Mrs. Nice Guy?

Practice last night went a lot better than last week's did. I left the chest protector untucked and made sure I had my water right there on the net with me and took drinks whenever I could; no overheating. I used the suspenders again, underneath the c/a this time, but they ended up slipping off my shoulders. I spent half the practice feeling like I had an annoying bra strap issue. Next time I'll cross them in front and that should solve that problem.

I wasn't too thrilled with my ability to stop pucks though; several crappy 5-holes got through, and I just felt like I wasn't up to my potential. For the most part the drills were great, the kind that are productive both for me and the skaters. There was one that got under my skin a little though, but I guess it's probably supposed to. Coach had us working on deflections and screening the goalie, which I'm all for. Several of our goals for have been of that variety, so reinforcing that battle level is a great idea. And of course having me practice establishing myself at the top of the crease and seeing around screens is always good.

The problem arose with just how much elbow grease I should apply. I know this is practice, and I always approach practice exactly the same as a game; if you don't work hard in practice, you're not going to work hard in a game. I had no problem jostling for position and shoving the girls around a little, but I held back on the ankle chopping or more rough stuff. Most of the time they were right on top of my crease, which in a game would be allowed. But one in particular was consistently actually *in* my crease, and manhandling me way more than would be allowed in a game (one would hope). At one point I looked to Coach after she skated away and asked if that would have been interference. He said it probably would have.

My frustration came from two points. Firstly, as previously stated, I have no problem being physical or practicing being physical. But I felt like I was playing two positions at once there; D and goal. The way I was battling with them was just like the way my D battles with people parked in front of me. Obviously, I should be prepared for anything and you never know when something like that might arise. But for the most part, am I really going to be having to wrestle that much? And secondly, I wasn't sure just how much to fight back, these being my team-mates. Like I said, I had no problem pushing and shoving, and obviously they expected that, but the one person I mentioned before I think I may have gotten a tad overzealous with. She was going at me with her elbows to establish position and feel where I was and I just gave her a really hard shove. Not sure she was too thrilled with that but I guess I have to learn how to say "oh well".

For the record, had I been doing this drill with the guys, that would never have entered into my thinking. I'd shove just as hard as I had to and not worry about what they thought. This is my own shortcoming; I care too much about what other women think about me. But I do not take well to people in my crease and elbowing me, practice or not, and I was not happy about that. Had that been a game she would have had a blocker in the kidneys. Certainly there's no place for that in practice, right? Or maybe that's what Coach was looking for? If he wants them mucking it up a little with their elbows (as he described before the drill), then what's wrong with me responding in kind?

I'm just not sure where the line is between balls-out hard praticing and going overboard. I certainly don't want to injure anyone. But man did my goalie hackles get up with all that crease-jostling. #NotAsDirtyAsItSounds

But on a more upbeat note, my "3rd jersey" came in and I had it last night at practice. This is ironic because I don't even have my standard jerseys yet. (Yes, it's January already...) I was thrilled though, because I was able to really custom-order the right size. The place we got them from had a goalie-cut option for each size. I'm really happy with how it fits, except for the fact that it might be *slightly* too wide, as the first and last letters of my nickname on the back are kind of in my armpits.

Have I not explained my nickname yet? I feel like I have but I just searched my own blog and didn't find it, so forgive me if in my doddering old age I'm repeating myself. Last spring the team went to a tournament in Massachusetts, and on the way passed a sign for one of the best-named-towns in the country: Belchertown. The gal I usually carpool with was instantly crowned Mayor of that town, as there is not a single practice or game during which she doesn't let loose a loud, ice-cracking belch. I wasn't along for that trip, but I did earn myself the nickname of Deputy Mayor at the next tournament, because I have apparently spent way too much time around guys in my life, and belch with the best of them. It's so attractive and ladylike, I know. So even though it looks liket he back of my 3rd jersey says "EPUTY MAYO", that's Deputy Mayor to you. BRAAAAAAAP.