Thursday, January 13, 2011
Ready for the Weekend
I had a good week of practice. I think I got better as the week went on, as I got more used to the drills. Like I said, I think it's hard to feel comfortable right away on a new team, but this is the 3rd new team I've been on this year, and it should be easier for me to acclimate here. I think also being around coaches who believe in me and who are excited to teach me has made me much more confident than I was in both Bismarck and New Mexico. I've been able to show my strengths much better than I did in both places before here. The coach here really likes my shot, and I think he's going to turn me into a completely different, much better hockey player. I've learned so much in only two weeks of practice. I think I did well this week in practice, but I think I can do better, and it starts this weekend. 3 games against the Valencia Flyers. We have 2 games (Friday and Saturday) up in McCall, a mountain town about 2 hours north, where we get a lot of support, and then on Sunday, we have a game at the Qwest Arena in downtown Boise. It should be a fun weekend, and I'm excited to finally play again!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Can't Look Back
I didn't get a chance in Bismarck. And my chance came and went in New Mexico. But that's OK. I can't look back because I know I'm a good player, and I know I'm in a good spot now. Sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to, but I can't let those things hold me back. I'm where I am now for a reason, and I need to take advantage of my chance here, now. It's been a long break without a game; I'm itching for the games this weekend. I'm anxious to get back out on the ice in a game because we had this past weekend off. This weekend we have 3 home games, and my mom is coming out to see them. I can't wait.
But I need to have a good rest of the week of practice first. Today, I didn't have my best day on the ice. I fumbled passes that I usually don't fumble, and my legs felt heavy. I just need to play and have fun on the ice, get excited about going to practice every day, and not worry about being perfect. I think today it was hard because we only had 7 defensemen, and we were doing pretty tiring drills. But that's what practices are like here. They run practices hard, and I might not be used to that yet. Also, I just didn't feel very good. I've been congested the past few days, and when my blood got pumping, I could hear it pound in my ears. The coaches were still very helpful on a lot of the drills, always pulling me aside to talk to me when I did something wrong, but I still need to do better tomorrow. At the end of practice, we worked on some power play, and I was on one of the top units. Coach wants me to fire the puck a lot. He likes my shot and wants to use it on the power play. I had a few really good shots during the power play work, and I had one awesome slap shot that was a foot off the ice and went in right off the post. Coach was pretty happy. And I was too. Now, I need to get some rest and come to the rink ready to practice tomorrow.
But I need to have a good rest of the week of practice first. Today, I didn't have my best day on the ice. I fumbled passes that I usually don't fumble, and my legs felt heavy. I just need to play and have fun on the ice, get excited about going to practice every day, and not worry about being perfect. I think today it was hard because we only had 7 defensemen, and we were doing pretty tiring drills. But that's what practices are like here. They run practices hard, and I might not be used to that yet. Also, I just didn't feel very good. I've been congested the past few days, and when my blood got pumping, I could hear it pound in my ears. The coaches were still very helpful on a lot of the drills, always pulling me aside to talk to me when I did something wrong, but I still need to do better tomorrow. At the end of practice, we worked on some power play, and I was on one of the top units. Coach wants me to fire the puck a lot. He likes my shot and wants to use it on the power play. I had a few really good shots during the power play work, and I had one awesome slap shot that was a foot off the ice and went in right off the post. Coach was pretty happy. And I was too. Now, I need to get some rest and come to the rink ready to practice tomorrow.
Friday, January 7, 2011
A Lot to Learn, But I'm a Fast Learner
Today, I think I learned more than I have all season. It was the first practice with our head coach back on the ice, who was vacationing in Hawaii. Pretty much after every drill I did, I was pulled to the side and told something that I need to improve upon. I need to have an active stick, work on transferring my weight when I pass, and lift my shot about a foot off the ice. I know I have a lot to work on, and now I'm convinced I'm in the right spot to improve. I was excited for the head coach to get back, and I can tell that both coaches here care about me, believe in me, and are very excited to work with me.
After practice, the coaches talked to me and said they are encouraged by my coachability. Everything they asked me to do, I did, and they told me in an hour I became a different defenseman, one who actually looks like he knows what he's doing on the ice. If I can learn and improve that much in one practice, I can't wait to see what I can do with more time with this coach. The thing I like most about being here is that the coaches talk to me regularly. I'm not just skating around cluelessly, wondering if I'm doing something right or not even knowing if I'm doing something wrong. I like how the coaches come up and talk to me one-on-one about things I can improve when I do something wrong, but I also like how they tell me positively.
