Yes, I can hockey stop. I grew up with a pond behind our house. And my neighbor / bestie Evelyn's dad used to build us a rink in the front or back yard sometimes. We played all the time. But I was a girl, so I had figure skates. But after a few years, I didn't want figure skates. I wanted hockey skates. So I stole my brother's. Naturally. He's a jerk. He didn't deserve them. So I learned to hockey stop on skates that were like 3 times too big for me.
When I was in college, I started playing intramural women's ice hockey. And I loved it. I only had my own skates, stick, helmet, and gloves, so I had to borrow the rest. Eventually I realized I wasn't skating very fast because I was still using my brother's skates and they were 3 times too big for me. Clunky.
So for my birthday or Christmas I asked my parents for skates. They got me a gift certificate and I got a nice pair of hockey skates that actually fit me. I could skate sooooooo fast. It was awesome.
But oh no, I couldn't stop. I don't know if it's because I learned to stop on the wrong part of my foot or I was just scared or what. But I couldn't stop quickly anymore. I could on skis. I could on the old skates. But not the new ones.
On Christmas Eve this year, I stopped over at the Warner's to see Evelyn and Brian Sommariva, and Brian, serendipitously is the assistant coach for the Plymouth Whalers. He offered to work with me. So the next day, we went to the rink, with little one-year-old Leo.
Leo got his first taste of walking / running / flying around in his dad's arms on ice, Evelyn was back on skates for the first time in a long time, and Brian assigned me a couple drills until I got it. It didn't take that long. I think pushing the goal around just got rid of my fear and then I was fine. I just need to get my skates sharpened and a little more practice and I'll be back to my original form :)
So fun! I am glad I was there to help with at least ONE of your 52 and have a blast while doing it!
ReplyDelete