Flying Pigs - 2nd Place PNW Women's Tourney?!

Time for that annual pink ritual where I don my all-time favorite jersey and play for The Big Fat Flying Pigs at the annual Pac NW Women's Tournament at Canlan Ice in North Vancouver, British Columbia. One thing that is ALWAYS guaranteed is good times with my pals from NoCal (many who I met through the Northern California Women's Hockey League) sprinkled with some ladies I brought on from the Seattle Women's Hockey Club to complete the roster. This year, something very magical happened - the Pigs won a game....again, and again, and again. Once we caught our breath, we found ourselves playing in the Championship game. Here's a brief wrap-up of how we got there.

Game 1 vs. Eugene Extreme: Wish I could tell you about this game, but KT and I were a *little* late after a passport snafu ("uh....KT, you packed your passport, right?") But, we were determined to get up there for some ice time and made it in time to play the 3rd period. Our roster was already short with only 9 skaters so for the first two periods, the Pigs were down to 7. We got to the rink and I saw the score 3-0 and assumed the other team was winning. But, we got to the bench and to our amazement, the Pigs were ahead. We got there just in time and managed to help the team to a 5-1 win. Oink!

Game 2 vs. Stanley Cupcakes: This was a great team to play after Eugene Extreme because a lot were fresh novice players so it was a good recovery game for most of the Pigs after Game 1. It was an easy victory but we used the time to work on passing and puck handling. The final score was 5-1 and the realization that we were on a winning streak. Huh?!

Game 3 vs. Motherpuckers: I don't know what it is about our team - maybe it's the pink jerseys. But, we only got 2 penalty minutes the entire tournament and it was during this game. Generally, we thought the refs were letting the other team get away with a lot of chippy moves and it was a bit frustrating. Before the final game of the tourney, this was definitely the hardest game for us but we managed a 2-0 or 2-1 victory. I can't remember - the tournament extracurricular activities were starting to take effect on my memory :-)

Game 4 vs. Patriots: Sunday morning. Always the hardest game to play in a tournament and it was also our fourth game. One thing for sure about this tournament, you get your money's worth!! We figured if we won this game, we were in the finals and if we tied we were out. A lot of mixed feelings: on the one hand, we wanted to win since we had come this far and wanted to play in the finals; but on the other hand, it would mean we play our fifth game at 2:30 on a glorious Sunday afternoon. But, once that buzzer went off, our instinct kicked in and we skated hard and pulled out a win. Final score was either 2-0 or 2-1. I can't remember - again, memory is foggy and, I had just enough energy to focus on the task at hand (I keep asking myself "why?" when I feel like crap the next day). Woot! Victory and we were in 1st place - the PIGS UNDEFEATED!! Huh?! What was going on?

Game 5 vs. Eugene Extreme: Rematch of Friday night. And, what a game it was. Eugene went ahead 2-0 but with 4 minutes left in regulation, Superstar Shauna scored a goal and then another to tie the game with less than 2 minutes left in the game. Crazy!!!! For OT, we played a 4-4 sudden death but 2 minutes into it, Eugene scored on a breakaway goal. Nonetheless, it was good fun and probably my favorite tournament to date. Well, OK - maybe my co-ed tourney with the Mudflaps :-)) but that was my favorite for another reason (yummy). But, I would definitely recommend to any woman ice hockey player to participate in this tourney - one of the best out there!

Congratulations Big Fat Flying Pigs!! Nice bling!! See you next year! "Loving you, is easy 'cause you're beautiful. La la la la la. La la la la la. La la la la la la la la la la la. Dootin' dootin' doo doo. Aaaaaaahhhh!"

5 games in 3 days - "I'm fuckin' done!"

Plenty o' Peddling, Paddling, Puck, and Phun

I've been getting a nice dose of Vit D the last several days and am so excited about spring and summer. Especially, this summer....so many fun (er, phun...stick with the P theme of this post) things to look forward to.

Peddling:
That means time on my bike...FINALLY! To date, I've been a whimp and have primarily done indoor spin but this weekend I am going for my first long ride...63 miles on Saturday with the Cascade group. Gotta get ready to do the Seattle-to-Portland (STP) in 1 day (double-century) in July. Yikes, that's really just three months away? Sigh...pass the chamois buttr, load up the Gu and let's get to it.

Paddling:
OK, this I'm really excited about. I joined the Seattle Outrigger Canoe Club because I just can't get enough Aloha and 'Ohana spirit! I've been paddling in a 6-person canoe which is exactly what I wanted because I wanted to get into another team sport. The timing I got right away....except when I'm out on the lake and we pass several boatloads of HOT men crew rowers...then, my timing goes all to shit because I'm so distracted as my gaze wanders over instead of focusing on the paddle in front of me to make sure my timing is in sync with my teammates. Yeah, the next several months out on Lake Union and Lake Washington are going to be fun. Though, my steerman might have to put some blinders on me so I stay focused on paddling on MY boat. Also, still working on my paddling stroke and I feel so sorry for the person in front of me. Come July/Aug when it's hotter, they will be happy to be the recipient of my errant, er, efficient (thanks Coach John!), paddling stroke. In any case....too much fun!

Second, my friend also has some Aloha spirit going north of the border. Mountain Surf Adventures (formerly Tantalus Adventures) has added Standup Paddleboard lessons & trips to their offerings. So, if you're up in the Whistler area, let me know and I can set you up on a local lake. Not only is it a different experience on a body of water, but it's also an excellent overall conditioning workout - both physically and mentally. Give it a try...no waves required. These boards are excellent on flatwater. And, once you get the hang of it and you're off paddling on your own, you can almost smell the saltwater, and hear the distant song of a native hawaiian accompanied by a ukelele (no, NOT Don Ho you crazy haoles!).