Today, I did kind of run out of gas at the end of practice; I think, though, after a few practices, I will get my hockey legs back. I'm in good shape, but it's been a few weeks since I've practiced at such a high level, and I'm not even sure if the practices in Bismarck or New Mexico were this high-paced. I'm excited to be here, and I'm excited to learn and get better.
After practice, the coaches talked to me and said they are encouraged by my coachability. Everything they asked me to do, I did, and they told me in an hour I became a different defenseman, one who actually looks like he knows what he's doing on the ice. If I can learn and improve that much in one practice, I can't wait to see what I can do with more time with this coach. The thing I like most about being here is that the coaches talk to me regularly. I'm not just skating around cluelessly, wondering if I'm doing something right or not even knowing if I'm doing something wrong. I like how the coaches come up and talk to me one-on-one about things I can improve when I do something wrong, but I also like how they tell me positively.
Today, I did kind of run out of gas at the end of practice; I think, though, after a few practices, I will get my hockey legs back. I'm in good shape, but it's been a few weeks since I've practiced at such a high level, and I'm not even sure if the practices in Bismarck or New Mexico were this high-paced. I'm excited to be here, and I'm excited to learn and get better.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Valued Experience
Coming onto a new team mid-season is always sort of a stressful experience. There are new players, new coaches, new drills, new expectations. I think I'm in the feeling out phase right now. I played games with the Junior Steelheads before Christmas break, which makes things a little easier, but I'm still getting a hang of the drills and all. And sometimes I revert to my usual self and start thinking everyone is watching me, hoping for a mistake, and then I make a mistake. I just need to play hockey, play without over thinking. Because when I play my game, I play well. One thing I still need to work on, that was evident today, is my stick work. I need to have a more active stick. Because I am so tall, I have a long stick and it's one of my most important weapons; I just forget to use it sometimes. I have to play big because I am big. I don't know how many times people tell me how hard it is to get around me. The other day, a kid on this team said to me, "Trying to get around you is like trying to get around a wall." I just need to play with more confidence and, most importantly, have fun. I tend to be a little hard on myself at times, especially when I screw up once. And then I just dig myself into a hole with negative thoughts and it's hard to play well after that. Good news, though, is that this is the 3rd time I've been on a new team this year, so I should be getting used to coming onto new teams by now. I think I'll start to feel comfortable even faster this time around.
In reality, I've been doing really well these past few days of practice (even though I won the Bender Bucket yet again.) I guess I need to work on my shootout skills. But I think, mostly, I just cracked under the pressure because I felt like everyone was watching me, hoping I would win the Bender. I really think I can be an important part of this team, though. I may not bring touted scoring skills to the table, as evidenced by my poor shootout skills (did anyone see Stamkos eat it on his penalty shot the other day, by the way?) but I think I have other tools that I can use to help this team win, and I'm always eager to learn and get better. I think the coach here will be able to help me improve a lot, and I can't wait to see what happens.
I made kind of a cool realization the other day. I've had a taste of all three tiers of junior hockey this year. From the All-Star Game at the Indiana Ice main camp (Tier I), to playing with the Bismarck Bobcats and New Mexico Mustangs (Tier II), to now, with the Idaho Junior Steelheads (Tier III). I've seen what it takes to play at each level, and I've seen how fine the line is between all the levels. There really isn't that much of a difference. I think I have all the tools to succeed at any level I tell myself I can play at, but one thing I need to improve upon is my knowledge of the game. I need game experience, and I think until I get that, coaches will be confused as to what to do with me. That's why I need to play. I need to learn the game. Of course there are other things that I can improve upon as well, but those things will come in time also. I think it's definitely good for me to see all the tiers of junior hockey because it will only help me in the long run to know what it takes to play in the NAHL or USHL and to know how close I really am. My goals are still in reach, and I think I'm in a great place here in Boise. Every day I'm going to keep working hard, keep learning, and stay focused. It's all uphill from here.
