I just got back from an open skate at the Westchester Skating Academy. Basically I just tooled around and dodged people and broke in a new pair of skates. Well, dodged almost everyone. I managed to bump into a lady skating with/holding up her kid. She cut in front of me unexpectedly and I just clipped her shoulder. For a second she hung on and looked like she was going to make it but then her kid did a freakout move and out came both her legs and down she went, right on her butt. Thankfully, she was in once piece and not hurt and the kid was alright. On top of that she was not pissed. No harm no foul. No guilt.
When I was done for the session a Chinese guy sidled up to me and quizzed me on my skates. His kid had been taking lessons and he wanted to learn and was none too thrilled about the big blue molded cloddhopper figure skate rentals he had. They killed his feet. I told him I could sympathize - my skates had killed my feet for a long time. His English was decent, but in the back of my head I thought how great it would be if I could just talk to this guy in Chinese. It would be great to be able to do that. In 18 months or so, I might even have a real need to know a little Chinese.
The thing is, I feel a lot different - a lot better than I have in a long time after a skate. Specifically, my feet aren't killing me and my feet aren't killing me because I've got the new skates - a pair of Reebok 4K's. Not a top of the line skate, but an improvement over my old Bauers and most importantly, they are skates that fit. My old Bauer 1000's were just too narrow, even from the first and as I've gotten older my feet have gotten bigger and bit wider -- a recipe for foot problems and pain and a good excuse to not skate or play hockey. Anyways, these new skates are sooo much more comfortable even from this first break in session than any other skate I've ever had. Plus they are a lot lighter too.
My shoulder pads, elbow pads, pants, helmet, skates -- it's all a lot better than the stinky pile of pads my parents threw out. Hell, all the hockey equipment that's out these days is light years better than the gear that was available when I was playing in the 80's and early 90's. Generally it's all lighter and it all fits better. And the sticks -- sheesh, they are lighter than friggen pool cues. It makes my old Koho Silver Fibres look like warhammers compared to rapiers. Glad to see things have progressed!
Anyway, the plan is not to just sit home and admire the new gear, but to actually start playing again. On Monday I'm supposed to bail out of work early to go play in a pick up game out on Long Island. While I don't think I am going to be super winded, I do think it's going to be pretty awkward trying to stickhandle and shoot. I'll be lucky if I don't look like a complete n00b out there when it comes to any sort of stick work. But maybe not. Sometimes you can surprise yourself. And if there is one thing I can put down, even for over decade, and pick back up and look like I know what the hell I'm doing -- it's hockey. I figure I'll see how it goes and work my way into a league, maybe look into coaching at the youth level.