Finally, in early May, I've got a 6-day assistant sea kayak guide training course off the west coast of Vancouver Island with Evolution Guide School. I'm looking forward to it because one of the instructors was one of the guides who had accompanied me on my trip to the Great Bear Rainforest back in the summer of 2006. Kinda nervous about it but looking forward to seeing that part of Vancouver Island.

Puck:
Goes without saying. Don't want to get rusty over the summer so I'll continue to skate in the GSHL and another co-ed league but no women's hockey. So, could be a season of trouble with those crazy boys (woot!).

Phun:
Let me suggest for some fun, a couple of days out on Washington Coast at Kalaloch lodge. Right now, there are some awesome deals since its still the off-season but I think it's the best time. You might be lucky and see some grey whales migrating because they're closer to the coastline on this north-bound journey. The Kalaloch lodge and their sister lodge, Lake Quinalt Lodge, have amazing deals where if you sign up for a beach clean-up or trail maintenance in the Olympic National Park, then you get to stay for a much-reduced price. At Kalaloch - might I suggest the cozy little cabins along the bluff. Yummy. I haven't visited Lake Quinalt in years but I remember big adirondack chairs for afternoon happy hour after a day in a canoe on the lake or hiking in the lush rainforest.

Oh wait....I forgot PUTTING! Gonna make an effort to get my game back this summer now that I have a good list of golfing partners to hook up with.

So, cheers to Spring and bring on Summer! It's time. Aloha!

Mudflaps do Coquitlam...

...and survived (barely). Sung invited me to play on her co-ed GSHL team, the Mudflaps, in a recent Planet Ice Easter Co-Ed hockey tournament in Coquitlam. It was my first co-ed tournament ever so I was a bit nervous. And, on top of that, I only knew Sung and the other women that she added to the roster from the SWHC ("Glorious" KT, Bridget, and Keri) and knew none of the other men. Though, it turns out that I have skated against them in some GSHL games this season! This was the first out-of-town tourney for the Mudflaps and I *seriously* hope its the first of more to come (did someone say Vegas?).

Despite the fact that we got placed in the wrong division which resulted in a 0-3 record, it was a great tournament and weekend. Recurring quote was "****!! I thought this was the Novice division!" Our first game was against a team from Portland, OR. So, being an American team, we thought we had a chance. Ha! Not really....they had a young player (Jail Bait) who pretty much skated around us. The second team was crazy good and the final team was even better (or we were just tired or drunk or both...the last 2 games were all a blur to me). That's ok...many laughs, new friends, TimBits, and MASSIVE amounts of alcohol kept us in good spirits. And, did that guy at Boston Pizza really drop his pants to show us his tattoos on each ass cheek? Both Planet Ice tournaments were very well organized and well attended. Though, we didn't get a case of fine Canadian beer in our locker room after each game, teams was given $50 to spend in the bar upstairs. I'll definitely be back whenever a chance comes up...as long as I am placed in the appropriate division...is there a Tri-Pod division? Oh my....I'm in serious detox after the last 2 weekends of Canadian tournaments.

We stayed at the newly remodeled Inn at the Quay New Westminster. Lively decor (blues, purples....no boring hues of beige/browns) which makes you think South Beach-Miami but a quick look out the window and you're quickly reminded you're in the gray, Pac NW. Beds were extra comfy, and the bathroom and shower immaculate. A nice change from the **ithole we stayed in the previous weekend (i.e., I didn't get stuck in an elevator this time). Skytrain is close by for easy access to downtown so it's a great alternative and more affordable place to stay if in the area. It was about 10 minutes away from the Planet Ice Coquitlam rink.

Anyway, it was awesome skating, eating, and drinking with all you crazy Mudflaps. Our fans were the best - complete with a cow bell and "the wave." Hope to skate with you all again soon! But, first I must recover.

(Fade to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'.")

Planet Ice Women's Ice Hockey Tournament 2009

Let's go crazy! That was our mantra for the last SWHC/We Want Fries tournament of the 2008/2009 season. This year, we wrapped up our season north of the border at the Planet Ice Women's International Ice Hockey Tournament at the rink in Delta, BC. All three SWHC teams headed up and when the trip was booked with the tournament officials, we wanted to make sure the Seattle teams weren't all placed in the same division and have to drive all the way up just to play each other. We Want Fries got placed in a higher division based on some some random algorithm which took into account factors like age, hockey experience, and, I don't know, horoscope sign. Oh well, that's one way to wrap up a season with a bang!

Friday, Game 1: I don't know what it is about road trips and I don't know if every one of the Fries stopped at every fast food outlet between Seattle and the border, but we were slugs in our first game. Coach Steve (filling in for Murray) saw this immediately and tried his best to build intensity and energize us before our game. Our first two shifts were good, but then it was gone - just like that **poof**. That game we did our best impersonation of pylons that I've ever seen. Final score against the Buzz was 0-6. Sigh. Then, we went upstairs to cheer on the other Seattle teams and, unfortunately, things just kept going downhill. Especially for Black Ice: they lost 2 players in the first game to injuries.

Later that night, Erin and I headed to the hotel to check in and, well, our night was just about to reach a pinnacle. Yeah, we got stuck in the elevator. It wasn't our fault but rather an employee who had to lock access to the lower level. Well, little miss "oh-my-gawd-I'm-stuck-in-the-elevator-HELP" (said repeatedly on her iPhone to her fellow employees at the highest octave level) managed to get the elevator stuck between the lower level and the lobby. It was silly at first but after the 10th "oh-my-gawd-I'm-stuck...." panicked babble, I was ready to get out. The rescue was just like in the movies.....big, strong hands prying open the doors and a deep, male voice telling us hang on and they'll get us out in no time. I waited with abated breath envisioning Clive Owens showing up to rescue me and ready to offer to buy me as many martinis as I needed to calm my nerves. I quickly turned to the elevator mirror and did a quick fix of the hair in anticipation of my rescue. *Poof* Reality check: my rescuer looked like the "OMG" girl's fellow classmate who is also working the late shift so they can buy the latest accessory for their iPhone. Down came a ladder and up went our gear, luggage, then Erin, then myself. I forgot that I couldn't stand up since I only had a 4-foot clearance. And, my legs were stiffening up after the game so I had to kind of pause half-way through the elevator. The next thing I knew, employee #2 (not-Clive) pushed me from behind through the elevator doors and I landed *splat* on the lobby floor. Welcome to Surrey! Ha! Yeah, bad joojoo night.

