My Frustrating Start with Hockey Sticks
Grabbed my dusty hockey gear last Tuesday thinking “how hard could this be?” then spent 20 minutes struggling to tape my stick right. Tape kept twisting like a damn pretzel while that plastic smell hit my nose. Ended up with lumpy wrapping that felt like gripping a potato. Pro tip: tear tape strips BEFORE wrapping – lifesaver.
Concrete Learnings From Faceplanting
Thursday evening found me sliding across Millbrook Rink’s ice like newborn deer. Fell hard when trying to stop, pads crunching against boards. Observed local teens effortlessly gliding – realized they keep knees bent WAY lower than I thought. Copied their stance next session:
- Bend knees till thighs scream (felt exaggerated but worked)
- Pretend squeezing beach ball between elbows (stops wild stick swinging)
- Stare at opponent’s belly button (weirdly keeps balance better than watching puck)
That Embarrassing Shooting Attempt
Saturday morning brought overconfidence. Tried wrist shots against garage door. First five pucks either dribbled like sad peas or rocketed into neighbor’s azaleas. Key failures:
- Leaned back like posing for photos (WRONG)
- Slapped puck like it owed me money (WRONG)
- Forgot to shift weight onto front foot (DUMB)
Fixed it by pretending puck was glued to stick blade while rotating shoulders – suddenly heard that satisfying “thwack!” against door.
What Finally Clicked
After three bruised hips and that puck-chasing humiliation, the magic happened Sunday. Remembered these absolute beginner musts:
- Skate first, stick second (stop treating stick like walker)
- Use rental gear first week (buying new equipment too early wastes cash)
- Drink water BEFORE thirst hits (dehydration makes everything harder)
Now my tape job still looks trashy and shots aren’t winning tournaments yet. But that first clean glide across blue line feeling like flying? Worth every ice burn. Just gotta keep showing up.
