Non-checking – my arse!

Ok – well, it’s been a couple of weeks since I wrote anything on here – but with good reason!

It was any usual game day, though I hadn’t had a chance to get those tummy nerves, as it was a bit chaotic due to changing room shananigans – two senior away teams, two senio home teams, and only 3 changing rooms!  Fun!  I thought I’d sussed out a plan – but it wasn’t the right one – but am sure it would have worked nevertheless!  After our frenzied transferal of kit from one changing room to another, and a very straggled getting on the ice for our warm up, it was just like any other game.

The first period was tough – but it was apparent that the opposition weren’t as friendly on the ice as they were off!  I certainly got shoved out of the way (from behind) several times.  They weren’t gentle taps, but quite hefty shoves.  Got quite fed up with that after a while.  We held our ground well however.  I took a hardish fall on my dodgy hip side (the wonders of getting older!), which felt a bit uncomfortable and sore at the time – but I carried on – as one does

Second period, the opposition team were ahead of us, it was a pretty hard game but then we knew it wouldn’t be easy, but we weren’t going to let them walk over us either!  During one of my shifts – where I’d managed to get the puck quite a few times, half way through, I was kindly run into from behind (by number 23, who was about twice my size.  There I was busy concentrating on the puck (I think!), and then the next thing I know, I’ve hit the ice with an almighty whack.  I must admit I kind of freaked out and was desperate to get my helmet off.  Fortunately one of our girls on the team is an Accident & Emergency nurse and was able to carry out all the necessary checks on me.  I had hit the ice rather hard.  With the person coming in from behind – I didn’t have a clue – my feet went up and I fell backwards, hitting the ice hard.  Your automatic reaction is to rub your head – which is why I wanted to take the helmet off – but I could hear in the background – instructions to the guys around me not to remove my helmet.  Once my neck was checked for any injuries, no disturbed vision etc., I was helped up – to the usual applause to ‘fallen players’.  I do believe that player no. 23 was given 2 minutes for ‘roughing’.  In my mind it was a bit more than just roughing!  But anyway, after a couple of shifts sat on the bench I did venture out again a couple more times before the end of the second period, though I was feeling a little wobbly and somewhat wary!  Can’t think why!

The third period is now a bit of a blur – but suffice it to say, the league leaders won – but 10 – 0.  Which for us newbies to hold them off I think is an incredible feat, as they have been known to slaughter teams to 20+ goals.  So we did well   It was though our first game where we were unable to score a single goal.  But hey, our defence is obviously extremely strong

Once the game was over, I stayed a little bit to watch the senior mens game – but was feeling rather sore so decided to head home and have a soak in a hot bath and get some rest.  Strangely enough though, I didn’t have a headache… for a change!

Well, the next day was interesting!  I could hardly get out of bed.  You never realise just how much you need to use your neck muscles until you can’t!  Where i’d fallen in such a violent way, I’d managed to pull the muscles at the front of my neck – they are still slightly tender now as I am typing.  Man, did they hurt.  I couldn’t eat comfortably, and to cough or sneeze, well!  Painful!  I decided to get checked out at our local hospital (minor injuries clinic), but as it was a head injury over so many hours ago, I had to see a doctor, only that would have been 3 hours later!!  I had a pounding headache now and it wasn’t going away.  I decided to go back home, and called the out of hours service, and a doctor called me back, and confirmed that I probably had concussion, and that I should have total bed rest, no tv, no reading, no fizzy drinks, and take some paracetamol.  So that’s what I did!  I slept all afternoon.  Though the headache didn’t really disappear much, and the neck seemed to hurt even more.  Fortunately we had a bank holiday that week, but hubby had to take time off to ensure that I was ok – someone had to look after little’n!

The next day I managed to get an appointment to see my own doctor.  I don’t feel comfortable speaking to someone over the phone about symptoms.  So, I got checked out and he confirmed concussion & whiplash!  Again, suggested that I just take paracetamol – so it doesn’t mask anything – and just rest – not so easy with a 7 year old on school holidays and a busy work schedule to try and complete before going on holiday for a week!  Aaarghh!

Well, two days off sick from work, and another two days having to work from home as there was no way I was able to drive.  Head was feeling quite fuzzy for a couple of days, and the neck was causing lots of grief.  Not easy sitting at a computer all day either with whiplash.  suffice it to say I couldn’t do any training that week.  Terrible headache all week – which slowly disappeared.