Saturday, Game 2: The game was against SO Black Widows. When I first peeked into their locker room to find out what color jersey they were wearing, I was optimistic to see that they were more in our age range so I thought we had a chance. Then, we got out on the ice and they schooled us. All I could say is WOW. Steve made up lines on the fly to make up for huge disparity in speed and and that we would all have enough leg to last the game. We hung in there and kept them to below double-digits (yeah!) and final score was 0-8. Oh my. Nevertheless, the Fries were more intense and EVERYONE skated 110%. We gave it our all and though we got schooled, we were happy with how we played because we knew right from the get go that the other team was WAY better than us but we still gave it our best shot. Jumping in on the fly also added to the intensity on the bench. What we sacrified in chemistry, we made up in intensity and energy.

Saturday, Game 3: Final game was against the Whistler Sound Gardens 2. We scouted their game earlier and I thought we had a good chance because they were a lot slower than the SO Black Widows. Before the game, some of the Fries headed over to Tim Hortons for a sugar and caffeine fix and then warmed up with the Nerf football to stay loose and get the energy level back up. It worked. Our game was close for a while (i.e., it was scoreless). Pam did an amazing job in the net all weekend and had a lot of plays that I thought qualified for Sportscenter Top 10 plays. But, we just couldn't generate any offense. Once again, Steve modified the lines and positions a little into the game and I moved from center back to defense. However, tournament legs set in a bit into the final period and the final score ended up 0-7. Yes, you saw that right....the Fries were shut out in the tournament. So disappointing. I can't speak for the others, but I know I enjoyed skating at the higher and faster level and am proud that everyone gave it their all in the tourney until we all, literally, ran out of gas (despite the magic energy beans/smurf berries Lee and I brought to the bench - it only worked significantly for Daniella and Lee). Thank you, Coach Steve, for stepping in and bringing all your great energy and awesome coaching to the bench.

To the Fries: it was an extreme pleasure to have skated with all of you this season and what an honor it was for me to be captain of the best SWHC team this season. Bree, I'm so grateful for all the team management work you did for the team and for organizing a lot of the details that no one else likes to do. Beavis, thank you so much for stepping in and picking up my duties when I was lured away to the islands. And, to "Little Freak" and "Old Growth," to show my gratitude for all your support, feedback, and constant chuckling all season, I promise to burn my pom-poms, remove all my 'GO BANANAS' cheers from memory, and forever refrain from doing cartwheels in the locker room. Now, go eat a big ole plateful of fries because you all deserve it.

Next up: another tourney at Planet Ice in Coquitlam. Thank goodness....I couldn't stand that sulphur smell at the Delta rink. P.U. But, it's my first co-ed tourney and I'm sub'ing for Sung's team, the Mudflaps. We're in the novice division but I've played in enough tourneys that it really doesn't mean anything. The only thing that we will all have in common is that we started playing hockey as an adult. I better make sure my little white bottle of ibuprofen is fully stocked before I leave.

Three-peat Complete

Congratulations, ACME Skating Co. (beep beep)! Division champions for the third year in a row at the annual Everett Ravens "Fools on Ice" Womens Ice Hockey Tournament. Oh, and despite the images, this was a *Spring* tournament, but you have the admit the jack-o-lantern tape work on Tamara was apropos (see below). Quick recap of how we got there:

Friday night: Faced off against a local team made up of girls who were considerably younger than us! Haha....but, the group of "girls" were a tenacious bunch and certainly made us more "mature" women work for our win. First, we were off to a shaky start. I missed about 7 minutes of the first period because of the ridiculous traffic on I-5....grrrr. But, that was fine because I knew that we had a full roster and that Patrick would adjust the lines accordingly until I got on the ice (I was one of nine forwards). However, I showed up at the door and saw Karen in the net. Um, what's wrong with this picture is that Karen is one of our regular defense players - yeah, NO GOALIE!! Goalie, Tamara, was stuck in the same traffic I was in and she actually missed the entire first period. Kudos to Karen for her 1st period shutout. Thankfully, Karen was a goalie before so she played it as well as she could. Not our best game because: a) of the shaky start, and; b) getting used to playing with other people we don't regularly play with. But, we managed to squeeze out a victory (2-1).

Saturday am: Our next game in the morning was against the Everett Ravens. Patrick shuffled the lines a little bit and I got the honor of playing with two players I admire and have the utmost respect for: Mel and Sharon. They both have excellent technical skills, but are also smart players and we got some great cycling and passing going. Our line may not have been the highest scoring line, but we were strong when it came to puck possession and I got to work on some of my own personal goals which is more patience with the puck and smarter passes. And, more give and go's. It was a much better game than the previous night and even though we dominated the game and were outshooting the Ravens 2-1, it was close for the first two periods. Final score was 7-2.

Saturday pm: Game was against the Utah Ice Vixens - a team we've never played before. Yeah, it was a rude awakening because they were *much* more physical than the previous two teams we played. And, because of the contact, there were a lot of penalties as well. I've managed to stay out of the sin-bin for a long time...uh, oh....did I just jinx myself for the next tournament? We had a lot of penalty kills and had to reshuffle lines on the fly. But, Patrick was an amazing coach and got us to stay focused on the game despite the awful calls (er, non-calls) by the refs. Final score - 2-1...buh, bye Utah.

