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- Oct 21, 2005
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Well this isn't FFXi related, but I consider you folks to be my family so I want to tell you a story of my last year.
So a year ago I finally took the plunge to follow a dream of mine, to play Ice Hockey. My friend Nick of 12 years has played forever and I always wanted to be on an organized hockey team so I got my equipment and started to train. It was HARD. I never ice skated before let alone handle a puck so it was a new world to me. I learn fast at sports, always have so I trained every day and took a Hockey 101 class 9 months ago.
You guys are going to laugh at this part. I got some roller hockey skates one day to get extra practice outside on the blacktop parking lots and such and one day I passed this church. There were about ten 12-17 year olds playing for fun...so I pulled in and asked if I could join. Now do realize at the time I was 23 and 6 3" tall compared to these little kids, so to them they were thinking I would be good or something. Long story short most the kids excelled at skating where as I did not and smoked me.
My goal was to play in an adult Ice Hockey league with Nick in one year from when I started to train, so man was that experience on the blacktop an eye opener. I was slightly disheartened but I stuck with it. Many things in my life I didn't give enough of a chance and I sincerely wanted to prove to myself I can do this. It for me was a journey of self worth.
So I played a 24 game season in these past months as Center and oddly captain of my adult team. But I did not score a goal and no assist. Life is hard, I got over it. I love the sport so I gave it another season since I love playing with my friends. I never gave up, I trained every chance I could and wanted to earn the C on my jersey.
I am happy to say that last night, in game 1 of this new season in the first period I scored a goal. One hell of a goal. The play by play for you folks is as follows:
We were shorthanded so the other team was on a power play. I faced off for it in our zone and won it to Nick(Hes a Right Winger). We rushed towards their zone and Nick tipped the puck at the left boards. I went in for it fighting a defensman and a forward against the boards...Ok guys now this is where I cant believe what I did.
I beat the two players on the boards got a hold of the puck. Only 1 defenseman and a goalie left now. I pulled the puck to my right and deked the defenseman out of his pads(I was in shock in my head). I skated towards the goalie approaching from his right, my left. I kept the puck to my right cocked ready to fire. The goalie followed me then committed because I was holding the puck not shooting, he panicked. He dove down to try and knock it away and I pulled it towards myself. Now I am to the far right of the crease and I shoot the puck top shelf over his stick.
I scored...I SCORED. In my head I thought I was dreaming. I didn't just score, I did it alone and shorthanded and beat two guys on the boards, deked the defenseman and then smoked the goalie! I Pat Lafontained his ass!
While I stood there blown away that I just did that, my friend Nick tackles me and the bench erupts with cheers and the crowd went wild. I felt like I won Sir Stanley's Cup.
The next play I went on I stalled with control in our zone and made an amazing pass to my buddy Larry that gave him an absurd breakaway on which he scored on. So I also got an assist. A goal and an assist on my first game of the season, unbelievable. I think the most exciting part is every year I should improve quite a bit more so I started a diary of my hockey life for if I ever get a girl and perhaps have a child they can read it one day. Maybe it will bring them strength in their times of strife.
Funny thing is the only thing I did different last night was wear number 19 instead of 11. I decided if I wanted to be a captain that I may as well do it in honor of Steve Yzerman my hero. Hell my name is Steve so it was close enough =P.
I will never forget the looks of approval from my teammates. Hell even the opposing team came up to me after the game and told me how awesome I played that game, needless to say I was embarrassed. I felt like a captain finally and am glad to say that my year of intensive training was beyond words successful. When I told my mom when I got home what happened she was almost in tears happy for me.
For this one time...I am not a fuckup. This one time I did good. This one time I truly accomplished a dream.
Thanks for reading those that stuck this out till the end. It's something that changed my life without question, and I woke up this morning feeling like my world is a little bit brighter.
So a year ago I finally took the plunge to follow a dream of mine, to play Ice Hockey. My friend Nick of 12 years has played forever and I always wanted to be on an organized hockey team so I got my equipment and started to train. It was HARD. I never ice skated before let alone handle a puck so it was a new world to me. I learn fast at sports, always have so I trained every day and took a Hockey 101 class 9 months ago.
You guys are going to laugh at this part. I got some roller hockey skates one day to get extra practice outside on the blacktop parking lots and such and one day I passed this church. There were about ten 12-17 year olds playing for fun...so I pulled in and asked if I could join. Now do realize at the time I was 23 and 6 3" tall compared to these little kids, so to them they were thinking I would be good or something. Long story short most the kids excelled at skating where as I did not and smoked me.
My goal was to play in an adult Ice Hockey league with Nick in one year from when I started to train, so man was that experience on the blacktop an eye opener. I was slightly disheartened but I stuck with it. Many things in my life I didn't give enough of a chance and I sincerely wanted to prove to myself I can do this. It for me was a journey of self worth.
So I played a 24 game season in these past months as Center and oddly captain of my adult team. But I did not score a goal and no assist. Life is hard, I got over it. I love the sport so I gave it another season since I love playing with my friends. I never gave up, I trained every chance I could and wanted to earn the C on my jersey.
I am happy to say that last night, in game 1 of this new season in the first period I scored a goal. One hell of a goal. The play by play for you folks is as follows:
We were shorthanded so the other team was on a power play. I faced off for it in our zone and won it to Nick(Hes a Right Winger). We rushed towards their zone and Nick tipped the puck at the left boards. I went in for it fighting a defensman and a forward against the boards...Ok guys now this is where I cant believe what I did.
I beat the two players on the boards got a hold of the puck. Only 1 defenseman and a goalie left now. I pulled the puck to my right and deked the defenseman out of his pads(I was in shock in my head). I skated towards the goalie approaching from his right, my left. I kept the puck to my right cocked ready to fire. The goalie followed me then committed because I was holding the puck not shooting, he panicked. He dove down to try and knock it away and I pulled it towards myself. Now I am to the far right of the crease and I shoot the puck top shelf over his stick.
I scored...I SCORED. In my head I thought I was dreaming. I didn't just score, I did it alone and shorthanded and beat two guys on the boards, deked the defenseman and then smoked the goalie! I Pat Lafontained his ass!
While I stood there blown away that I just did that, my friend Nick tackles me and the bench erupts with cheers and the crowd went wild. I felt like I won Sir Stanley's Cup.
The next play I went on I stalled with control in our zone and made an amazing pass to my buddy Larry that gave him an absurd breakaway on which he scored on. So I also got an assist. A goal and an assist on my first game of the season, unbelievable. I think the most exciting part is every year I should improve quite a bit more so I started a diary of my hockey life for if I ever get a girl and perhaps have a child they can read it one day. Maybe it will bring them strength in their times of strife.
Funny thing is the only thing I did different last night was wear number 19 instead of 11. I decided if I wanted to be a captain that I may as well do it in honor of Steve Yzerman my hero. Hell my name is Steve so it was close enough =P.
I will never forget the looks of approval from my teammates. Hell even the opposing team came up to me after the game and told me how awesome I played that game, needless to say I was embarrassed. I felt like a captain finally and am glad to say that my year of intensive training was beyond words successful. When I told my mom when I got home what happened she was almost in tears happy for me.
For this one time...I am not a fuckup. This one time I did good. This one time I truly accomplished a dream.
Thanks for reading those that stuck this out till the end. It's something that changed my life without question, and I woke up this morning feeling like my world is a little bit brighter.
). I'm NOT missing tomorrows game though, not by a fucking longshot.