Falling for Hockey

Falling for Hockey
Okay, I’ve been playing parent’s hockey for a month, now. It’s my first experience with ice hockey. This is a little side-thing that the rink offers most Saturdays for parents of kids doing hockey on the other half of the ice. It’s great exercise, some of the best I’ve ever had. But of course the skating takes some time to learn. I realized from the start that I was going to have to fall down a few times before I could start making progress. With all the pads, it wouldn’t really hurt all that much. Only problem is: I don’t fall down that much. I spent countless years with modern dance, ballet and ballroom. I’ve also over done seven years aikido, judo, kick boxing. That and five years of roller-blading, I just don’t go down that easily. I’ve tumbled down stairs and landed on my feet. So here is where good balance works against me. No fall—no progress. But on the sixth session, I finally went down, and it felt great. I fell twice, and by the end, I could feel the skills unlocking in me. But the best fall was at the end. I tried to swing my legs back over the rail, the way the big boys do. First swing, but my leg didn’t go high enough. Second—turns out my legs were too tight after practice so when I threw one up, the other followed close behind. People on the other side of the wall just saw my legs go up and my head go back in high vaudeville style. It was the funniest thing they’d seen in ages. I can only imagine. I’m just glad someone saw it.