Sunday am: Final championship round. We were facing the same team (Phoenix) that we played Friday night. But, before that, we watched a bunch of our SWHC teammates who were playing on another team go through a shoot-out in their championship round for their division. Nerve-racking but they won 1-0 in the shoot-out. Way to go "Pick Up Sticks!!" Just watching that game did nothing for me but add more pre-game jitters. I wished there was a spin bike at that rink because I could've used a few minutes to do a full-on sprint to shake off my anxiety. I should've borrowed Tamara's jump rope. Finally, we got on the ice but it was more like a pond (an unfrozen one)....like they took out the firehouse and flooded the rink in between games! So, the first part of the game was a lot of dump and chase until all those puddles disappeared. The Phoenix "girls" came out a lot more physical than our game on Friday. But, then again, they weren't exactly strong on their skates either and fell over pretty easily. Or, maybe that was how they were going to break up our play...by crashing into us or in front of us? That's how it felt anyway. Once again, bad ref'ing...in fact, it was downright awful. And, we had to kill off a lot of penalties...one time Phoenix had a 2-man advantage for 2 minutes...but we emphatically shut that down. It wasn't our best game, but we made it up with our tenacity despite the "tournament legs" that were starting to set in. We pulled ahead 2-1 with about 10 minutes left in the game and that was our final score. Congratulations, ladies!! And, a huge 'thanks' to Patrick for coaching us to another victory. Three-peat is sweet.

Going For a Three-peat

Another winter season of ice hockey coming to a close. It's always bittersweet: on the one hand, I'm happy to open up my schedule for other activities, but; on the other, skating with the Fries has been soooo much fun with very little (if any) conflicts which is a big feat for any team. And, skating with my co-ed team, the Isotopes, was a great (and exhausting) experience as well. So now, I have tournaments galore to look forward to! This coming weekend is the annual Everett Ravens "Fools on Ice" tourney and the team I'm on (non-SWHC) is going for a three-peat as champions in their division. Here's the link for a recap of last year's tourney where we won in overtime. I'm looking forward to skating with this group - many of whom I've skated and faced-off against all season. I'm also looking forward to having Sharon's husband, Patrick, as our coach - he is one of the best coaches I've ever had. Great presence on the bench - he has this quiet sort of intensity and is so focused on the game. I remember him giving excellent feedback shift after shift and motivating everyone to skate 110%, no wait, 150% each time they were on the ice. The make-up of the team has a lot to do with it as well....I must say, this is a group of highly competitive individuals. All makes for a perfect storm as we play to defend our title. Finally, no midnight ice time!!! Yay! Our first game tonight is at 6:15 - now, that's what I'm talking about. Good luck Acme Skating Co. (beep, beep)!! Now, let's go kick some Portland Phoenix ass.

Recap: Ice Time with a Bronze Medalist

I'm still grinning from my session the other night with former Olympian, Kelly (Stephens) Tysland: Bronze medalist on the 2006 USA Women's Ice Hockey team. The Seattle Women's Hockey Club is made up of women skaters of every ability from seasoned players who've been skating for more than 10 years, to first-year novices. So, you can imagine the challenge of putting together a clinic that would be for everyone's benefit. But, Kelly managed to do that. For one special hour, we focused on the basic elements of hockey including skating (using the inside, and dreaded outside edges), passing, and shooting. It's been a while since I've done a lot of these basic drills - not since my beginner days and morning skate sessions with Andre Lacroix (former NHL and WHA player) who developed one of the most successful in-house adult hockey leagues in the Bay Area at Oakland Ice with more than 800 players, 55 teams, and 8 sub-divisions. In the end, it was one of the most fulfilling sessions I've had in a while. Anyway, here are some tips that Kelly covered in practice for the puck-mongers out there. During warm-ups, I'll be loosening up my skates and embracing my outer edges after so many years of neglect (LOL).

Skating:
1. Know your edges: try loosening or taking the lace out of your skates top one or two eyelets for 5 min on ice to feel your blade versus your boots-
2. Keep your knees bent, chest up, and your head is the first thing that needs to turn to move your body
3. Turning keep that inside shoulder up, and lower your bottom hand to keep puck closer to your body
4. When turning on your forehand, don't crisscross your hands, instead just drop your top hand to your hip.

Passing:
1. Cushion the puck when receiving a pass
2. Keep your stick on the ice to give the passer a target
3. Bring the puck behind your body before you pass, so you use your body not just your arms
4. Roll your wrists over to follow through for every pass

Shooting:
1. Aim at SMALL targets
2. Shoot to score, not to just shoot
3. Lower your bottom hand and grip tightly for the shot
4. Rotate stick slightly to close the blade of your stick so it isn’t open when you shoot.
5. Bring the puck behind and across your body when you shoot, to use your body not just your arms
6. Try to glance at the net once before you shoot

Positions:
1. Communicate!!!! Let teammates know what your doing
2. Wingers don't get caught in the corners in the D-zone, and get on the hashmarks along the boards on breakouts
3. Centers you are the 3rd defense in the D-zone
4. Defense, always keep one D in front of the net
5. Offensively, you have forwards and defense, no wingers, centers etc.
Forward 1- Attack (go get that puck!!)
Forward 2- Support (a few feet from Forward 1 who's going after the puck)
Forward 3- High (at top of circles)

Ice Time with an Olympic Bronze Medalist

Late night practices with the SWHC...they're the worst and the best. The hardest part is getting motivated so late at night to drive 30-45 minutes away to a **it-hole of a rink knowing that I won't get home until 12:30 am and, then, finally falling asleep by 2:00 am because I'm so wired. Ah, but once I get on the ice and start my warm-up laps, the rink smell and the sound of my blades on the ice relax me and then all the thoughts and pressures from the day dissipate and things heavy on the mind become trivial. I heart hockey! It was great to have Coach Skip out on the ice with us during our scrimmage at the end because he skates around and waits for us to get open and then dishes us some great passes. Since I've been playing center a lot this season, I've been working really hard on breakouts so all night he would look and pass the puck to me once I got into an open spot. At the end, his passes would literally knock me over on my ass just because my legs were wasted and there was nothing left in the tank.

