5 A.M. Report

Hockey is good. Free hockey is good. Free hockey with guys is O.K. Of course, hockey with all women is even better, but I take what I can get.

Got up at 5 a.m. with little complaint (friends went home promptly at 8 p.m. to give me time to rest and for once, I didn't stay up madly knitting or watching endless C.S.I. on tape). Got there right on time. A guy was walking toward his car that contained a hockey bag as I drove in and I thought, "Oh, crud. It's canceled today" and asked him, and he said that the guy was just unlocking the door. And so he was.

We trailed in, me paying my $12 and the others handing over hockey-class coupons (10/$100 or $110), and suited up next to the ice (which, I must say, is chillier than I'm used to, especially coming in from a cold morning outside). We got on, started skating around, and 6:15 rolled around... no coach. After just a few minutes, a tall guy with an indeterminate accent took charge and started running drills. He ended up running the entire practice (and no scrimmage afterwards, sob!), which was really quite good--very challenging. But as I told him afterward, I didn't once feel like throwing up. (Last time, I felt like throwing up twice.) He affirmed that he would have to make the practice harder next time.

Oh--there were 5 women at this practice! The previous time, there were maybe 3, including me. One woman looked pretty new (but fit and athletic); I told her about GHATD (huh? No like for GHATD yet on the NCWHL website?) and encouraged her to come. She begged off, saying she has no time this year, but maybe next year.

As we all filed out, several folks called out that everyone should ask for their coupons back. I got my refund in the form of a coupon, which is fine. I'll show up again sometime soon (Saturday night sleepovers, yeah!).

More hockey news: Was chatting with a somewhat new person after church today. She and another gal and I were chatting a bit, and she stopped me: "Did you say you played hockey just now?" I set myself up for another "wow, women playing hockey, my goodness blah blah Bob Loblaw" conversation--and was again surprised to find yet another former women's hockey player. Told her about GHATD, too, of course. I swear; I can't wait! (Gotta clean my gear ahead of time, though; yuck!)