Fortunately we had a week away on Holiday last week down in Cornwall which seemed to help a bit.  No sitting in front of a computer, no usual dashing around all over the place.

Somehow though, between holiday and this Sunday just gone – our next game, my hip managed to feel even more out of place, back was really sore, and my left arm was twingeing rather painfully – so much so, I couldn’t even hold my nice light hockey stick with that hand.   Bad times…. as they say these days!

I asked to be put on the bench for this one – though I did join in in the warm ups before the game.  Now that was a silly move!  I was feeling a bit out of kilter anyway and rather wary of falling over – but managed the drills kind of ok, but when it came to stick / puck drills – arm was not good.  As I was sat / stood on the bench, my back was getting stiffer, my arm really hurting and my  hip really uncomfortable.  At the end of the game I went out to do the handshakes etc., but slipped / fell somehow, and landed a bit awkardly – I think that jarred things again a bit further.  I felt really bad that I couldn’t play, especially as one of our team took a fall straight into the boards head first, but come yesterday and today, I am very sure that I made the right decision, as if I’d have  played – I’d have been in a much worse state than I am at the moment.  My neck was slowly seizing up throughout the day yesterday, my arm I could hardly move.  Not nice.

I’ve managed to make an apointment for tomorrow to see my lovely Osteopath – I haven’t seen him for well over a year I think – but boy, is he going to have is work cut out tomorrow!

I can honestly say that in this instance, falling over on the ice – or rather being run into on the ice by a larger player than myself – was a seriously freaky experience.  I hope it doesn’t put me off playing against bigger players than myself for too long!  I have a feeling that I won’t be up to a game for a couple more weeks after I get crunched tomorrow – as it takes a few days to all settle down and I can’t afford to have everything all go back out of plcae again – so feeling rather guilty about that one – but I have to allow my poor old bones / joints / muscles heal properly – or else it could lead to further damage which I don’t really want to have to suffer!  It’s not so easy to bounce back the older you get!

Ok, that’s enough of my ramblings for tonight – I’ve been at the computer way too long today and neck is stiff and arms are stiffer – so off for a soak in one of those lovely radox muscle soak bubble baths in the hopes that it helps loosen things up a bit.

Drop by again soon!

Oh, this weeks game we managed to draw 3-3 – against one of the other top team in the division – so awesome result! 

Seeing some progress!

Wayhey – training tonight.  Was brill.  I managed to keep up with all the drills (more or less – there’s one i need to practice!), all my extra ‘learn to skate’ lessons paid off from last year.  I coped with the new drills – and actually managed them quite well   My stick handling is getting a bit better especially when you add a bit of speed to it.  I remembered to try and do crossovers when going around the bends / corners insteady of just balancing my way around them.  So proress I believe is indeed being made!

We did some basic drills – stopping, starting, turning, supermans – or should be superwomans, one footed skating, low down skating, jumping.  And then hitting pucks against the boards & then passing & receiving shots, and then aiming & scoring.

It was excellent – I scored a few goals which was good – even a backhanded one   I am finally feeling more confident on the ice, my shots are definitely getting harder as one almost went the entire length of the ice and almost made it into the goal too!  The scrimmage was cool at the end, though one of our girls took a nasty fall, knocking out the goal & really hurting her knee – not so good. 

Apart from that though – it was a good session.  Only 8 of us & two coaches – but it was an excellent session.  I Suspect I will be aching a bit tomorrow as I haven’t had much of a proper skating session since my crash on the 15th, but hey – it feels good!  I was definitely missing training.

12 days left to go before our next game – which is at home – so that will be nice – only our second one this season, and the first home game this year.  Hopefully we’ll get a good turn out of supporters & a few more potential Amazons – we could do with a few more – as most away games we seem to be lucky if we get two lines at the moment.  It’s hard but it means that for those of us that do make it, we get more ice time, and we are on a much faster learning curve wiht lots of game experience under our belts.  Granted we may not completely understand the game just yet, but hey, we’ll be getting there!