I can't wait for the next practice. This coming Wednesday, we have a very special guest coach - Kelly Tysland. Kelly grew up in the Seattle area then moved up to Canada to focus on her hockey career. She went on to the University of Minnesota where they won two National Championships and then was a member of the Bronze-winning 2006 USA Women's Olympic Ice Hockey team. I don't know what to expect other than a lot of skating, a lot of puck handling, maybe a water break or two, and a decent ice time (8:00 pm - yay!) at the rink that's only 15 minutes away (double-yay)! Hope my gear dries out in time (pee-yeeew!)

Seattle Women's Hockey Blog

I just wanted to give you a 'heads up' on a new blog that I started for the Seattle Women's Hockey Club. Here you will find updates on our tournaments, scrimmages, local games, and other happenings related to the club. While I designed it (and, I have to say that I am humbly proud of it....makes me want to redesign my own blog), the blog will have many contributers including posts from the coaches, team managers, team captains/alternate captains, and the SWHC board members.

We have a tournament coming up this weekend in Wenatchee, WA - the annual Hot Autumn Women's Ice Hockey Tournament and all three teams (Sting, Black Ice, and We Want Fries) will be attending. We'll be playing in the brand new Toyota Town Center...woot! So, time to get packing up the car with my hockey gear, and the pug. Skis? Not likely (grrr..). But, golf clubs - yes! Hopefully, it won't be too cold for some of us to tee up. Anyway, I will be updating the blog with pics and post-game stories for 'We Want Fries' which I am the Team Captain and one of the Team Managers (though, I claim the 'C' stands for 'Clueless but Competitive'). Stay tuned....it's going to be a great season with, I'm sure, some great stories to go along with it. The blog URL is seattlewomenshockey.blogspot.com.

"No One Puts Baby In the Corner"

Arnica gel...have you tried it out yet? Great for bruises and sore muscles and the best part - it doesn't smell!! I had to dig deep in my medicine cabinet to find my tube that I haven't used in a long time. But, I better keep it within easy reach b/c I'm back playing co-ed hockey. Unfortunately, it's not the fun and friendly beer league I played in over the summer :-( I just signed up with the IceOTopes and we play in the GSHL (Greater Seattle Hockey League). So far, we're 2-1. I missed the first game, but played in the second game where we won 4-3. Usually, because of the speed and the physical aspect of playing with men, I play up (left or right-wing). However, for the third game, I decided to give defense a shot which is actually my preferred position in the women's league.

When I play with men, I have to play defense completely different. Especially with a chippy team like the one we just played. This team played lazy-ass hockey. NOTHING annoys me more on the ice than cherry-pickers. My first thought is "you lazy SOB...I have to pay for your lack of off-ice conditioning because you can't manage to skate from one end of the ice to the other and the only way you have a chance at making a play is to only play one-half of the friggin' ice." So, I have to hang way back and can't play the blue line like I want to and contribute offensively (however, I did pinch a few times and managed a few shots on goal...thanks, Andrew, for covering my ass). That's ok, it's an opportunity for me to anticipate the passes and bring it back the other way.

The other thing I have to do is to be more physical (even though it is a non-check league) and be ready to take a hit. I learned pretty quickly when I got checked in the back and went flying into the boards in the first period. At first, I played the 'girl' card and wondered "wtf is that guy thinking checking me like that?" But, then I would've been pissed off more had he backed off completely b/c I am a girl (though, he didn't have to put all of his 190+ lbs. into it). In any case, I was pissed - after I sent off a few retaliatory chips and hacks to let him know that I wasn't backing down, I skated back to the bench, cooled off, and then thought about my strategy. Being on defense, I can get away with just a little bit more contact (hehe) and even more so as a woman (hehehehe). I had great fun in front of the net messing with the guys - pushing, shoving, placing my stick on the side of their edge so they lose their balance. It's all about leverage, digging my edges in and keeping my knees bent and a lot of core work to maintain my center of gravity and balance. Timing too....that little shove/push, lift of the stick at the right time would be just enough to cause them fits and keep them from getting a shot off. That was *crazy-fun*! I may not see too much end-to-end action in the co-ed league but I can certainly be a total pain-in-the-ass (all 5'4" of me, LOL) to anyone who dares to camp in front of the net and my goalie. We ended up losing 5-1, though. Our goalie, Paul, kept us in the game as we were easily outshot 2-1. The good news is that we won't be playing this team again because the league is still sorting teams out into the appropriate division and they'll probably get placed one level up. Thank goodness because I my legs and arms can't take an entire season of bruising from the hacking and slashing (nice non-call, ref).

My women's league (SWHC), on the other hand, is kicking ass! We Want Fries (yes, that is our team name) is now 2-0. Our team gel'ed immediately and we play our positions like we've been playing together for many seasons. After our last win, I thought I saw Coach Murray wipe a tear from his eye (hahahaha). Tears of joy? Or, was he trying his best to stifle a gut-busting laugh? Maybe he just has overactive tear ducts. I've got a couple of goals under my belt and no time in the sin-bin...though, I thought for sure I was going to get thrown in at our last game and so did everyone else on the other team and the crowd (the handful that showed up anyway). I received a lot of good fun heckling from everyone but got the last laugh when the other person got thrown in instead. Woot!

So, the two sides of ice hockey: the women's league for refining my skills and the camaraderie, and; the co-ed league where I can go all out when it comes to aggressive, competitive play.

Pre-game Haka...Game On! (VIDEO)

Coach - Here is our new pre-game "dance."



