The Racer

We don’t try to out run our opponents; we outlast and outsmart them on the road as well in the marketplace. The toughest opponent in both cases is found in your head. One must master the course, the conditions with an eye on the clock.

What makes a jogger soon turn into a racer? A trait found in both women and men is their need for autonomy: with a strong desire to be their own boss, self-battling, and inward looking loner, Hearing the still quite voice calling us racers foreword.  A race in not meant to be a comfortable run, but to press the previous limit, that is pace, leg turnover ,and meters per second. It is not about time, for time takes care of itself.

My heart for the children

"When you grow up your heart dies." from the Breakfast Club movie

" Do not think you are, know you are." from Matrix the movie

From the Breakfast Club, "Why are you nice to me? Because you are letting me."

and " Don't forget about me."

Wilson on the Way

Wilson on the Way

How does Wayne Gretsky know where to skate? What is a training method?

First know where all the players are on the ice at any one give time when you are on the ice.

To practice this go to public skating and skate with the group skating around the ice rink. Pick one

person and watch him or her move in your view and mentally when not in your view( a mental image behind

 you). After this is has been accomplished pick another person. Work with both skater in view and out of

sight.

more later

Wilson on the Way

Wilson on the Way

For the Grandchildren




Play low and hit hard first

If you are going to fight ...start quickly with no hesitation



One day the devil was having a sale, hawking his many diabolical tools of the trade. On display, with their price tags attached, were all the devil's tools and weapons: The arrows of jealousy, the hammer of anger, the dagger of worry, the slingshot of doubt, the axe of hatred and numerous others.

But one tool stood out above them all. Displayed prominently on a pedestal high above the rest of his wares was showcased, "The Wedge of Discouragement."

The shopper was Intrigued by this little tool, which was dented and worn with use, this curious shopper inquired about the price, because the wedge cost was more than all the other tools combined.

"Ah ,yes," said the devil, "THAT is my favourite tool of all. You see, it's so easy to use. It hardly takes any effort. All I have to do is get the very tip of the wedge into my victim and the rest is easy. Once the wedge is in, I just tap it ever so slightly and it slides in deeper and deeper.

"Sometimes I don't have to do anything - my victims drive the wedge in deeper all by themselves! A small opening soon becomes a gaping crack, making room for the rest of my tools. Before you know it, my wedge has completely split a person's dreams, hopes and aspirations in two."

"That's why the wedge of discouragement commands such a high price - because it's my most effective tool. It has opened more doors for me than all my other tools combined."

Wilson on the Way

Wilson on the Way

I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.” Wayne Gretsky

“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”


― Wayne Gretzky

The rules for contact

Wilson on the Way

Legal contact in non-checking:a defenseman may maintain his or her established lane or ice space. He/She should focus on stealing the puck with little regard for making contact to the foreword. Jousting for the puck in front on the net or along the board is legal using strength balance , and ability to establish position with again focusing on the puck. Summary: keeping focus on the puck and not the body of another player both may joule for the position and puck.

She shoots and she scores

Wilson on the Way

On shooting the puck for right handed shooters Thursday, February 23, 2012
Wrist shot:
Always start practicing in slow motion until the flow becomes automatic.
The puck is swept across the front of the body
The wrist shot: the puck is started off the back skate and travels the distance through a point that is your inseam distance away from the front foot and on toward the target. The puck is no farther than your inseam distance from a line drawn between the front and back skate

The top hand is on the upper end and the lower hand is half way down the shaft
There is a scissors action with the arms so your forward hand (top) must be able to clear your body as it drives to the rear of your body. (Check the length of the stick)
The scissors action begins
The weight is on the back leg and as the sweep begins the weight is rolled forward quickly until all the weight is as far forward as possible towards the target with the back skate is at least two feet off the ice.
To shoot low point the blade of the stick low, finish high for a high shot
Never shoot at the boards/ if necessary pick a small spot to aim at.
Look for red, the red goal posts. Aim just inside the post
A good follow through is important in many sports as well as a proper wrist shot in ice hockey

Playing and sharing

Wilson on the Way

Sunday February 19 Billings MT

Playing a loose puck against the boards is a good skill to learning and practice. My method is to play the closest opponent first by positioning my back side between her and the loose puck, that will require her to skate around me to retrieve the puck. Once in that position I will cup the puck between my skates and decide to use my stick or skates to gain control. I also us the boards to my advantage. For I play in a low position and use my lower body strength to maneuver.

