Beginners: Ball hockey self-assessment of game 002

[Smirnov2Chistov]

My cardio is not so great. I was the first one back to the bench last time. I didn't work out as much as I thought I would lately.. --- Working on keeping possession longer does make me burn more "fuel" though. lol
Knee is bad, has been since snow shoveling about 2 months ago. on and off (hopefully not to-be chronic) issue. When I rest it for a few days, the issue goes away... but it soon comes back when efforts are made.

I think there was a Reddit thread recently about this. I think the OP was losing energy too fast and there were some people within the thread that chipped in.

Have you tried cycling at the gym or outside to improve cardio?

 

[Club]

I had a quick pick up game last night and had 2 assists. I've noticed I am very quick when the ball is on my stick. Like it's almost that I don't want it, I barely dangle. But overall a fun time

I played 8 games in the pick up group last summer and I was drained of cardio very easily.. probably because I smoke lol. But in those 8 games I had 4 goals and 5 assists.

 

[Fixxer]

I think there was a Reddit thread recently about this. I think the OP was losing energy too fast and there were some people within the thread that chipped in.

Have you tried cycling at the gym or outside to improve cardio?

I used to walk a lot. I do a lot of pedal bike during the summer. My knee is not so great, so really, I think I'll get it checked. --- I also started smoking again 3 months ago... but I haven't slept much in 3 days because I am trying to quit yet again. And, defensively, I am involved A LOT , so when we get the puck, forget it, I am burned out already. lol

 

[Fixxer]

I had a quick pick up game last night and had 2 assists. I've noticed I am very quick when the ball is on my stick. Like it's almost that I don't want it, I barely dangle. But overall a fun time

I played 8 games in the pick up group last summer and I was drained of cardio very easily.. probably because I smoke lol. But in those 8 games I had 4 goals and 5 assists.

I used to be (and still am) very quick to get the ball elsewhere than on my stick blade. I'm trying to learn to be patient, to read the play a bit... but yeah, it's tough! --

great for the 2 assists. There aren't only goals that count. As long as I consider myself (effective), I'm fine with it.

9 points in 8 games is great. ---- oh, and I do smoke a bit too, so it doesn't exactly help.

As for being able to keep the puck longer, I think heading to a quiet spot for a second to maybe try and think (see) what do to. I can't believe I am playing ball hockey and find that I don't have much time/space... what would I do in the NHL.. lol -- As long as we're aware of our game and looking to improve, I think it's all good! Whether we are on the rise, peak or decline, I think we can still improve areas.

 

[Fixxer]

I did not play.

BAD Headache (migraine-like). My knee was good though, surprisingly. lol

I had this thought of rating my skills, 1-5
There surely will be some categories missing.

Passing 3.5
Defensive Awareness 4.5
Offensive Awareness 2.5
Shot (Overall) 2
Shot Power (was) 2 (is now)2.5/3
Shot Accuracy 3
-One-Timer 2
-Slapshot 2
-Snapshot 2.5
-Backhand 3 (but a tendency to hit posts)
Acceleration 3.5/4
Speed (Top) 4/4.5
Cardio (currently poor (2.5)) - short shifts
Hand-Eye 4 (cut passes mid-air, hit the ball mid-air)
Deflection 1 (never really developed that ability... someday I will)
"Hero" (Clutch) 3.5/4
Breakaway 3
Stickhandling 3
Playmaking 3
One on one defensive coverage - 4
Clearing the crease - 3 (a bit too late, too often to my liking)

I tried screening the other team's goalie every game but I don't remember a single time where someone actually shot or that it was helpful for the team.

I'm 5' 11". One of the "tallest" guys. We'll see if I play at a nearby college, I heard some guys did play there OR at least used to play there. I'll figure out my knee thing first!

 

[Tweed]

When you say the surface has friction... what do you mean? Are you not playing on smooth concrete, with a hard orange ball?

 

[Fixxer]

When you say the surface has friction... what do you mean? Are you not playing on smooth concrete, with a hard orange ball?

