Game 3

Played my third game of hockey last night. We had extra time so it was 4 stop-time periods (thankfully not five as my water bottle had run out and I was parched).

It was kind of a strange game. Disharmonious. I think the game ended up 12-4 or something, with the other team winning (which is pretty unusual as the red team doesn't win very often, though it's usually pretty close). I know I personally wasn't particularly pumped up for the game. My parents were here, Mr. Conduct was there. I started out by falling in each of my first two shifts. Just didn't have my legs, or my heart, really, in the game.

As far as MY game, I didn't feel all that good about it. I did more things right, but between those things I was doing right, I didn't play as well as I would have hoped. I just felt sluggish and kinda "who cares" about it for a lot of the game. But I had a few good instances of clearing the zone or keeping the puck in our zone, but several others where I had the puck clean and open and skated right past the fucking thing. I think I need to go to the eye doctor because my depth perception is jacked up or something. I swear to God, my blade is heading right for that puck and I just skate right past it. AUGH! It's maddening!

Then we get to the locker room after and nearly everybody in the room is mad about something. Goalie is mad because of the 12 goals (hey honey, it's a TEAM sport...) Coach Stalin is mad because she feels like some of those goals were her fault (she's only got 3 games of playing D under her belt). One of the other new players was mad because, while this is novice league, the game actually goes pretty fast sometimes and the guys like to play all out with an occasional nod to the newbies with a pass attempt or whatever. I don't mind it being that way, so far, but she's complained about it the last couple of games and I see her point.

And then on top of that, I was frustrated with my own lack of enthusiasm, but also kinda bummed that everyone else was bummed. You really just want to have fun and for everyone else to have fun.

I didn't get to hang around in the parking lot after since I didn't want to drag my parents out so late, so hopefully it was cathartic for those who did stay later and they kinda drowned their sorrows a bit. It was just kind of a weird night. *shrug*

Next week is another skating clinic and then, presumably, a scrimmage. Really really REALLY not looking forward to the clinic. Andrea really knows her stuff but I'm doing this to have fun and she doesn't make it fun. More drill instructor than anything. I dunno. I didn't enjoy the last clinic at all. But of course, it's the Lisa "Oh god, I MUST please the teacher" Simpson in me at the root of this. I should just look at it as an opportunity to make strides in the practice of not giving a shit what other people think, eh?

As August passes, I'm growing more and more desperate for hockey. The only thing remaining until training camp is getting Gabby either signed or traded. Not exactly a Yawn situation, but still a slow one. And Russo's on vacation, so we're just getting nibbles of info here and there. Certainly better than nothing, so I'm not complaining.