Wisdom on the Ice

Wilson on the Way


THE FLYER'S BIBLE
These simple rules spelled success for the Philadelphia Flyer's during the tenure of Fred Shero and they can make the difference between winning and losing. Coach Shero would tell his players to write down the rules they broke during a game 5 times. It wasn't even necessary for him to mention players' names -- they knew who they were.

1. NEVER GO OFFSIDE ON A 3 ON 1, OR A 2 ON 1 -- THIS IS LIKE BACKCHECKING FOR THE OTHER TEAM.

2. NEVER THROW A PUCK OUT BLINDLY FROM BEHIND YOUR OPPONENT'S NET.

3. NEVER PASS DIAGONALLY IN YOUR OWN ZONE UNLESS 100% CERTAIN.

4. WINGS ON WINGS BETWEEN THE BLUE LINES.- THIS ELIMINATES THE FREE MAN RECEIVING A PASS.

5. THE SECOND MAN MUST GO ALL THE WAY FOR THE REBOUND.- COME IN 10 FEET BEHIND THE PUCK CARRIER LINED UP WITH THE MIDDLE OF THE NET WITH YOUR STICK ON THE ICE-STAY FOCUSED!

6. WHEN WAITING IN FRONT OF THE OPPONENT'S NET, FACE THE PUCK AT ALL TIMES AND LEAN ON YOUR STICK.

7. WHEN THE PUCK CARRIER IS OVER CENTER WITH NO ONE TO PASS TO, AND NO SKATING ROOM, HE MUST SHOOT THE PUCK IN.

8. NO FORWARD MUST EVER TURN HIS BACK TO THE PUCK AT ANY TIME.

9. NO PLAYER IS ALLOWED TO POSITION HIMSELF MORE THAN TWO ZONES FROM THE PUCK.

10. NEVER ALLOW MEN IN OUR DEFENSIVE ZONE TO BE OUTNUMBERED.

11. WHEN THE OPPONENT'S PENALTY IS ALMOST UP, EVERY PLAYER SHOULD KNOW WHO IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

From the Worcester Crusaders web site.
Home Team Page Roster Rinks Schedules News Links Contact Us

The belt buckle

Last Sunday was a wonderful time on the ice. We had four player per side. This opens up the ice for practicing new moves. We had a player show up late who is very good with the puck. He can go up and down without little challenge in a non checking game. My mind drifted back to Edsel Ford High School an as a junior playing football. As a player on defense  we were taught never look at what the ball carrier is doing or faking. Let everything go and connect with his or her belt buckle area. The offensive player can make all kinds of fakes , but the belt buckle area will not move. So that is the area I focused on and his tricks were eliminated on my encounters with him.

Some running

Wilson on the Way

I just returned from some time running in the back country. I train myself with 400 and 800 meter repeats. Two of these courses have grade elevation. I have developed this training to equal twice the time I will skate on a hockey game shift. A short walk equals the time sitting on the bench. I do these workouts for the full ice time of a game. To further increase my endurance I will hike hills for twice the game time duration or about two hours. Just sharing this information.

The power starts a the ball

Wilson on the Way

The foreword movement starts with weight on the ball of the foot ,then cuts the ice with the inside edge of the front of the blade drawing a capital C on the left side and reverse C on the right. The oppsite knee must be bent. Speed comes from the turn over.

Holding the stick

Wilson on the Way

Holding a hockey stick is similar to the placement of hands on the golf club. Firm and relaxed is the feel. The butt end of the stick is placed in the palm with the little finger and third close together . These two fingers control the stick. Apply extra firmness. The second and index finger are wraped around to form a V on the top of the shaft along with the thumb. This is the golf V grip, like shaking hands. With your stick at your side with blade on the ice you can look down and see the V. Then place your lower hand on the stick and lower it until the lower elbow comes in contact with the upper hand.. Next move in to the hockey stance and center your upper hand in the middle of you body at your belt buckle.

