Man, lemme tell ya about trying out those Matt Smith hockey drills today. Total eye-opener, seriously.
Getting Started Like A Dummy
So I dragged my gear onto the driveway this morning, phone propped against a toolbox to film myself. Figured I’d nail this game control thing easy peasy. Threw down some spray paint markers like Matt showed in clips – red for defense, blue for offense. Looked like a toddler’s art project.
First drill? Basic puck protection. Tried spinning away like Matt does so smooth. Absolute disaster. Lost the biscuit immediately, tripped over my own skates, nearly launched my water bottle through the neighbor’s window. Had the whole block’s dogs barking. Went back to the video – dude makes it look like dancing, but my feet just crossed up like tangled headphones.
The “Control” Illusion
Here’s where I went wrong thinking I knew stuff:
- Vision ain’t scanning. Matt’s head’s on a swivel checking options. Me? Tunnel vision on the puck like it’s the last slice of pizza.
- Stick handling isn’t fancy tricks. Kept trying sick toe drags – lost possession every time. His “control” is just subtle nudges keeping it in quiet spots away from sticks.
- That low stance feels wrong. Kept standing up straight ’cause squatting burns. Big mistake – got knocked around like a pinball.
The Lightbulb Moment
Took like 40 minutes to realize Matt’s secret sauce: doing less. Sounds stupid but hear me out. Stopped chasing wild passes. Just camped near my blue marker, kept simple passes along the boards. Didn’t force plays – just recycled when things got hairy. Felt boring as heck at first.
Then something clicked. Less scrambling meant breathing room to actually spot openings. Saw my imaginary teammate waving near the “net” (garbage can). Slid a pass through “defense” (my kid’s scooters). Boom. Easy goal just by chilling out and picking spots. Didn’t dangle once. Just waited, moved smart.
Why This Actually Matters
You think controlling games requires magic hands? Nah. After faceplanting all morning, I get it now. Matt’s style works ’cause he saves energy making everyone else panic while he’s steady. Like seeing chess moves before they happen while others play checkers.
I’ll still probably eat cement trying spins tomorrow. But that feeling when you out-wait the chaos? Chef’s kiss. Just plant your feet, breathe, and let everyone else tire themselves out reaching. Control’s not about flash – it’s about playing slow when everything else is loud.