of those.
- Agility stuff – weaving through cones, quick feet, that kind of thing. I felt a bit like a pylon on one or two, not gonna lie.
- And some strength tests, like seeing how many times you could bench a certain weight, and grip strength.
I just tried to push myself on every single one. You see other guys giving it their all, and it kinda motivates you, even if you’re feeling wiped. By the end of the off-ice part, I was definitely feeling it. Sweaty, tired, but kinda good, you know? Like I’d put in some real work.
Then Came the Ice
After a bit of a breather, it was time to get the skates on. That’s always my favorite part. Stepping onto that fresh sheet of ice, it just feels right. We had another warm-up, getting the legs moving on skates this time.
The on-ice drills were pretty intense too. They timed our skating – forward, backward, with the puck, without it. Lots of stop-and-starts, quick turns. My edges were definitely tested. Then we moved on to puck skills. Stickhandling through obstacles, making quick passes. And of course, shooting. They had us taking shots from different spots, trying to hit targets. I managed to ping a few posts, and thankfully, a few went in too!
There was a bit of a small-area game towards the end, which was fun. Just a chance to see how you react in a more game-like situation, even if it was just for a few minutes. You try to show what you’ve got, make smart plays.
All Wrapped Up
And just like that, it was over. We did a cool-down skate, and you could kinda feel the energy shift. Everyone was tired, but there was also this sense of, well, we did it. Handed in my bib, packed up my gear. Had a quick chat with a couple of the other guys, just sharing how knackered we all were.
Driving home, I was pretty beat, but also thinking a lot. It’s a good way to see where you stand, you know? Some things I felt pretty good about, other things, well, definitely got a list of stuff to work on. It’s a real eye-opener. But that’s the whole point, I guess. You go, you give it your best shot, and you learn from it. Definitely a day I won’t forget anytime soon, and it’s given me a lot to think about for my training going forward.