The place where we play, they had flooding issues every.. 10 year maybe. lol A difficult area for floods. Anyway, when I went to high school, it seems the floor was smoother. They changed it since then. This new floor there, I got a hard time doing wrist shots, wraparounds etc. I'd rather hit the ball then try to snipe it. Doing power moves etc. is also a challenge at times. I learned to play a bit harder with the ball for it to keep rolling with me. Yes, orange ball on gym floor. -- I thought I was the only now noticing the floor, but 2 other players said they had to adapt to the floor...

 

[Tweed]

The place where we play, they had flooding issues every.. 10 year maybe. lol A difficult area for floods. Anyway, when I went to high school, it seems the floor was smoother. They changed it since then. This new floor there, I got a hard time doing wrist shots, wraparounds etc. I'd rather hit the ball then try to snipe it. Doing power moves etc. is also a challenge at times. I learned to play a bit harder with the ball for it to keep rolling with me. Yes, orange ball on gym floor. -- I thought I was the only now noticing the floor, but 2 other players said they had to adapt to the floor...

It sounds like you guys are playing underwater, or on carpet or something. You guys need to find a place to play that has a smooth surface. Hell, even the street sounds smoother than what you're describing, it should be effortless to move the ball... after all, it's a ball. I would talk to the boys and see if you guys can't drum up more support for looking towards relocating or something, honestly. Concrete is probably optimal. Gym floors typically have a wax/urethane/??? coating of some kind, which isn't what you want. It's tacky and almost like glue. I grew up playing with a tennis ball, which is not a hard smooth ball, as you know... on asphalt (the street), which is not a glass-smooth surface, as you know... and I really didn't struggle with moving the ball or doing what I wanted with it. Once I moved to orange ball on smooth concrete, it was even easier to dangle and snipe... the ball moved soooo fast, and slid on the surface so easily, it hardly rolled, that's how well it slid.

Don't put tape on your blade, by the way. If that's what you're doing, that's a big part of your problem right there. Probably the biggest part of your problem.

I stumbled on this thread... so I'm not 100% sure I understand what's going on here, but it looks to me like your diary on your progress in your foray into ball hockey. If that's the case, it's very cool. I've read what you've written, and if you don't mind my interjection, as somebody who played rec ball hockey from the age of 9 to 22... here's my unsolicited advice:

Don't put pressure on yourself to get good. I'm looking at your notes, and I'm picturing a guy who's just picking up the game for the first time, and I'm really scratching my head as to why you're trying to focus on some of the nuances of the game (the things you've noted you want to work on). It sounds so cliche of me to say this but, you really need to just go out there and have fun. At least for the first year. The best thing you can do for yourself, is to not think, just play. The second best thing you can do for yourself, happens away from your games... and that's practice. Gotta take your stick and ball out to the driveway, and fire the ball against the garage door for at least an hour a day. 15 minutes ain't gonna cut it, if you want to get good. It's better than nothing, but if you're worried about things like your coverage, positioning and awareness, you're spending time sweating advanced stuff, that you could be allocating to fundamentals. You want to build a feel for the ball, and for your stick, and you want to build muscle memory. In fact I used to do it for 2 hours a night, and that's after already having played for 6 hours. My gang was more "Street Hockey" than "Ball Hockey" (in the conventional sense)... but the principles are the same. And as with anything, practice is of paramount importance, towards getting better relative to your peers. Every minute you spend thinking about what you didn't do in-game, is a minute you could be shooting the ball around in your driveway.

Stick length: To start, your stick butt-end should come up to the bottom of your chin. That's the golden rule. Once you're comfortable with your stick (Year 2?), you can start to adjust the length of it. I got to a point where I was dangle-centric, and placed very little emphasis on the importance of slapshots, such that I preferred my stick only came to the middle of my sternum. It allowed me to stickhandle with ease, in very close quarters. I'm very skinny, light on my feet, and not very strong... so slapshots and physical contact were not things I excelled at, so my game centered around my strengths, which was agility. I could stickhandle in a phonebooth, take bumps, and still come out with the ball in a tangle of feet. If you're a bigger guy, or a slower guy, you may want to not worry about stickhandling, and maybe focus on power, opting for a longer stick, and focussing on maintaining control of the ball away from your body. There's ways to practice that stuff in your driveway. The point being, whichever is your physical makeup, you're not going to get a lot of opportunity in-game to hone those skills, and focus on your assets. All of that has to happen in your driveway, on your time.

