Last Sunday, yesterday actually, I did something that's going to surprise you all (it did surprise myself): I went playing ice hockey.
Those who know me, 165 cm tall, 51kg when wet, almost as sporty as a drunk snail, might question the truth in this affirmation; for them and them only (if you believed the first sentence, skip this next part) I'll tell the truth.
I actually took part for about 30 minutes altogether in a game that intends to look like ice hockey and doesn't manage very well. Ok, it's on the ice. Ok, I was wearing ice skates (although mine are artistic, not hockey skates). Ok, I had a hockey stick in my hands with which I was trying to hit a puck. But that's about where the resemblance stops. I wasn't with hockey players, I was with a bunch of friends, some of whom had been standing on the ice for their first time a couple of weeks ago. We didn't have goals, we were reaching at back packs lying on the ice rink. Some of us were actually spending more time on the floor after a nasty fall than standing on their skates. As for myself, I didn't fall very often but I didn't touch the puck very often either.
You know the best part of it ? I had a lot of fun. Once you get over the fear of falling and the feeling of being terribly pathetic, it's just great. It gives you a goal for skating, you don't feel the cold anymore (we were outside and it was -5°c), you just rush and fight, and the stick helps you keep your balance somehow. At first you can't move fast enough and you don't touch the puck even when it comes very close, but you learn fast. I never really had fun when playing soccer or any other team game, but that one, the least designed for girls, the most dangerous and violent of them all, I loved it. Of course we weren't to be compared to these Finnish boys who start playing with daddy when they're three, but who cares ?
I didn't play very much this time because I didn't have a stick of my own, I had to wait for some other player to make a break and I could take his/her place for a while, but next time I'll borrow Mr Bear's hockey stick and I intend to do as much as my body and breath will allow. I can't believe I'm writing this ! I'm starting to love this country...
Those who know me, 165 cm tall, 51kg when wet, almost as sporty as a drunk snail, might question the truth in this affirmation; for them and them only (if you believed the first sentence, skip this next part) I'll tell the truth.
I actually took part for about 30 minutes altogether in a game that intends to look like ice hockey and doesn't manage very well. Ok, it's on the ice. Ok, I was wearing ice skates (although mine are artistic, not hockey skates). Ok, I had a hockey stick in my hands with which I was trying to hit a puck. But that's about where the resemblance stops. I wasn't with hockey players, I was with a bunch of friends, some of whom had been standing on the ice for their first time a couple of weeks ago. We didn't have goals, we were reaching at back packs lying on the ice rink. Some of us were actually spending more time on the floor after a nasty fall than standing on their skates. As for myself, I didn't fall very often but I didn't touch the puck very often either.
You know the best part of it ? I had a lot of fun. Once you get over the fear of falling and the feeling of being terribly pathetic, it's just great. It gives you a goal for skating, you don't feel the cold anymore (we were outside and it was -5°c), you just rush and fight, and the stick helps you keep your balance somehow. At first you can't move fast enough and you don't touch the puck even when it comes very close, but you learn fast. I never really had fun when playing soccer or any other team game, but that one, the least designed for girls, the most dangerous and violent of them all, I loved it. Of course we weren't to be compared to these Finnish boys who start playing with daddy when they're three, but who cares ?
I didn't play very much this time because I didn't have a stick of my own, I had to wait for some other player to make a break and I could take his/her place for a while, but next time I'll borrow Mr Bear's hockey stick and I intend to do as much as my body and breath will allow. I can't believe I'm writing this ! I'm starting to love this country...
Ha ha, yeah but I'm sure that what you lack in physical strength you make up for with sheer Belgian fighting spirit!
ReplyDeleteHoping to join the team soon...