1) Hockey players go out of their way to help newbies. I saw this a lot in the pick-up games I played. Some of the better players made a conscious effort to pass to me because I was new.
This is usually the case, though there are times when the vets will mix me up with some of the other noobs and not pass to any of us, after passing to one of the beginners who showed they could barely skate/can't turn - and is basically a pylon.
I've made enormous strides over the past 6 weeks of 2 open hockeys per week plus one public skate, but need alot more positioning and passing/receiving/shooting work. I may no longer be America's Worst Hockey player, but maybe third...
Just because I can do it in an open skate doesn't mean I can do it in game. Starting from a dead stop and going backwards, as well as backwards crossovers. Can do them pretty well when I'm thinking about it, but when I'm thinking about everything at game speed, I can't get going backwards, and forget to do the crossovers when it would be appropriate.
Constant hard drills in public skating and stick/puck sessions has gotten me to the verge of being able to stop having to "think" of what skating move I have to do next in a particular situation. I hope that I will completely lose this mental obstacle and have things flow completely naturally in the next few weeks/months, so that I can focus exclusively on the game itself - esp what the other players are doing.
Alot of the time I used to intentionally skate slowly so as to not have to worry about a collision - and did have a few nasty ones over the past few weeks - but am mentally getting over it as I get better on the ice.
3) Non Checking does not mean "Non Contact". I needed to learn what contact I could make, and was way too passive at the start.
This is THE biggest mistake all of us noobs make; we shy away from touching anyone even lightly. Once you build confidence, you can shoulder away and push a little too, plus knock/lift your opponent's stick...
Now that I can just about reach the corners when the puck is there in time to actually compete for control of it, I love the jostling...the key is getting one's skating down.
4) Don't eat even a moderately sized meal before the game. Or you get to taste it again between the 2nd and 3rd periods.
As someone with colitis, I eat bland food no later than 2-3 hours before I will lace up my skates. Usually penne with chicken chunks and broccoli in a light butter/garlic sauce. If I want exciting, I'll add sundried tomatoes...
5) Hockey is addicting. I've now built myself a hockey skill pad, and put up a a giant net similar to the netting behind the goal to shoot into.
VERY addicting...it is so very annoying to me that summer is soon approaching...
If someone knows of a pleasant city to live in, where the temps stay 20 - 40 degrees all year round, please, by all means, let me know.
6) There's always something new to learn.
For sure, everything seemed so daunting to me in the early few weeks, and I still feel stressed going to an open hockey and I see ringers flying around the ice...
What I do is keep my shifts super short and try to stay out of trouble... it is a bit less stressful than before and I can even contribute a little here and there...baby steps...
7) Getting up at 4:30 am on a Saturday to go to a pick up game, getting there, getting dressed, and then realizing you forgot your helmet, really really sucks.
I went to one of my beginner level clinics a few weeks back and left my skate foot beds at home...
Fortunately, I left so early I could go home and return in time. Now I pack stuff up an hour before I leave for the rink, and scour the apartment for items that could have been left behind.