I would recommend a subtle curve on your blade. Not quite a straight blade, but definitely not a curve that is significant enough to impact your ability to handle the ball on your backhand (which is 50% of your dangle), or receive a pass on your back hand. Near-straight blade is optimal for giving yourself a solid foundation to get comfortable with, and as you get better, you'll want to adjust your curve to suit your tastes. You'll just... know it, when you get there, let's put it that way.

Instead of making notes on things you'd like to improve in your game, I almost think you'd be better off making notes on things like how you felt. The idea being to track your comfort and confidence levels, until they reach near-peak... so that you can know when it's time to make adjustments to your equipment, or fitness when you hit plateaus... as opposed to what you're doing now which is taking a cerebral and critical approach to your game.

For example, ask yourself and track the following:

Your "feelings" on a scale of 0 to 5, 0 = Bad, 5 = Awesome

-Mood before the game
-Fitness during the game (in particular your ability to breathe)
-Stick in hands (how does your stick feel in your hands)
-Ball on stick (does the ball feel like it's co-operating with your stick)
-Ball on target (does the ball feel like it's going where you want it to)
-Feet on floor (do your feet feel light and responsive when you change direction)
-How did everybody else play (did you feel like you understood what was happening in the game, while it was happening, or were you constantly surprised by things as they unfolded)

The idea is to keep the list short, the analysis simple, and your "mind" out of your own way.

The big difference here is, right now, you're making a list of things you need to improve on. That's pressure man, and it's gonna work against you, and hinder your progress, in my opinion. If you make a list of how you felt instead, you won't be psychologically projecting your deficiencies into your next game, such that you won't be trying to remember things you wanted to do better at, while you're trying to do them AND play at the same time.

A couple parting thoughts... don't eat before you play, for a few hours at least. Don't smoke before you play, chew nicorette or something instead. Drink water while you play, but not too much.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

Stick length: To start, your stick butt-end should come up to the bottom of your chin. That's the golden rule. Once you're comfortable with your stick (Year 2?), you can start to adjust the length of it. I got to a point where I was dangle-centric, and placed very little emphasis on the importance of slapshots, such that I preferred my stick only came to the middle of my sternum. It allowed me to stickhandle with ease, in very close quarters. I'm very skinny, light on my feet, and not very strong... so slapshots and physical contact were not things I excelled at, so my game centered around my strengths, which .

This is honestly one of the best write-ups/advice on ball hockey that I've seen, thank you Tweed!

When I started a year playing Dek/Ball Hockey a year or two ago (after having not been playing competitive Ice Hockey in 2 years, only pick-up at the local rinks) I was still using a senior CCM with the blade taped and everything. Because I'm small, (5'5), one of the refs joked that I could probably do better with a junior/intermediate because I could get a shot better off properly and can stick handle better. Low and behold, my junior shaft from wayback-when has been my go to stick ever since.

Something I've noticed that has helped me is using the bike at the gym, you don't lose energy as quickly once you start getting into a routine with it. Because I'm small, I try to use my speed as an advantage to beat the defender when the ball goes off the wall, or thrown in the air. Sometimes you actually just have to relax and clear your mind before you get into the game. I remember sometimes being so into warmups and being so hyped up to actually play, I would lose my ambition and drive to play after the first period.

It's all about having fun, my team is starting back up again soon and even though we are not really good, its honestly fun to get out there.

 

[Fixxer]

It sounds like you guys are playing underwater, or on carpet or something. You guys need to find a place to play that has a smooth surface. Hell, even the street sounds smoother than what you're describing, it should be effortless to move the ball... after all, it's a ball. I would talk to the boys and see if you guys can't drum up more support for looking towards relocating or something, honestly. Concrete is probably optimal. Gym floors typically have a wax/urethane/??? coating of some kind, which isn't what you want. It's tacky and almost like glue. I grew up playing with a tennis ball, which is not a hard smooth ball, as you know... on asphalt (the street), which is not a glass-smooth surface, as you know... and I really didn't struggle with moving the ball or doing what I wanted with it. Once I moved to orange ball on smooth concrete, it was even easier to dangle and snipe... the ball moved soooo fast, and slid on the surface so easily, it hardly rolled, that's how well it slid.