(Video credit: YouTube, The Haka - New Zealand All Blacks vs. Tonga, From:urbandiscipline)

And...another one:



(Video credit: YouTube, Haka, Maori Dance - New Zealand All Blacks, From:blairojunior)

No More Fries - It's Hockey Season!

Well, my friends....it's true. I've given up one of my favorite post-activity pub grub for the entire fall/winter season of hockey (whimper, whimper) and am making a public affirmation on my blog so, y'all will help police this silly endeavor for the next few months and make that season-ending plate (wheelbarrow) of fries a scrumptious reward. It all started after my last hockey game this past summer when we convinced a couple of the guys from my team to coach our women's team. We didn't immediately agree to their fundraising idea (derriere shots for a calendar....oh, and btw - I know how to wear my thongs so there is no "Thong Gone Wrong" caption under my picture!). Some of us, however, agreed to 'no more fries.' Buffalo wings, burgers, and, of course, alcohol, however, are still up for grabs!

Oh, and by the way - All content on this blog is from my personal point-of-view and, in no way, reflects those of the Seattle Women's Hockey Club :-)

This season, I decided to re-join the Seattle Women's Hockey Club and I am really looking forward to the season. The club is finally able to give Steve a break from coaching and has brought on some new coaches to help out with Skip. They include Amy, "Sin Bin" Murray, and Scott....I've dubbed the last 2 "Double-Trouble." We're on our third week of practice (yes, please make me do another ladder drill until I puke) and the teams will be formed in the next week. A lot of familiar and fun people have returned but we also have a good number of new players on board (both experienced and inexperienced...all with great attitudes). It's going to be a great season and nothing but good times to look forward to. Home-made microbrews, party bus, post-game razzing at the bar...oh, yeah...and hockey!

I also joined another co-ed team because I've rediscovered how fun it is to play on a co-ed team. It'll be a challenge for me, though, to manage the intensity level...easy for me to be a little more aggressive in a co-ed league b/c the guys hardly feel the contact made by a 5'4" woman. But, I'll have to remember to tone it down when I play with the women (except in tourneys - especially against those stronger Canadian skaters).

Skate, shoot, score! OK, Coach Murray - I'll get on that pre-game dance that will stop the other team in their tracks, cause their jaws to drop to the ice (or maybe laugh hysterically so they lose focus), and wonder what the heck is going on with *that* team.

GHATD - Give Hockey a Try Day (w/the Seattle Women's Hockey Club)

Today was the annual 'Give Hockey a Try Day' hosted by the Seattle Women's Hockey Club. I had participated in the past many times with my previous leagues (both women's and co-ed) and it is such a blast. I love picking out the one who is an absolute beginner, taking them through some basic drills and then talking to them afterwards about getting gear and how to get started in a league.

Today, I was paired up with Sarah who had played some floor hockey but it's been a while since she's been on skates. So, while Adam took the other women through some basic drills, I worked with Sarah 1-1 on some basic skating drills, puck-handling, and just some general habits that every good skater should have when playing hockey (e.g.,keep your knees bent and loose, both hands on the stick, and keep your head up and not looking down at the puck). I was so happy to watch Sarah improve with every drill we worked on and by the end of the session, she had some awesome passes to the tape of my stick and in more control over her skating and stopping.

Afterwards, I was giving her information on where to get a good beginner's package, how much to spend, and what to expect in the upcoming season. She was pretty happy with the session and I was even more excited for her....it was so gratifying for me...the same feeling I got at the end of my ski instructing. I also got some great feedback from my teammates on my instructing which is always nice to hear. The session this morning also brought back fond memories of my early hockey days, the hand-me-down gear I wore, and all the practice sessions I attended. Nice job ladies! Thank you for coming and I hope to see you on the ice!

I haven't decided where I'm going to skate this coming winter. I had a great time skating with the co-ed league this past summer. It was the most fun I've ever had with a co-ed team. The guys on my team were so supportive and fed me so many great passes all season and on the flip-side, were always in the position I expected them to be in. More importantly, they brought great beer to share at the end of the game and always provided 2 hours of great entertainment - especially if Murray was around and killing time in the sin-bin...ha! It's too bad this league doesn't play all year 'round. I was also thinking about taking some time off from the sport but, after my last game as a Fighting Hamster (co-ed) and this GHATD session, it's just too much fun to stop playing. So, we'll see. I have a few weeks to think about it.

Fighting Hamsters....on ice

Oh my head. Last night was my fourth game in the co-ed hockey league I recently joined that plays every Wednesday night at Kingsgate Ice Arena. It's been several years since I last played in a co-ed league and I stopped because I felt like I spent more time picking myself up off the ice instead of being in the play (haha). At 5'4", any contact I had with guys was usually in their favor. But, this league is completely different. First, the guys who coached the Seattle Women's Hockey Club also play in this league so it's fun to try out the moves they taught us. Secondly, a lot of the guys are really good but will set up plays rather than taking over the game and only pass to each other. However, I must say that the women on our team (in the league in general) are good enough to hold their own on the ice and can keep up. I know most of the women through the SWHC or through the Friday night league, and its nice to finally meet their husbands or boyfriends who also skate in this league. That's probably another reason why the game is very friendly and unlike any other co-ed league I've played on. I still had to drastically change my timing if I want to keep up with the pace and participate in the plays. I'm playing right wing this summer so I have to decide faster whether to skate, pass, or shoot. Just keep moving.

