Roller Hockey. Growing up, I played street hockey: literally little kids running around with sticks and heavy amounts of protective gear in the hot, humid, sticky summertime air. Since there are age limits in most hockey leagues, when I began to approach my limit in the "Junior league," I strapped some inline hockey skates on my feet-sies and learned to go at the game from this angle with far more speed (and if any of you all think ice skating and roller skating are the same... think again! It was a whole new monster I had to take on!). Once I out-aged the junior league, I entered the adult league where I have been playing every summer that I have been home. I have won a championship* and played on three separate teams since my inaugural season. The league isn't huge--8 teams--which allows me to know pretty much all of the players on a personal level. This makes everything all the more fun!
"Put me in coach!" When I aged out of playing in the junior league, I immediately transitioned from being player to being coach! I absolutely love coaching! I was able to coach the little players (age 5-12) as well as the bigger players (age 10-16). The little ones are so darn cute; they melt my heart every season... and they try so hard to be good. And they're still at that age where Mom and/or Dad come(s) to every game! Whereas I focus on teaching the little ones the fundamentals of the game, I try to teach the big players more about harnessing those fundamentals and being sportsmanlike. This can be challenging at times, but with a little bit of patience and determination, it could be done. I have been lucky enough to have both JV (little ones) and Varsity (big players) teams win championships! Woo Hoo!
Referee. Another responsibility that I take up in this league is one of reffing. When I play sports, I try to play them in a smart way. In order to do this, I know the rules inside and out, and upside and down. It's not that I memorized a rule book, but from watching and playing hockey for so many years, I know all of the rules. The problem that can arise in hockey is that much is left to the referees discretion: contact, icing, too many men, frozen pucks, unsportsmanlike conduct, etc, etc. I never realised how difficult a ref's job could be until I became one. Trust me when I say that I enjoy reffing the junior league games more than the roller league games. Kids tend to argue and yell far less than adults when it comes to sports. Reffing has also granted me more patience with refs in all sports... although I do occasionally get into discussions about enforcement of the rules during intermissions and timeouts, I try to cut them some slack. Nevertheless, I love to ref.
Pick-up games. Since I play, coach, and ref in the same league, I am at the hockey rink pretty much every single evening. The problem is: there is usually this awkward gap between when I'd get off of work (somewhere between 12-2) and when hockey starts at 6pm. What's a girl to do? Call other hockey friends that don't work during that time, throw my brother into the car, and invite some older junior league kids who know how to skate, and play some pick-up games! These are always incredibly fun: no rules, no clock, no score, random teams, hottest part of the day, soaking wet gear, but an insane amount of fun fun fun! I kid you not when I say that many of my summers are consumed with hockey!
I have made lifelong friends of all ages playing in this hockey league. Oh, what wonderful people.
How this Helps: Teamwork, Leadership, Discretion & Fairness, Fun, and Integrity.
Next Post: Crusin' in Julia
Blessings to you all! =)
*Only person ever to win every kind of championship in HS Hockey League, and only girl to win Adult League championship.
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