Playing at a fast pace...and keeping track of the others on the ice

[stevenmeier]

Hello,

I do have some kind of odd questions.

Last February I started playing again (after 20 years of not playing).
I play in a fast paced rec league and there are always a couple of high skilled players on each team.

While it was easy for me too keep up with the speed I found it quite difficult to keep track on what was going on around me.

So right now I think that while my body is giving a 100% my head obviously isn't as calm and cool as I wish. Once I slow the pace down a bit everything is fine (except for the fact that the fast pace of the game doesn't allow it most of the time).

Has anyone been in a similar situtation?

Do you think this is simply due to a lack of exercise?

My current explanation would be that my muscle memory is far from "auto-mode", meaning that while my body powers my mind has to focus on skating, stick-handling etc. as well as on keeping track of players positions, movements etc. If this was the case things will be fine with more practice. But maybe there are other aspects that I just don't see.

Hope I somehow made myself intelligible and I would be very interested in any kind of advice.

 

[rinkrat22]

I'd say give it a few games. I play in 2 draft leagues at my local rink. 1 is an over 30 rec, and 1 is an open. when the kids come home from college in the summer it always takes me a game or 2 to get my mind up to that speed. the body is there, but the decision making hasn't been pressed as much. I always adapt pretty quickly. after 20 years it may take a few more games than that for you but if you played at a decient level as a youth it'll come back. BTW I'm 40 so I'm sorta old.

 

[SCBruCrew4]

I was this way when I first started playing a year ago. I've always played pond hockey but being confined to the size of a rink shocked me at how much quicker things were. What I did honestly is just think where my team-mate SHOULD be.

Also 20 years ago the game was at a different pace. Go watch the 1980's USA vs Russia game...completely different than todays game. Your body can keep up but I think the game itself became faster.

 

[stevenmeier]

thanks for your replies!

I have never thought about the fact that the game has become faster, might definitely a point why I was having trouble adapting.

Compared to back in the day I also noticed how much worse slashing/stick lifting etc. has become.

 

[Oh_so_saad]

its really just saddle time. the more you play the better you get. the more you play with better people you have new oppurtunities and outlets that you might not have realized. i always try to explain this to newbies/ intermediete players just because your first avilable option might not be open doesnt mean there isnt 3 others.

 

[RussianBum86]

Playing with better players will always open up more opportunities to pass or create plays.

 

[ponder]

Just keep playing, and focus on keeping your head up at all times.

 

[Wilch]

Know who's on the ice. There are guys who play very aggressive around the boards, and sometimes even reckless.

 

[Jarick]

To an extent you can catch up, and it will help if/when you drop down again. You just have to learn to anticipate things and do things a lot quicker.

I think for most hockey players, even at the NHL level, the speed of the game is the thing that weeds them out. There's a lot of guys with crazy skill who are stuck in the minors because they can't react quick enough in the NHL. Same thing all the way down to the lowest beer league levels.