Last night was extra fun, because I felt like it was all coming together for me. Everything was going just swell...good passes...shots on goal...picking off passes. At the beginning of the second period. I was going for the puck by the boards and then all of a sudden - WHAM, and I'm knocked to the ice. I remember thinking 'gee, how did I misjudge my distance and run into the boards like that?' Once the galaxy of stars cleared my head, I looked up and saw that I didn't run into the boards, but King Kong who was playing defense on the other team. OK, so maybe not King Kong, but a big guy who probably had 90 lbs. over me. He was totally apologetic and, supposedly had caught an edge and went crashing into me. I thought about stopping, but I stayed and played the rest of the game. I just had to work a little harder to stay focused and to keep my legs from buckling under me. Almost 24 hours later, I am still feeling the affects of that hit....my neck is stiff and I can only turn my head one way (makes driving a bit of a challenge so no weaving in traffic for me...slow and steady in the right lane).

But, the game was way fun! We were down 0-3, and halfway through the third period, we scored 3 unanswered goals all in one shift! And, I scored the second goal - WOOT! I'm finally feeling like a contributor on the ice rather than just filler. My timing is quicker and I'm being more creative in the way I move the puck or get open for passes. I can't wait to skate again. As for King Kong who took me down, I got to return the favor later on (oops, sorry) and he went crashing hard on the ice (the bigger and taller they are, the harder they fall). With less than 1 minute to go, I think he scored the winning goal. Oh well. Go Fighting Hamsters! You know, I've got to get on a team with a more menacing name....Ice Monkeys, Flying Pigs, and now Fighting Hamsters? Sigh....what's next, The Soo Pugs?

Big Fat Flying Pigs Do N. Vancouver

Memorial Day weekend - must be time for some HOCKEY! The 8th Annual Capilano Volkswagen Women's Ice Hockey Tournament was held at Canlan Ice in North Vancouver. This is my second year to play with the Big Fat Flying Pigs - a group that is mainly made up of players from the Bay Area but I brought along a couple of new recruits from Seattle to fill in the remaining slots. The minute we don the infamous pink jerseys, mostly everyone recognizes the group and shout 'hey, it's the pigs!' I wish I could say it was because of our blazing speed on the ice, our dominating puck handling and precise shooting abilities that overwhelms all in our division. Ha! It's mainly because: a) of our bright pink jerseys; b) our rendition of 'California Girls' in the karaoke bar last year, and; c) we're the only team that cheers when we score on our own goalie. Oh well, at least we make an impression (I think?). This year was a little bit more tame and my liver is oh so grateful. I think it was because they took out the karoake in the bar at the rink and replaced it with Guitar Hero. Now, I could've played Guitar Hero all night long - I'm trying to get past the medium level for 'Paranoid' by Black Sabbath. (C'mon John, give up your Wii to your sister and buy yourself a brand new PS2!! But, then again, my ass may never leave my place as I waste away banging on a piece of hardware that resembles a guitar. So, absolutely ridiculous but so friggin' addicting.) OK - back to hockey. The tournament started on Friday afternoon and we played 4 games in a 24-hour period: 1 on Friday and 3 on Saturday. We lost our first game by 6 goals, the second game by 3 goals, and the last two games by 1 goal. The second to the last game, we lost by a goal scored by our defense on our own goalie - whoooo! See, I wasn't kidding about the own goals and unfortunately, that was probably the one game that we had the best chance of winning. But, a pig tradition that must continue.

Julie, our goalie, literally stood on her head (I kid you not...she really did) to make some awesome plays. We think one team felt sorry for us because they thought Julie had some sort of mental disability (haha). No, we told them....she was just drunk (this was on Friday). This group plays together at this tournament once a year so we never get our groove until the last 2 games. I can get so intense in a game because I really like to win (or at least keep people from scoring when I'm on the ice), but with this team I have to keep my perspective in check and in line with the rest of the team (i.e., have a lot of fun)....and, no yelling at the refs (though, I was allowed one outburst about a ridiculous non-call). Everyone skated their heart out and left their legs and lungs on the ice which is all I ask from my teammates. I moved up from defense to center the last 2 games. I was a little nervous because I rarely play center but once I got into the game, I was good to go - ineffective, but good to go (i.e., I survived and didn't do anything blatantly stupid). By the last game, my legs felt like lead and my shifts were getting shorter and shorter. I asked for an oxygen tank on the bench but, all I got was a Red Bull (ick). If it was spiked with vodka, then maybe I could've taken more than one sip. I think I got all of 2 points in this tournament (assists and no goals) - both while I was on defense. So ineffective - argh!

I wish I could've kept up the intensity like the time I was on the ice with Heather and Tammy and we scored. I pinched in from defense and while Julie (the center at the time) covered my point, I aggressively went after the puck and we had some awesome passes, made great movement in front of and around the net, and plenty of shots on goal. I finally whipped off a wrist-shot in between the two red dots and Tammy was there to pick up the rebound. That was my moment of glory in the tournament. Later on in the same game, I called someone a name that started with the letter B and that ruined my chances for MVP (haha). And, to top it off, I was cross-checked and fell to the ice in full view of the ref - which he didn't call. I guess I deserved it. Before the tournament I had only skated once after an 8-week break so I was a little rusty....that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it :-)

Traditions were continued this year: the fuzzy flying pig in the locker room, the aforementioned own-goal, dim sum at Pink Pearl (yum....those sesame seed balls for dessert were the BEST EVER), and a big ole steak dinner at the end of the tournament. I had a medium-rare cut of prime rib that is probably going to linger in my system for the rest of the year, but it tasted soooo good after 4 games plus 4 hours of paddling just prior to dinner. That's why I love to be active - it makes the food and drinks so worthwhile afterwards.

It was great skating with all of you Big Fat Flying Pigs. Good times for sure. See you at next year's tournament or at the one in Kamloops next February. Thanks Eva for organizing everything! And, thank you for showing me how to properly wax my stick so I can stop using friction tape on my blade - now, I really feel like a hockey player. Goooooo pigs!