Don't put tape on your blade, by the way. If that's what you're doing, that's a big part of your problem right there. Probably the biggest part of your problem.

I stumbled on this thread... so I'm not 100% sure I understand what's going on here, but it looks to me like your diary on your progress in your foray into ball hockey. If that's the case, it's very cool. I've read what you've written, and if you don't mind my interjection, as somebody who played rec ball hockey from the age of 9 to 22... here's my unsolicited advice:

Don't put pressure on yourself to get good. I'm looking at your notes, and I'm picturing a guy who's just picking up the game for the first time, and I'm really scratching my head as to why you're trying to focus on some of the nuances of the game (the things you've noted you want to work on). It sounds so cliche of me to say this but, you really need to just go out there and have fun. At least for the first year. The best thing you can do for yourself, is to not think, just play. The second best thing you can do for yourself, happens away from your games... and that's practice. Gotta take your stick and ball out to the driveway, and fire the ball against the garage door for at least an hour a day. 15 minutes ain't gonna cut it, if you want to get good. It's better than nothing, but if you're worried about things like your coverage, positioning and awareness, you're spending time sweating advanced stuff, that you could be allocating to fundamentals. You want to build a feel for the ball, and for your stick, and you want to build muscle memory. In fact I used to do it for 2 hours a night, and that's after already having played for 6 hours. My gang was more "Street Hockey" than "Ball Hockey" (in the conventional sense)... but the principles are the same. And as with anything, practice is of paramount importance, towards getting better relative to your peers. Every minute you spend thinking about what you didn't do in-game, is a minute you could be shooting the ball around in your driveway.

Stick length: To start, your stick butt-end should come up to the bottom of your chin. That's the golden rule. Once you're comfortable with your stick (Year 2?), you can start to adjust the length of it. I got to a point where I was dangle-centric, and placed very little emphasis on the importance of slapshots, such that I preferred my stick only came to the middle of my sternum. It allowed me to stickhandle with ease, in very close quarters. I'm very skinny, light on my feet, and not very strong... so slapshots and physical contact were not things I excelled at, so my game centered around my strengths, which was agility. I could stickhandle in a phonebooth, take bumps, and still come out with the ball in a tangle of feet. If you're a bigger guy, or a slower guy, you may want to not worry about stickhandling, and maybe focus on power, opting for a longer stick, and focussing on maintaining control of the ball away from your body. There's ways to practice that stuff in your driveway. The point being, whichever is your physical makeup, you're not going to get a lot of opportunity in-game to hone those skills, and focus on your assets. All of that has to happen in your driveway, on your time.

I would recommend a subtle curve on your blade. Not quite a straight blade, but definitely not a curve that is significant enough to impact your ability to handle the ball on your backhand (which is 50% of your dangle), or receive a pass on your back hand. Near-straight blade is optimal for giving yourself a solid foundation to get comfortable with, and as you get better, you'll want to adjust your curve to suit your tastes. You'll just... know it, when you get there, let's put it that way.

Instead of making notes on things you'd like to improve in your game, I almost think you'd be better off making notes on things like how you felt. The idea being to track your comfort and confidence levels, until they reach near-peak... so that you can know when it's time to make adjustments to your equipment, or fitness when you hit plateaus... as opposed to what you're doing now which is taking a cerebral and critical approach to your game.

For example, ask yourself and track the following:

Your "feelings" on a scale of 0 to 5, 0 = Bad, 5 = Awesome

-Mood before the game
-Fitness during the game (in particular your ability to breathe)
-Stick in hands (how does your stick feel in your hands)
-Ball on stick (does the ball feel like it's co-operating with your stick)
-Ball on target (does the ball feel like it's going where you want it to)
-Feet on floor (do your feet feel light and responsive when you change direction)
-How did everybody else play (did you feel like you understood what was happening in the game, while it was happening, or were you constantly surprised by things as they unfolded)

The idea is to keep the list short, the analysis simple, and your "mind" out of your own way.

The big difference here is, right now, you're making a list of things you need to improve on. That's pressure man, and it's gonna work against you, and hinder your progress, in my opinion. If you make a list of how you felt instead, you won't be psychologically projecting your deficiencies into your next game, such that you won't be trying to remember things you wanted to do better at, while you're trying to do them AND play at the same time.

