Well, after two weeks off the ice – last week I just had so much work on I couldn’t make it – though I could have done with it, and the week before I was feeling really rough – I felt seriously off form. My skates were all over the place – could have been I didn’t tighten them up quite enough, the ice was seriously bumpy after the ENL team’s training sesion beforehand – but it could just have been that I was so tired – and out of condition. Not good. Not having been able to get to the rink for public sessions due to lack of funds for the last couple of months has made a serious dent in the old skating confidence and leg muscles. I must sort that out some time. Easy I hear you say – not so, full time working mum who doesn’t seem to know when to stop! I must say though, the last couple of weeks have been exceptional on all fronts – work has been completely manic, leading to later nights than usual (if that’s possible), less sleep and early training on Sunday mornings for littlen’ doesn’t really help with the sleep depravation. I’m lucky to get a straight 4-5 hours sleep in any one night – so I gues that accumulates after a while.
I work better on a certain amount of stress, but today I actually felt my old stress aches returning, which is a definite sign that I’m doing too much. Fortunately the club shuts down in a week for a couple of weeks, which hopefully will give me time to rest and/or get on top of things in the house – which seems to be an uphill struggle these days!
I have made a decision about my lovely Itech visor/cage combo – I have to go back to my cage. I can’t cope with the stinging eyes – I can’t seem to find a wide hairband to wear to stop the sweat running down my face – and ultimately into my eyes, and with the visor in place, the draft from skating around doesn’t seem to get in & help cool me down! So I need to get that changed back again – such a shame as it’s such a cool visor and I hate the cage as the lines seem to just get in the way – but hey – I may feel a bit cooler!
We did a new drill today and some old ones – which was good – though I was definitely the slowest 
But then I wasn’t on top form today. Perhaps I need to get my roller blades and take them to work & skate around the car parks!! Just to get some stamina up, some strength and some speed. Just need to work out how to stop!
Well, we had a good turn out tonight – almost a full quota which was nice – a couple of our girls are off to their Czheck hockey camp so next week they will come back all enthused and hopefully with lots of ideas they can pass on to us 
We have a charity match lined up fo rthe 22nd of August – not sure who we’re playing as yet but watch this space.
I need to work on my conditioning. Which, funnily enough I came across another hockey coach online the other day via a friend on facebook – and he may just have the right idea. I will work through some of it and let you know how I do! here’s no point in my kidding myself I will ever be top notch and national standard – I just want to have a bit of fun and prove I can actually do something sports related – and improve upon it. I need to be able to set an example to my son in order to help encourage him – I’ve got to go through and be seen to practice what I preach – or it’s not really fair otherwise. It’s his first season as a goalie. he’s only been training in earnest for the last three months or so. no-one else in the team really seem to be up for it, or even have the concentration span enough to cope with a whole game – but he’s giving it his best shot. There are times when he is so tired bless him (he’s only 7 – nearly 8 ) – especially on the sessions on a sunday morning when we have to get him up at 5.15 in order to get him up and dressed and at the rink by 7am. So, I can relate to some of what he goes through.
Well, it’s late – I’ve had a hectic day, again, I’m just finishing my cup of tea – I’m going to check out some videos on hockey conditioning and an article by Kim McCullough on slapshots – as I can’t get the hang of those! Oh, I surprised our goalie today by almost getting a sneaky goal in! My shots are getting harder I do believe! So here’s to that illusive goal this next season!
Drop by again.