Skate, shoot, score.....or not :-)

I wrapped up my first season in the Seattle Women's Hockey Club with a tournament in Victoria, BC over the first weekend in April. All three teams made it to the tourney: 222's, Mother Puckers (yes, for real), and the Ice Monkeys (my team...don't ask me wtf it means :-) ). Danielle and I left Seattle on Friday at 3:00 anticipating a long, slow, crawl to the border. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find it smooth going and made it to the ferry in Tsawwassen in just over 2.5 hours! I think that was a record for me. And, to top it off, the sun was out and the views were incredible. Was this a good omen and a start of great things to come? Ha!

We had our first game Saturday morning at 9:30 and not too many people were hungover (LOL). I wasn't feeling too bad considering I had a couple of Bree's special concoctions (Cpt Morgan & Cranberry) and the stomach flu or food poisoning earlier in the week. (Sigh...just suck it up, Buttercup.) Well, the other team skated circles around us and I think the final score was 7-0? Our next game was at 3:30 and so Sung and I headed out to Ferris' Grill and Oyster Bar for some lunch. Really good food and what made it so special were all the pictures of pugs on the walls. Every year they host a big ole pug party so stay tuned for Daisy all decked out for the big event.

OK, so I digress. Meanwhile, back at the rink....at 3:30, the second game wasn't much different from the first. The other team gave us a good thumping but we were happy that we were more aggressive than in the morning (helps to have eaten and time to shake out the cobwebs from the night before). The teams, all from different parts of Vancouver Island, were definitely better skilled and faster (and, younger....LOL). The 3:30 game should've been my last game for the day, but it turned out that the 222's lost one of their people on defense to an injury so they were down to 9 and they had a game at 6:30. So, four of us from the Ice Monkeys sub'ed and I actually played Wing instead of D. This is the funny part - our line was made up of: Buttercup, Darling, and Choi. Haha...the Powerpuff Line! Well, Powerpuff line scored....I scored a scrappy goal in front of the net. We ended up losing 5-3, I think, but we won the second period (sportsmanship rules....# of goals - penalties = point for the team) with my goal and it was one of the closer games for any of the SWHC teams.

Our last game was Sunday morning and after 3 pretty physical games on Saturday, (my shoulders and back were sore from all the work I had to do in front of the net) too much alcohol, and not enough sleep, well, it was time to dig down deep. We lost but managed a goal and it wasn't a 'gimme!' All in all, it was a good time...always something new to learn and everyone skated hard. I had fun skating with the SWHC because of the coaching and the weekly practices. Now, I've got a few weeks off before I start up with a co-ed league. The SWHC doesn't have a summer season and the Friday night league moves to Monday night but I think I want to check out another league and will skate just 1/2 of the season given all the fun outdoor things I hope to do once it gets warm and, hopefully, some guiding work that comes our way. Thanks to Steve and Skip for devoting their time and energy to our club and for all their superb coaching and great feedback. And, thanks to the ladies and their husbands/partners/boyfriends for the ongoing entertainment over the weekend (and season). My stomach still hurts from all the laughing. Oh, and....GO SHARKS!!

Champions - Everett Ravens Annual Ice Hockey Tournament

My 2007-2008 winter season with the Seattle Women's Hockey Club and the Castle Ice Friday Night League are both coming to a close. So, that can only mean....tourney time!! This past weekend, I was asked at the last minute to play defense on a team that was made up primarily of women from my SWHC league (they're also the defending champs). Initially, I only committed to sub for a couple games because I really wanted to get in a long bike ride on Sunday. But, three things changed my mind: a) snow (in March - I know...freaky weather this year); b) revenge, and; c) I was having so much fun playing with this team.

We kicked off the tournament late Friday night against the host team, the Everett Ravens. I think the puck dropped at 11:45 pm (yes, pm, not am), and we were done by 1:15 am. Wired from skating really hard that night, and from the post-game chocolate cupcakes, I think I finally fell asleep at 3:30 am. We won that first game 3-2 - the score should've been more but their goalie was on fire. She stopped 66 shots on goal. Kelly, our goalie took about 12 shots on goal and every now and then we would let the other team breakout just to keep her awake :-)

Thank goodness our second game the following day was at 2:30 pm. It was against the Portland Phoenix and we knew that they were likely going to be in the finals. Our game was close up until the last 5 minutes and the final score was 3-0. But, shots on goal was close (26 vs 21??) and the teams were pretty close, skillwise. So, revenge was on our minds and we wanted a rematch.

I didn't play the third game on Saturday because I agreed to sub for another team in another league with most of their players out for the Everett tournament. I just wanted some ice time and I got it - only 7 players showed up and NO GOALIE. But, we won! Something about not having a goalie makes people step up their game and play more aggressively. Meanwhile, my team in the tournament won their game with a score of 12-0 (I think they had 60+ shots on goal again) so we were in the finals.

Sunday, the final game was at 11:15 am and my team was totally pumped up (fresh from their morning cup of java??). Seriously, I've never skated with a team that had so much energy, intensity, and skated 110% *every* shift. Our coach, Patrick, was also awesome....he had this quiet intensity on the bench and reiterated throughout the tournament that the winner will be the team that wants it the most. We were hungry - we came out of the gates and peppered their goalie with shots, made great passes, and held the blue line...it paid off and we scored first. But then, a few minutes later, Portland tied and the score remained 1-1 until the end of regulation. We were definitely getting opportunities and were spending more time in their zone. By the end of the game, we had 33 shots on goal compared to their 12. It was also the end of the tourney so it boiled down to who was less fatigued (and this is why I drag my ass to spin classes and bike for 4+ hours). Portland's "ringer" was losing her edge a lot so it was clear she was tired. We hung in there and it was Mel's backhand shot over the goalie's shoulder that won it for us 2:30 minutes into overtime. Woot! What a game - what a tourney! Next tournament is in Victoria, BC next weekend. I'm looking forward to it, but unfortunately, I will be playing against a lot of the women I played with this past weekend.

Bring it on!
Buttercup #19