Ice hockey

Updated: 2023-05-19T13:07:02.765Z

I think I started playing ice hockey when I was like five years old. I played travel youth ice hockey mainly for the Mid-Fairfield Blues out of Darien Ice Rink, but one season (I think 1998–99) I played for the Southern Connecticut Stars out of Milford Ice Pavillion. Youth ice hockey was so much fun. I especially loved playing in the travel tournaments (like the ones at Lake Placid and Providence, RI) and playing knee hockey in the hallways outside our hotel rooms. In high school: at Staples High School, I played one season of varsity ice hockey, and at Kent School, I played one season of junior varsity (JV) ice hockey and then two seasons of varsity ice hockey. In college: I played junior varisty ice hockey, which was basically like club ice hockey, and I tried to walk on to the varisty team a few times but never made it, although I did score once during a scrimmage one year, and I got to play with Alex Killorn a bit. Since college, I haven't really been playing ice hockey that much. Sometimes, I go to rinks that have stick time and practice my skills. It's a great way to exercise.

Here I am on 2017 November 17 practicing my skills during stick time at Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport, CT. My mom came to watch and did some filming with her iPhone. Thanks, Mom! :-)

Warming up

Shooting

Let's call this the Walter Gretzky drill because Wayne Gretzky said his dad (Walter) would do this drill with him. Walter would shoot a puck around the boards and have Wayne go get it. I think this was one of Walter's ways of teaching Wayne to go not where the puck is but where it's going to be. Unfortunately, I miss 100% of the shots I take. Also, my skates were super dull, and I wasn't wearing all my pads, so I took extra care on the turn by the boards.

Walter Gretzky drill continued. Wayne Gretzky said Gordie Howe told him to work on his backhand.

Stickhandling 1

Stickhandling 2