A couple parting thoughts... don't eat before you play, for a few hours at least. Don't smoke before you play, chew nicorette or something instead. Drink water while you play, but not too much.

-------

I have played ball hockey throughout high school. These are not my first games ever... just my first one in around 15 years... half my life basically. lol

I had a few issues with a leg a few years back. I think it is always "there" to come back at times.

The gym floor, it's almost as "slippery" as the not gluing side of masking tape. Not very nice.
There is a local place to play here, but I heard it was too slippery (I guess people are never satisfied). lol

As to wonder why I come up with all these "nuances", I have watched hockey since the season 96-97. As I got older, I took notice of more "details" about hockey. I still read a lot and look to learn. I believe I can improve outside the rink, just thinking about stuff, almost like visualizing. I take pride in playing good. I'm not there to show off, but I like to be effective and to not make my team look bad.

No tape on my blade. I used a "carbon" "fiber"... how do you call these sticks. lol Not a wooden one and no tape.

- Yeah, I kind of noticed that I was overthinking a bit and taking notes on things to do, but it ALL depends on how the game goes. You got to take what's there. I mean, even though I'd like to do some, trying to force it might not be the best thing to do. I should just do what comes natural at the moment.
Really, I just felt great after a game, to just sit down and assess how it had been and what was good, to work on, etc.

Muscle memory sure is key for many things. And I found a space to practice a bit. I do practice a few times a week around home. mostly stickhandle through stuff, take a few shots, try a few different things.
About positioning, awareness etc. I'll explain.
When I begin the game, I am usually a bit "off". It's more like pick up hockey, so we don't know who we are going to play with, and how we'll be dressed afterward. Once it starts, we get used to teammates. Once I get the "feel" of the game, see where guys go, who does what etc, then I get on for the defensive part. Goal are a bonus for me. God, my dad played ice hockey, up until pee-wee. He was a goalscorer. His "gift" sure hasn't got to me. lol (As a kid, he won a "best player" trophy once. The year after, he was the best again.... but they thought it was "not fair" to have him win again. My dad is 5'6". He stopped playing due to work and "injuries" he brought to work the next day...
Anyway, he was a goal scorer, but I am more of a defensive defensemen. Maybe defensive forward in the case that I'd be playing on the 4th and had recaptured some of my offensive ability (other than passing).
I have a few tricks in my bag of tricks, but there is a time and place to use these. Practice is also a good time to test out these "tricky" things.

I am a student of the game. I own a lot of hockey cards. Read here. Watch interviews. Watch games.
I guess that's why I take it very "cerebral". There's a lot of thinking about what I do.
BUT, I'll agree that when I play, it comes natural and I don't think. If I'd think, I'd probably start to overthink and lose that time .... the gaps would close. That's a bit why I decided to carry the ball more, to get more time to get to an area and pass or do something. I used to be a bit static when I'd get the ball. So, it is not a lot of thinking, but I think just being aware beforehand just makes it easier to be reminded during the game of little mistakes I make.
I don't really skate, so I guess that's why I take these games so seriously. I got a few piece of equipment and skates that fit me perfectly, brand new (used once by someone, sold at a yard sale).

Yes, as for sticks, I am a bit of the bigger player. I am not slow, but... I ain't fast for long... bad cardio. Anyway, my body is banged up lately. I still find that I improved every game I played. For me, it was important to try and recapture some of what I did in high school + add things I learned with my game watching etc (positioning etc.). I was very hesitant to shorten my stick. right now, it goes right underneath my nose..... - It's still that length. I remember the long stick being an issue on my last high school year. Now, I guess I first saw it as an handicap, but since I am not much of a scorer, and that this extra "wood" has been helpful defensively, I guess I'll stick to it. I am not close to trying another stick which is shorter. They are not home, and they are wooden sticks...
Oh, and because I have a longer stick, I can carry the puck with one hand away from my body. It can be helpful to get to some areas by going around a player.

I also prefer a almost flat stick curve. I'll admit the stick I bought is a little too curved, and I always look for straighter ones, but I guess I may need to get it made, order somewhere or to use a plastic one which I can adjust... oh no, not back to plastic. lol

So I guess you mean that I should "feel" the game more and think it less... makes sense. It's a bit against how my brain works I guess... we'll see.