I decided to take the opportunity to join up to a mentorship programme by a wonderful women’s hockey coach today who had the most fantastic offer going – Total Female Hockey coaching programme which is created by Kim McCullough – targetted specifically for women’s hockey – essential for my necessary improvements from someone who’s been there & done it!  I think the offer  runs out tomorrow – but check it out – it’s a great site and definitely worth a look at – www.totalfemalehockey.com.

A year ago pretty much to the day, I couldn’t skate.  Now I’m playing in a senior women’s hockey team – who’d have thought it – I certainly wouldn’t have!!  If I can do it, so can others.  If I can improve myself to play better hockey – then others can too.

Looking forward to my next training session

Catch you later!!

A new year….

Well, it’s been a few weeks since my last post here.  Alot’s happened, a car crash resulting in my car being written off – a week before Christmas.  Christmas & the start of a new year.  One training session – but due to sore back injuries due to crash – was unable to participate – though desperate to take part, as the drills looked really cool and the type I definitely need to practice!

We’ve also had snow, lots and lots of snow!  Quite amazing – a week later almost and it’s still here – normally down south here, we’re lucky if it lasts a couple of hours – let alone several days!  My littlen was able to get out and skate in our road & practice a bit of hockey!  Fantastic!

For Christmas this year I received a fantastic hockey top – personalised – and in purple!  A gorgeous deep shade of purple, personalised with Webbywitch and my number 15.  It’s great!  Picture to be posted here shortly.  I also received a few hockey books – all about drills, scoring and a 52 week training programme!  I have a sneaking suspicion though that my hubby & son will be hijacking them rather alot – so I may end up not getting much of a look in !

I still haven’t managed to watch a full NHL game on the TV yet either uninterrupted or without falling asleep in the third period!  I must try and watch more of them & try to watch the game plays and their positioning etc.  I still have so much to learn – it seems like rather a long journey!

I have decided though, despite this, I am going to attempt to go for my level 1 coaching qualification.  I know what you’re thining – jeez she’s only been doing this for a few months – yes you are right – just under 8 months to be precise! But, there don’t seem to be that many female coaches in our club – and I would love to be able to help along some of the younger ones – then when I’ve got a few more seasons under my belt – opt for a level 2 coach qualification too!  I always wanted to be a teacher – granted it was a music teacher – but hey!  So, I guess I’m on  a mission for the next couple of years!  So I’d better hurry up and understand the game a bit better !  Also an incentive to improve my skating & stick handling skills as I wouldn’t want to be shown up by a 7 year old now!

So, the start of a new year.  A few goals for the hockey side of things.  I had my first baptism of fire today though re the coaching – as I had to be on the bench for my son’s under 10′s mini match this after noon – was a bit nerve wracking – but hey – my team won!  (through their efforts and determination – certainly not my ‘coaching’ methods I’m sure!
I’ve got training tomorrow night – and hopefully tomorrow my back won’t be twinging and feeling sore, I’ve been able to borrow a car to get me there – so hopefully the rink won’t be closed due to ice weather as I am desperate to get back on the ice.  We have a game in a couple of weeks – a first home game for this year which will be nice, followed by a game the week after a rather long way away down in Kent.  By then I should have my replacement car though – which I must admit has been chosen based upon the size of the boot and how many hockey kit bags will fit in it!  I am hoping that will happen this week – I really don’t having my own wheels!!  I’m quite glad though I haven’t had to drive in all this snowy, icy weather though – so things do work in mysterious ways!

So, a slightly belated Happy New Year to those of you who read this.  Let’s hope it’s a healthy and prosperous one for us all.  Here’s to a fantastic year of hockey and perhaps even the odd goal or two!

Do come back soon.

Webbywitch!

Last women’s training until 2010

Well, it’s been a couple of weeks since I wrote my blog – so apologies for that initially.  Last week though I didn’t do any training due to a pulled groin muscle – plus a residual migraine.  Didn’t want to push it ahead of this coming weekend’s game that was iminent.

However, at the start of tonight’s training session the ‘management’ had to make a difficult decision, based on number of players, and various circumstances concerning our forthcoming game against Chelmsford (top of the division) this Sunday.  With only 8 players and a goalie, and some of our stronger players not available the decision to either cancel or postpone had to be made.  It’s not ideal, but, if we postpone we may perhapshave a better chance a bit later in the season to have a fairer game, particularly if we can actually manage three lines!  Would be nice!   We are getting there, slowly, but we will get there   It would be good to not have to totally rely on our stronger players.