In reality, I've been doing really well these past few days of practice (even though I won the Bender Bucket yet again.) I guess I need to work on my shootout skills. But I think, mostly, I just cracked under the pressure because I felt like everyone was watching me, hoping I would win the Bender. I really think I can be an important part of this team, though. I may not bring touted scoring skills to the table, as evidenced by my poor shootout skills (did anyone see Stamkos eat it on his penalty shot the other day, by the way?) but I think I have other tools that I can use to help this team win, and I'm always eager to learn and get better. I think the coach here will be able to help me improve a lot, and I can't wait to see what happens.
I made kind of a cool realization the other day. I've had a taste of all three tiers of junior hockey this year. From the All-Star Game at the Indiana Ice main camp (Tier I), to playing with the Bismarck Bobcats and New Mexico Mustangs (Tier II), to now, with the Idaho Junior Steelheads (Tier III). I've seen what it takes to play at each level, and I've seen how fine the line is between all the levels. There really isn't that much of a difference. I think I have all the tools to succeed at any level I tell myself I can play at, but one thing I need to improve upon is my knowledge of the game. I need game experience, and I think until I get that, coaches will be confused as to what to do with me. That's why I need to play. I need to learn the game. Of course there are other things that I can improve upon as well, but those things will come in time also. I think it's definitely good for me to see all the tiers of junior hockey because it will only help me in the long run to know what it takes to play in the NAHL or USHL and to know how close I really am. My goals are still in reach, and I think I'm in a great place here in Boise. Every day I'm going to keep working hard, keep learning, and stay focused. It's all uphill from here.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Rollin' With the Punches
Someone told me the other day that it's a good thing I'm so flexible. I really didn't know for sure whether or not I would be coming to Boise or going back to New Mexico until probably the day before I left, and I didn't even talk to my coach in New Mexico personally until I was in Salt Lake City. But I try not to worry about the things I can't control. I just went with the flow. I was told to come to Boise because it would be the best thing for me, so I started driving. And three days later, here I am, sitting in Boise, Idaho, the land of potatoes. I had my first day of practice today, and it felt good to get back out on the ice, even though I am a little rusty and a little out of shape after two weeks off. But I think my hockey legs will come back pretty quickly.
I was feeling a little down earlier in the day, maybe because I was tired after practice, but I was just thinking to myself that it would be tough to learn a whole new city again, and then my negative thoughts kind of snowballed. This is my third city, my third team, my third billet family in one year. It's pretty crazy. But it's also nice to be wanted. Everywhere I've gone, I've had people who want me around, and now I have a lot of people who care about me as a hockey player and as a person, a lot of people who believe in me. So, I started looking at the positives, and now I feel great about where I am. My goals are still in reach if I go for them. I was telling my dad the other day, though, that I'm tired of just being potential. I want to start realizing some of my potential, and I think the only way I can do that is if I start to play consistently. I'm definitely in the right place to start reaching my potential. I'm playing for an amazing coach, and I'm playing on a good team. It's just up to me to maintain my work ethic and keep my positive attitude. I think the sky's the limit for me if I keep working hard. I'm excited about the chance I'm being given here. I think I can really make a difference on this team, and I can tell that I'm wanted. I may have also been wanted in Bismarck and New Mexico, but I wasn't playing consistently, and that's the most important thing. I'm happy with where I am, and I'm just trying to control the things I can control. It really doesn't matter where I'm playing, just that I'm playing, and just that I keep my work ethic up and my great attitude. I think things will start to turn around from here on out. I still have to put the work in to make myself better, though, and I think doors will open for me.