I like your list of assessment questions and I may just give it a try on a different post after.

yes, I have been critical toward myself. I also was looking for how I was as a player now. I am slower but stronger. I used to always go on the puck carrier... would just run a lot uselessly. Now I play more positional etc., put pressure on the players and just wait for a mistake or to break a play. I am very detail oriented, which you have noticed. That's why all these "nuances" are there.. the intangibles... lookout lol.

So, yes, I am trying to see the player I am now. The things I have I didn't have before and what I can bring back, things that would come back with practice.
It may sound silly, but in the last 2 years, I practiced hockey a lot with a kid (6-7 years old) and would "challenge" him but he was good enough that he could do it on his own at times. It was fun. I didn't need to give hims chances, although of course I was better because he was a kid playing a man.
I gave him dad and him a few tips. I saw a few things of his get better, so it was fun.

And last, to be honest, even though I made lists here to work on things etc, I would just play and completely forget about everything. Maybe it just helped for my brain to process the whole thing when I got home. I'd still see things I did, things others did, good moves. I don't remember being hard on myself except the one game I took the extended break we had that time to smoke... and it killed me for the last stretch. So... I just like to improve and be at my best for the remaining years that I can match up with younger fellows without feeling out of place. If I can be an effective defender, so be it. I don't need to score in tons or the the star. As long as I enjoy it, feel great and leave with no injury (no major ones), then it's good.

 

[Tweed]

I see, I didn't realize you had previous playing experience, and were mostly trying to shake off the rust. I apologize for mistaking you for a beginner.

So I guess you mean that I should "feel" the game more and think it less... makes sense. It's a bit against how my brain works I guess... we'll see.

Yes and no... I wasn't really suggesting anything about "the game", and was really more or less suggesting focusing on you... until you are comfortable.

Ideally, you'd get to a point where your stick feels as natural in your hand as a pen, or mouse, or any other object you hold regularly. And the same with the ball on the end of your stick.

Other silly little things I would do for "practice" was have a ball at my feet when I walk around my home. Each step I took, I would tap it forward. Sorta basically kicking the ball around wherever I went... but not "kicking kicking", just tapping it with my feet... and trying to make the ball a part of my routine walking/footsteps as much as possible. And now, not to toot my own horn, but I'm extremely effective at coming away with the ball, out of a maze of feet and legs when I get tangled up with other guys in ball battles, or nabbing loose balls with my feet. My footwork is actually a pretty big part of my stickhandling, sorta like a soccer player with a ball I guess. Pavel Bure kinda inspired me to get good at using my feet to kick the ball to my stick, and vice versa.

One thing you might want to do is record your games. Set up a camcorder somewhere (where it won't get hit), and just record the stuff. Then watch your games afterwards, and you'll see an amazing amount of little things that your body does (and doesn't do when you're trying to do some things)... and it will be quite revealing to you. With that though, again, I would emphasize enjoying seeing yourself to "good" things, and not getting down on mistakes or f*** ups. I mean, if you're flat out blowing games for your team, because you're trying stupid stuff out there, then ya... definitely identify that, and correct it... haha. But the main advantage to doing that is that it'll allow you to review yourself, objectively... instead of trying to remember moments that happened in games, and then judging yourself based on those blurry memories. I used to tape a ton of our games growing up.

 

[Fixxer]

I see, I didn't realize you had previous playing experience, and were mostly trying to shake off the rust. I apologize for mistaking you for a beginner.



Yes and no... I wasn't really suggesting anything about "the game", and was really more or less suggesting focusing on you... until you are comfortable.

Ideally, you'd get to a point where your stick feels as natural in your hand as a pen, or mouse, or any other object you hold regularly. And the same with the ball on the end of your stick.

Other silly little things I would do for "practice" was have a ball at my feet when I walk around my home. Each step I took, I would tap it forward. Sorta basically kicking the ball around wherever I went... but not "kicking kicking", just tapping it with my feet... and trying to make the ball a part of my routine walking/footsteps as much as possible. And now, not to toot my own horn, but I'm extremely effective at coming away with the ball, out of a maze of feet and legs when I get tangled up with other guys in ball battles, or nabbing loose balls with my feet. My footwork is actually a pretty big part of my stickhandling, sorta like a soccer player with a ball I guess. Pavel Bure kinda inspired me to get good at using my feet to kick the ball to my stick, and vice versa.