Today’s training was great fun and extremely hard work and exhausting.  We started off with a new drill (well, the others did it last week – but it was new to me), which was quite cool.  Let’s see if I can remember it!  Two teams in opposite corners at each end of the rink (diagonal).    Two goal posts are set on each of the blue lines.  The first team skates up to and around the furthest goal to them, around to the furtherst blue line, stop and come back around the goal & back to their corner.  The other team has their turn when the previous team get to their starting corner.  The second circuit goes around the goal & then onto the red line, stop & then return, and so on.  Was cool but knackering!

After that we did some wrist shots, slap shots and I think snap shots – though I’m not really totally sure what a snap shot is any more – must look it up – and then practice!  We then split into three teams and did a two minute on / off scrimmage amongst us.  Was hard going!  Thank goodness it wasn’t a proper game.  My word!  We had to try to get the goals in by bouncing the puck of the wall and into the reversed goal, which is always hard – just haven’t got the knack of hitting the puck hard enough AND at the right angle!  I was pleased that I did manage to get the puck off a few ‘stronger’ players though     I’m not keen on going head first into a tackle!   I did managed to capture the puck up against the boards though & ended up with a bear hug from my fellow (opposition player) Stevie – which had us in giggles.  Can a ref give you a penalty for giggling?!

Well, After over half an hour of scrimmaging – I was pretty knackered to say the least.  My water bottle was empty – Note to self – must get myself a bigger one!  I actually had to buy myself a sports drink out of the machine today!!  Never done that before!  Managed to guzzle it before I’d even gotten home too.  Must have needed it.

Well, that was our last training session until after Christmas starting back up the first week in January – our next game is earmarked now for the 24th January.  Hopefully we’ll have gotten over our christmas indulgences and will be back up to scratch by then!

I am going to make sure that I can get in any extra training whenever I can so I don’t lose where I’m at at present.  So I’m planning to train with the adult beginners & veterans this week (it’s my turn!), as well as get in some extra skating practice when we would normally be training.

So this weekend, instead of two games in the family, we’re only having one – treking all the way to Swindon – where I believe there is a humungous shop of goodies!  (Note to self – leave credit cards at home!)  Can’t afford anything this close to christmas though anyw

Well, if I have the energy after the late night Wednesday session I’ll write another entry here and let you know how it went.  I haven’t been for ages so it will be interesting to see how I fare!  Can I keep up & do those wretched circle drills?!  I hate those with avengance!  Practice however, makes perfect so they say!  We will see!

Ok – that’s enough rambling from me for now.  For all my fellow Amazons that read this – I wish you all a very happy, peaceful and enjoyable Christmas and a flippin’ good start to the new year.  Here’s to a 3-line team who can kick some arse in 2010!!

A brill training session :)

Finally, I actually feel like myself today!  Been weeks when I’ve been feeling a bit iffy, migraine bound, worn out.  Today I was actually feeling OK and with a reasonable amount of energy and looking forward to training.  Now we have a coach who seems to be prepared to help us progress & teach us the things we should really have been learning months ago – we are going to come on in leaps & bounds I think!

We were down on numbers tonight due to injuries and other commitments, but we still had a good turnout of just under two lines.

We had our usual warm up session – those wretched circles!!  I think I had my skates on too tight today or they are getting seriously blunt – I just couldn’t do anything it felt!  I had pains down the sides of my legs!!  Yup!  - Sides!  Never had that one before! From the ankle up.

But I managed it in a fashion – ended up doing half circles again – but if I can get to do those and do those at speed then I should be able to build up to full circles perhaps!  I should practice them more in a public session, but it’s not quite so easy – and certainly don’t feel confident without my padding!

Skating backwards too – I so want to be able to do the backwards crossover type move – but feet suddenly  become glued to the ice!

Fortunately we started some puck & stick practice so my poor old legs got a bit of a rest whilst we did some passing.  I like passing – I can do it!   We also did some manouvreing with puck & going around corners etc and a bit of shotting.  was cool.  We then finished with a scrimmage in order to working out some of our positioning & face-offing!  This will be really useful after Saturday’s game as some of us are at a bit of a loss with regards to these things!  But, we’ll get there!