I was feeling a little down earlier in the day, maybe because I was tired after practice, but I was just thinking to myself that it would be tough to learn a whole new city again, and then my negative thoughts kind of snowballed. This is my third city, my third team, my third billet family in one year. It's pretty crazy. But it's also nice to be wanted. Everywhere I've gone, I've had people who want me around, and now I have a lot of people who care about me as a hockey player and as a person, a lot of people who believe in me. So, I started looking at the positives, and now I feel great about where I am. My goals are still in reach if I go for them. I was telling my dad the other day, though, that I'm tired of just being potential. I want to start realizing some of my potential, and I think the only way I can do that is if I start to play consistently. I'm definitely in the right place to start reaching my potential. I'm playing for an amazing coach, and I'm playing on a good team. It's just up to me to maintain my work ethic and keep my positive attitude. I think the sky's the limit for me if I keep working hard. I'm excited about the chance I'm being given here. I think I can really make a difference on this team, and I can tell that I'm wanted. I may have also been wanted in Bismarck and New Mexico, but I wasn't playing consistently, and that's the most important thing. I'm happy with where I am, and I'm just trying to control the things I can control. It really doesn't matter where I'm playing, just that I'm playing, and just that I keep my work ethic up and my great attitude. I think things will start to turn around from here on out. I still have to put the work in to make myself better, though, and I think doors will open for me.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Christmas Break Winding Down, Another Strange Twist
I've had an awesome time being home over Christmas break. I really needed to be home for a while, just to get away from the daily grind. But now I'm refreshed and ready to get back to work. I know I still have a lot of work left to do, and I'm anxious to get back out on the ice. I've definitely gotten the itch now, and it's been a little hard to be away from the game, even though I've had a great time seeing family and friends. It's awesome to hear from people who are following what I'm doing, and to talk to people who are interested in everything that I have going on. I've had a lot of fun skating with old friends, and I think I've shown people here that I've improved a lot in the past few months.
Tomorrow I'm driving to Boise, Idaho to play for the Idaho Junior Steelheads. It's another move for me, but I'm excited about it. The bottom line is that I need to play in games as much as I can to develop, and that wasn't happening in New Mexico. I was sitting out games, and I was in a dog fight with two or three other defensemen for consistent playing time. I'm going somewhere I can play, which is what both the New Mexico coach and the Idaho coach think I need. They think my development is being hurt by not playing every night. I think I'm in a good spot, though. I have a few coaches who believe in me and my potential, and who like having me around because of my attitude and work ethic. I've definitely been bouncing around this year, and my development might have been hurt by not playing much the first half of this year, but I've learned a lot, gotten a lot better, and made a name for myself everywhere I've gone with my hard work, positive attitude, and character. I could've looked at this move negatively and bogged myself down with negative thoughts, but I'm looking at this positively. I'm going to play for a very good coach, and I'm hopefully going to get to play a lot, which is what I need. I think if I'm playing for the right coach, and with everything else I have going for me, I will be able to open a lot of doors for myself. The Idaho coach has already had the head coach of Princeton call me, which was very cool. He said the Idaho coach is one of the only coaches in junior hockey that he trusts, and when he says he has a player, he believes him. I just need to develop a little more, and get some game experience. Plus, if New Mexico needs me some time this year, I'm only a flight away, but instead of sitting out games in New Mexico, I will be playing and learning more. I think it's the right move for me to go to Boise right now, and even though I'm going down to play at the Tier 3 level, my goals are still within reach. I need to stay positive and keep working hard like I have been all year, and I think I will excel once I start getting consistent playing time.
Tomorrow I'm driving to Boise, Idaho to play for the Idaho Junior Steelheads. It's another move for me, but I'm excited about it. The bottom line is that I need to play in games as much as I can to develop, and that wasn't happening in New Mexico. I was sitting out games, and I was in a dog fight with two or three other defensemen for consistent playing time. I'm going somewhere I can play, which is what both the New Mexico coach and the Idaho coach think I need. They think my development is being hurt by not playing every night. I think I'm in a good spot, though. I have a few coaches who believe in me and my potential, and who like having me around because of my attitude and work ethic. I've definitely been bouncing around this year, and my development might have been hurt by not playing much the first half of this year, but I've learned a lot, gotten a lot better, and made a name for myself everywhere I've gone with my hard work, positive attitude, and character. I could've looked at this move negatively and bogged myself down with negative thoughts, but I'm looking at this positively. I'm going to play for a very good coach, and I'm hopefully going to get to play a lot, which is what I need. I think if I'm playing for the right coach, and with everything else I have going for me, I will be able to open a lot of doors for myself. The Idaho coach has already had the head coach of Princeton call me, which was very cool. He said the Idaho coach is one of the only coaches in junior hockey that he trusts, and when he says he has a player, he believes him. I just need to develop a little more, and get some game experience. Plus, if New Mexico needs me some time this year, I'm only a flight away, but instead of sitting out games in New Mexico, I will be playing and learning more. I think it's the right move for me to go to Boise right now, and even though I'm going down to play at the Tier 3 level, my goals are still within reach. I need to stay positive and keep working hard like I have been all year, and I think I will excel once I start getting consistent playing time.
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