Golden Years

So yesterday, for the first time in 7 years my old bones put on a well worn pair of skates and much loved equipment and played. I didn't just skate around. I didn't wuss out and put on my out stuff. There I was, right above the crease, shooters coming in on me, pucks flying at what looked to me like pretty high speeds. And I stopped them (well a good majority anyways!)

The thrill, the challenge of skater vs goalie, the awesome feeling of instinct as moves I haven't performed in so long came back instantly (including my two favorites "Reach-crap-there-goes-the-puck-diving swan-squid-thing" and "Catch-the-puck-between-my-glove-and-blocker"). One of the best parts was that little brother was one of the 3 shooters.

As kids we had a little rivalry...by which I mean I never let him score. Ever. I think I might have tackled him once football style just to stop him from getting close to the net. (What? I'm sure its legal in pond hockey rule 8 subsection 19!)

All the aches and pains (have I mentioned how much I love ibuprofen?) I have today, each and every one of them was so worth it. Next week, yeah I'm planning on going again. They'll be worth it then too.

When I was younger I knew a player who some days would be in such agony that she could skate one or two shifts a game and then cheered the rest of us on, gave advice, all that good stuff. I never understood then why she did it every week, game and practice. I do now. The pain isn't the point, it doesn't even really matter. Its all about the love for what your doing, the memories you have when you think about it, the passion you have when you talk about, the way it grows to be a part of your soul.

If someone asked me what I was a before I was hurt I had only one answer. I'm a hockey player. Not long ago I was asked the same question and I had answers but in my mind I thought it. If I had never laced up again I think I would always have thought it. But seriously, its so much better to say it.

So ask me world! Ask me what I am! The list is long and getting longer, more varied than I ever could have imagined but right up there, on the top of that list it proudly sits.

I am a hockey player!

Welcome to Goalie Country.