A lesson in cockiness…
So it turns out that writing about playing with the guys is harder than I thought. I want to capture the exact hilarious phrasing they used for their witty comments but thanks to my wonderfully porous memory, it’s proving to be a little difficult. In the meantime, here are some of my other hockey stories:)
I had already practiced with the Dawson Blues girls hockey team while in high school. The girls hockey world was not too big yet and everyone knew everyone. So when I went to the actual tryouts when I finally got to CEGEP I wasn’t too worried about my chances of making the team. How wrong I was…
We did all the sit ups, push ups, beep tests etc. and I thought it went rather well. Then we hit the ice. Now, I don’t exactly shine when it comes to drills, in fact, I’m practically invisible! I do better in game situations where I can use my defensive skills, which are equally not as flashy but I least I look a bit more impressive.
So, we have our first scrimmage. After the first period I’m feeling pretty good as we go to the dressing room while they clean the ice, only to be informed that the reason I have not been told I’m doing anything wrong or well is because the coaches are simply observing this time around and not coaching. Hmm. Should I be worried?
I can’t remember if I actually was worried after that, though I remember them saying it, which is something. And then I’m cut after that first scrimmage.
I vaguely remember being pissed off. Most of my friends made the team, one of whom I was sure I was better than, and I lost my chance at playing with Katherine Ward, our Canadian Olympic star. I had played against her when we were younger, which I tell anyone who cares, but unfortunately I can’t call her a friend like some of my former teammates.
I eventually got the chance to play with some other women’s hockey stars however. After that first year in CEGEP, one of my friends who had made it on the Dawson team asked me if I wanted to play with Dawson in their summer 3 on 3 league – most of the best players were off elsewhere I imagine.
I had never played 3 on 3 so I said sure. It was great hockey. On specially made smaller ice surfaces we played the fastest, most tiring hockey I’ve ever played. With only a red line separating the two zones there were no offsides and you’re up and down the ice many, many times in one shift. This could be a problem as we often didn’t have subs!
But, occasionally, Charlie Labonte or Caroline Ouellette would pop into our dressing room and ask if they could play! Who were we to say no.
One day we had Ouellette and her US Olympian friend on our team and we were playing against a WNHL team who had Labonte in nets.
First of all, Ouellette is huge! I fed her a few passes and was supremely proud of myself until I received a pass from her! I felt it all the way up into my shoulders! After that I tried to make every pass as strong as my nothing-special slap shot. Ouellette probably had to look and make sure my first few passes made it to her blade!
Labonte, by the way, stick handles and has a better shot than I do. I almost scored on her though, much to my surprise. We ended up losing 9 to 7, with most of our goals scored by Ouellette.
I don’t remember anyone else on the ice or any of the other games and my second and last year of Dawson, I tried out and made the AAA soccer team where I worked my ass off and the coaches didn’t know me at all!