One thing you might want to do is record your games. Set up a camcorder somewhere (where it won't get hit), and just record the stuff. Then watch your games afterwards, and you'll see an amazing amount of little things that your body does (and doesn't do when you're trying to do some things)... and it will be quite revealing to you. With that though, again, I would emphasize enjoying seeing yourself to "good" things, and not getting down on mistakes or **** ups. I mean, if you're flat out blowing games for your team, because you're trying stupid stuff out there, then ya... definitely identify that, and correct it... haha. But the main advantage to doing that is that it'll allow you to review yourself, objectively... instead of trying to remember moments that happened in games, and then judging yourself based on those blurry memories. I used to tape a ton of our games growing up.

I knew Bure was an excellent scorer but a friend showed exactly this, the stickhandling and putting the puck in the skates back to the stick. I do try to use my feet to keep the puck around..I do use my feet a bit. There was a goal where I struggled to get the ball to my stick, I used my feet a few times and shot as soon as I could.. and scored. A guy joked that I was doing "dekes" or such with my feet.
I do use my feet to change the angle of where the ball goes,to bring it forward or anyway, I use my feet.
There's room for improvement in every area though.

I think this long stick is now natural to me. Sure, I'd want to have an extra stick, shorter, to test and maybe to use a different one if I play more offense (forward) at some point...

While I do understand the use of recordings etc, and that it is one of the best thing to spots mistakes we do, I wouldn't like if someone actually recorded anything, so I wouldn't do it. But, it is a great idea. I think with ball hockey, we get used to having no crowd and just doing our own things. We don't attract crowd. Anyway, it's not the for fame, it's for fun.

I just don't want to be the worst player out there and don't want to be considered liability when I am out there. I would rarely but sometimes be chosen last in high school or elementary school. I don't take it personal as I know my style of play is not something very elegant and not something someone goes for right away. The guy who invited me to join the league I played in, he would not see me as a bad player back then. I remember a guy saying I was bad... but as he watched me, over times and games, he got to see what I could bring and his opinion changed. Anyway, I was told I'd be a great "defenseman" for their league.
I thought ... why I am labelled defenseman. I never was a defenseman. I'd just run around on the puck carrier until I'd go for a change... but I wouldn't go out of breath back then.
I saw one guy who blocked a few shots, he played defense. I was NOT playing defense, more like a defensive forward, which I would have labelled myself. I still ain't really a D, as I go in the corners in the D zone and don't stay close to the net. Maybe I do a bit more of a winger's job on defense, and stay on defense in transition. We aren't too structures I must say. lol We adjust.
So, I did "accept" the defenseman role. I did block a few shots, slid to block passing lanes... but I do it rarely. lol It depends how I feel and how the game is going. My skills are better for defense... but I love surprising others.. lol. I'm unpredictable, even for my teammates. We'll see what I can do, but it's all good anyway.
And last, depending on who is with me on the rink, I may get more offensive. It becomes like... I play a more of a 2 way game because someone has to get the goals and we aren't really gifted at that. But, my first goal is always to prevent my team from getting scored on. The goals I (we) do are a bonus. But, sure, we can't win 0-0, so there needs to be scoring.

 

[Fixxer]

I think learning puck protection is what I lack the most. I guess watching Crosby and Radulov at work does help to see how to. Kovalev wasn't bad either, Jagr.. and many more.

I'm mostly good "without the puck". It's difficult to practice puck protection without a "practice" setting with other people, like a real club. anyway...

 

[Fixxer]

oh and.. just to add to this, describing the play surface. The thing I found closer to the rink surface we play on is a Yoga mat. There is a lot of grip on these. Gym (playing area) floor is similar to this.

 

[Club]

Found my old ball hockey stats. I was ok not the greatest.

Mitchell Griffin - Calgary Youth Ball Hockey League - on Pointstreak Sports Technologies

Played last week in the normal pick up league, it was fun. I get a lot of shots on net. I also have good hand eye coordination. My cardio is just terrible. Had a goal on thursday. Next game is Thursday night at 6:30