Side-to-Side and Power Glide

Readership,

What do you do when you need a good work-out, but still can't get a full work-out on skates cos you find yourself crawling about more than actually skating?  I found a piece of equipment that is supposedly found in various hockey training facilities (though judging by their instructional video, it might've been found in the Hurricanes training room for a little while a few years back), a piece of equipment I'm only knocking because the promotional content for it is not that timeless and because it reminded me of a product I recalled seeing on TV back in the mid-90s.  The Power Glide (or Glider...or Slide...what the hell was it called? I can't find it anywhere).  I just remember seeing this typical body builder fella sliding back and forth on a thin strip of plastic.

This is essentially that...only on a bigger scale: the Goaler One G1 Extreme.

Apparently there have been rather favorable reviews on it as a training tool used to help strengthen muscle memory associated with skating, and that is exactly what I need...since I don't have synthetic ice in my basement (although the thought did enter my mind)!. I found one of these on eBay for a hefty amount cheaper than the suggest retail value, then found some of the goalie pad covers at an online retailer much cheaper than I found them being sold on eBay.  Oh, online shopping - I've found it's practically the only way to find goalie equipment when you live in the South. Risky when it comes to ordering rather pricey items for something you barely know how to do, but it's a risk I'm willing to take (thanks to Return Policies - the jock strap of online shopping).

The Goaler One G1 Extreme came in handy, especially when I figured out one of the troubles I was having with my skates was the skates were rockered for turning - NOT GOOD for beginning skaters.  I began investigating in inline goalie skates, only to find there were more wheels, shorter wheels and in a nice straight line. Hmm...lateral movement is a bit crap for inline skates, isn't it?

As I keep using the G1, me thinks I should just toss out the idea of inline all together, find a pair of goalie skates and hit up Centennial Sportsplex one morning. Any suggestions?  I did begin working on T-Stops and butterfly movements in the inline skates thanks to this lovely book: Hockey Goaltending by Brian Daccord. The link should take you to the updated 2nd edition that comes with a DVD.  I had the previous edition for a little while due in part to that little seedling in the back of my head that told me I should've been doing this all along - too bad I didn't listen to it until now!

So much for regrets! It's time to slide!

Cheers.

Goalie A Go Go: It begins.

Readership,

Welcome to what I hope you will find to be an entertaining ["synonyms": hilarious, embarrassing, amusing, hopeful, or - depending on the size of your heart that day - boring] journey of a complete hockey novice (physically) and his attempt at turning himself into a Keeper of the Crease.

"Why? You're too old to make a career of it. You're 28 fer friksakes! And you've only skated for about an hour and a half in your entire life!"

Well, Debbie Downer, it's never to late to start! I am sick and tired of just waiting on rumor leaks and news trickling down from a countless list of sources and websites.  As much as I love immersing myself in daily hockey news...at times like these [see: off-season] I need more.  Sure, I can go back and watch old games and YouTube clips of up and coming prospects, but that IS NOT ENOUGH.

Bauer skates: $30. Skating lessons from a roller derby girl: Priceless.

It always starts with a New Year's resolution, doesn't it? This one began a little bit prior to New Year's Day, and didn't technically begin until April of this year (I allowed the full-time job to mutate into a "reason" to not fix-up a pair of inline skates I snagged on eBay and get to forcing myself to learn how to skate)...

And then that little flood happened - forcing money I was already using and saving towards that long laundry list of goalie equipment - and having to lock that down in order to fix my once finished-basement.  A rather large inconvenience fiscally ending up proving to be convenient this past month [see caption] 

Take out the wet & molding carpet and voila -- indoor rink.

Before the ground could completely dry, previous engagements and interests (or in this case: non-refundable plane tickets and sublet agreements from Feb.) in New York City kept me from taking care of anything.  Thus, I was whisked to the Big Apple for June, to test my street smarts in the Red Hook projects, challenge my tongue against the hot sauce at Mamoun's Falafel (I did not falter), to hook back up with old music-making geniuses from Murfreesboro and find out how they've been living in Brooklyn for the last three years and to hit up as many team equipment sales as possible...oh...and to go to my sister's engagement party.

I would very much hate to leave my hockey-loving friends and Preds bloggers behind, but I would think they'd understand if it were primarily for professional reasons.  I know I'll never make a career out of this [see: modesty; screw that - I'm totally shooting for SPHL back-up, baby!], so a career in VO (voice-overs) or perhaps even comedy would make more sense...which makes a move to NYC make much more sense.  Oh...and hockey is already so prevalent that there are many adult leagues and classes...which is nice.  And you can find goalie equipment in stores...which is also very nice. And to have the ability to name something (anything) and be able to be in a place that has it in one 20-minute train ride - too nice.  I'm very curious to see where I'll be on this journey come next summer. I might be in NYC by then, dining on the best falafel at 4AM after shutting out a Lower D-league team in Manhattan.  Or I might still be right here, saving up for that big move, all the while attending a Mitch Korn class (which is most likely better than any goalie class up North).

We're all just going to have to find out, won't we?

Cheers.



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The next post or two will detail more of what has been going on that over the summer that relates to getting the body and mind into shape.  Also, if you're not familiar with my SeePuckCity blog, the links strewn throughout link you to referential articles or humorous pictures and videos.  You don't have to click on them, but if you do, you may get a chuckle or an insight to what I'm typing on about.  You may be offended.  You may not care either way.  I'm just telling you the set-up.

What else is in store?  A store!  I, like most people in their 20's who aren't part of the aristocracy, enjoy t-shirts that support like-minded causes or those that are just funny.  I've got many in the works at the moment including a nice big version of my logo at the top of the blog.  If you think you may have seen the helmet/wings logo before, I have posted it recently while attempting to design goalie sticks for a contest at www.goaliestore.com under my "NoShow" moniker.  What with all the logo thievery that's been going on as of late, I figured I'd clear that air as we got this show on the road! Lots of ideas to unfold and lots of skating to be done...and then...everything else!