Anyway, a fantastic session, came out feeling quite alive (though that could have been the coffee I had before training!).  I’m now watching an NHL game in the hopes that I can pickup tactics & positioning.  Oh man, they make it look so easy!  Now then, do I tackle a second training session this week???

Watch this space!

P.

p.s. Thank you coach for a brill session tonight  keep up the good work – it’s very much appreciated we’ll make you proud of us yet!

 

Soooo Tired….

Well, I’ve been looking forward to training right up until I fell asleep after dinner tonight!  I didn’t realise just how tired I was.  I managed to get to the early morning ‘learn to skate’ session yesterday – but only to take the register & collect fees – didn’t actually skate as i can’t afford it this month being rather down on the finances.   So yesterday was a long day – especially as we went and watched the Devils play their game & so therefore didn’t get home until gone 9!
So, combine falling asleep @ 6pm with a little boy who didn’t want to settle when going to sleep as he doesn’t want to go back to school tomorrow as he hates school and finds it boring and wants to stay with me – it really didn’t bode well for tonights training session.

Well, around 9pm I decided to start getting my kit rounded up and headed out the door just before 9.30 in order to get some petrol.  For some reason I had it in my head that training started at 10.30 – completely forgot it actually starts at 10pm!  Doh.  Well, fortunately, after filling up the tank with petrol and getting to the rink, i was actually there in plenty of time.  Phew!

We were a bit low on numbers this week, with people working or other reasons.  We did have a new lady though tonight – so welcome to Gemma – and we have another potential newbie coming along next week   I must remember to dig out my old spare kit and take it to the rink tomorrow and see if any of it works.

Well, we didn’t have our usual coach as he was off sick today, so we had his right hand man take the session.  What a brilliant job he did too.

We started off with skating drills, going around the circles, forwards, and backwards, and then forwards pivoting and then going backwards, around the circles.  Hard one if you can’t skate fast – but just about got there…. eventually!  I’m finding it quite frustrating now that I am feeling like there is no speed to my skating.  Just can’t seem to do it – either that, or I have gotten faster but then so has everyone else!
We did some crossover corner drills which was quite good too – going around cones at a reasonable speed – and then in the other direction too.  I really need to practice crossovers going round to the right – left isn’t a problem – right is proving a bit of a pain!  Talking of which, my feet and ankles were seriously hurting today – I should be getting my x-ray results for my poor old foot this week hopefully – just mustn’t forget to make my appointment!  Let’s hope I get some answers as to why they hurt so much.
Then we did some stick & puck drills – passing to one another starting off with short distances working up to either side of the rink – controlling the receiving puck & pushing the puck to the other side.  It’s amazing how hard you can actually get the puck to go this way instead of slapping it across the ice!  Then we did a really strange one – but I think I understand why we did this one – passing the puck under the other person’s stick & passing it back again – sideways, right & left.  But… when you move the stick, you are actually sliding the stick through your bottom hand.  Cool move – bit tricky to grasp though first time!  I can see though that this may just be a handy trick to learn if  you’re in a corner with loads of people fighting after th epiuck – and you just want to tap it through someone’s stick & carry on off with it before they realise!
After this one, we did another skating drill with sticks & pucks – using our skills we’d just learned, weaving the puck through the cones – unfortunately I pretty much cocked up on that one – my 7 year old can do better!, then getting the puck around corners both using the outside edge of the stick and the inside edge of the stick.   I’m so glad I had made it to the stick & puck sessions a couple of weeks ago – it certainly stood me in good stead for that one!  I even got a few goals in with a wrist shot!  Wayhey!! Wonders never cease.

At the end we did have a short scrimmage though it felt like a very long time.  Was good though – our passing seemed to have improved and I even got a couple of attempts at a goal!  I did however, manage to fall over and land on my wrist – typical as I wasn’t wearing any wrist guard protection this time!  Sods law!

Well, even though I didn’t want to get to training tonight – I’m so pleased I did.  It was a fab session – so a big thank you to Jamie and Martyn.  Looking forward to another one of these!

S0, it’s now only two weeks until our 2nd real game – nerves are setting in – but we’ll give it our best shot – some of us are still learning the ropes but hey – we’ll have some fun!

Come back again soon.  Thankyou for reading.