Stick a fork in me
Amazingly, my legs aren't brutally tired, which gives me loads of hope for surviving next week without assistance from a wheelchair. But after lots of playing the last three days, my MIND is tired and I'm ready for a break.
It never ceases to amaze me how much mental focus goaltending takes. There's the whole "zone out/don't think" element of it, but you still have to be incredibly focused.
Clinic was good again, though I was pretty tired the last 15 minutes. And I still love the screen drill more than just about anything ever. I dunno what it is about that one. Oh, yes, I do. Not much movement but I have to be really alert.
Anyway, then I played the drop-in. Wasn't all that tired but my skates were loose and that was bugging me a bunch. How can they be loose yet still hurt like such a mofo? I don't get it. They were comfortable (well, somewhat) for the longest time and now they're killing me like they're new skates or something! Really annoying, especially when I'm staring down the barrel at 15 hours of hockey in 4 days.
I kinda stunk in the second half, especially the last 10 minutes or so. The teams were way out of balance and they were just coming and coming and I was over the whole thing and wanted to leave. Terrible attitude but in the moment, I just wasn't there. Normally I stay out for as long as they want to take shots on me, but tonight? Nope. 10:20, I said see ya later.
Of course, the other goalie did clinic, too, and he was really good. I mean, REALLY good. Good butterfly technique but still battles for the puck. He uses lots of paddle down though. I see that used so much and with so much effectiveness at this level, but then I hear it's the devil from goalie coaches. Annoys me to get continuously beat by a technique that I'm told I shouldn't use. Maybe because he's a really big goalie, he can get away with it?
One stop I was particularly proud of though, was a wrap-around attempt that just reading the situation, my goalie sense tingled and I knew to just shove over and seal the post. The shooter couldn't fucking believe I got over there. Haha. Believe it!
Anyway, I'm wasted. And I have PT tomorrow. At least it's not until 11. Only one more game until I wing to Minny! This week is hard core washing of all my gear. It's going to be DISGUSTING after Minny, so I want to start from as clean a place as possible.
I luuuuurve this song. Stick tap to @awoodmacdonald for the recommendation.
Posts
6 comments:
Wishing you the bets of trips...have fun, hone your skills and er, have fun!
One of the best parts of those kinds of camps, at least in my experience (and, granted, it's been a while. And I've never done a hockey-skills camp, since I'm still clawing my way into the sport), is that you hit a certain point where everyone's incredibly physically miserable, but you're miserable together. And it ends up being just amazing and fantastic and incredibly psychologically useful down the road when you can say "I did that, and I survived, so I know I can get through this." The first week of Wrestling practice after the winter holiday break was always like that for me, and it's still there in the back of my head 8 years later (never mind dance camp, which sounds wimpy and is actually sort of insane. Swords, yay?).
I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time, just remember to listen to your body and pay attention if the good pain turns into bad pain. There is absolutely *nothing* wrong with needing to take 20 minutes to ice or stretch something out or shake off a bad hit, and that's even more true when you play @ rec level (and I say this as someone who's proven consistently ready to sacrifice my physical well-being for community/pick-up athletics involvement - you need to know where your lines are, and you need to be firm about not crossing them, especially when it comes to your body). You're doing all the right things, building up and prepping and getting a good feel for yourself before heading up, and I'm sure it will payoff once you get up to MN.
Have a safe trip, and I look forward to hearing all about it. I've got at least another year (if not two) before I'm looking at doing something similar, but you've always got really useful and insightful observations, so I can't wait to file them away. Best of luck!!
Thanks Christa!
Marienne, you make a great point and I appreciate it. I have mental pictures of me being exhausted and miserable and everyone else going like machines. When in reality the skaters are doing 3 ice sessions a day (power skating, individual skills, and team skills) plus off-ice training! So, we'll all be in the same exhausted boat, I'm sure.
sounds like you've timed your training to allow you to peak at just the right time. I'm pulling for you to have a phenomenal time next week. You know I'll be anxious to hear all about it!
The problem with paddle down is knowing when to use it. It doesn't work if the shooter is far(ther) away, which would allow them to lift the puck. Going down into that stance leaves the top of the net open, so you never want to do it unless they're in really close. It works like a charm when used correctly, and when not overused. I think part of the reason it became such a bugaboo is because it's a very easy (lazy) habit to get into to just do that all the time, but you have to know when it's going to be effective and when it's a bad idea. I suppose if you know your opponent and know they're not going to lift it no matter how far away they are you can get away with it, but I wouldn't do that because that could lead to developing bad habits.
Haha look at me, like I know what I'm talking about!!! This is just a combination of stuff I've read and what I've learned from doing. So take it with a grain of salt, coming from a 4yr old goalie. ;)
Oh yeah, and kick ass in Minny.
Yeah, I mean, intellectually, I can see the when and where to use it, but much like my post about flopping the other day, it's not in my toolkit AT ALL. Even more so than flopping. Like even after the fact, I don't think, "Paddle down would have gotten that." It's just verboten in my goalie brain. I do use it on the sides of the net when I'm already down and the play is coming in from the corner. But never in front of me.
Post a Comment