Wilson on the Way

Wilson on the Way

Sunday in Red Lodge MT at 9:30 skating backwards and the Slap Shot with review of

past information

Go Giants

How to hold the stick

How is the stick to be held? The top hand, start by shaking hands with the stick and place the butt end in the back of the palm with last two finger  on the very end together and firm. With the wrist slightly down. The little finger and the third control the stick. 

to be continued

Between practices, games on dry land

What can I do at home between practices and games. One stick and one puck on
a  rough dry surface a player can develop strength and touch by using the top
hand position on the stick handle. Push the puck to the right and roll  the wrist and cup puck to catch and angle the blade toward the direction of the path of the puck
then push right and cup . Start six inches  wide and extend to thirty inches.
Change hands and keep the new hand on the top of the stick.
Rolling  the wrist and  cupping the puck. The length from the center of the body
should be as far out as one can control the puck glide.

Under construction

How to hold the hockey stick

Next to come

How to hold the hockey stick

Passing / receiving the puck

Sweep pass, snap pass, and flip passes to follow.

Some things learned this week

I have played shinny hockey in Red Lodge many time this winter.
We play with next to no pads. The body is free to flow without
competing with bulky pants, elbow pads, shin guards, and shoulder
pads.My personal game has increased mobility. This allows me to
be more competitive. Now for my big surprise, in Billings wearing
full equipment I struggled to obtain the free flow I gained in Red Lodge.
I need to give this some farther thought.
January 24,2012.

How to play left wing

The left wing in ice hockey

1.     The game begins with a face off at center ice. The left wing is to cover the opponent’s right wing until one team takes possession of the puck.

If the opposing team takes possession, then defensive play is put into action.

2.     The left wing playing defense in (his or her) area will be to move within the neutral zone to the top of his or her left defensive circle. Task is to play their opponent’s right defense player at the blue line and cover any player in the left wings 12 to 20 ft distance from the left boards.

See attached drawing

3.     Never go into the corner unless you can take 100% possession of the puck.

As you team gains possession of the puck the left wing changes to an offense foreword. Skating fast along the left boards with these options

4.     Skate fast to be in a position to receive a pass

5.     If the left wing has control of the puck

6.     Look for a player in a better position and pass the puck ahead

7.     If No player to pass to, skate with the puck

8.     * never make a pass for the sake of making a pass

9.     Last resort shoot on goal and go for a rebound

*The line (center and two wings) should have a pre plan for entering the offensive zone.

10.   If the Puck is in right  offensive corner or side

11.  Take the position 15’ out from the goal post on your side and 15’ to the boards. Try to bring the right defense men away from the net.

12.  The puck is in the left corner go get it and fight hard for ownership

13. Your team loses the puck in the offense zone ,quickly back check, back check to pick up and cover the opposing player on your side.

What is fore checking for the left wing? If possible impede the puck from coming out of the offensive zone. Create a turnover.

The object of ice hockey is to shoot the puck on goal: shoot, shoot, and shoot. Many goals are scored on rebounds.

When you shoot follow the line on the puck for a rebound and a second attempt to score.

The Skate

Today way a wonderful day to skate on my 12 x 28 rink. My thoughts went to the blades
and the boot with laces.Look at your skate. What is the radius hollow, blade radius, and
blade pitch. How high do you lace up, how firm are laces?

From my friends wisdom, lets talk. Laces, extra lace should never be wrapped around the
ankle. As you lace up your boot have the bottom  2/3 laces firm with the top 1/3 some
what tighter. The height of the top lace should facilitate  your style of skating. At public
skating try different heights.

I use a western boot pullers to tight lace on a cold day.

My skate sitting flat on the ice only touches the diameter of a dime. I chose quick,
sharp turning over speed.

A flat small stone or a copper penny can remove nicks on the blades.                                                             
Rub from heel to toe along each side of the blade.

Where the game begins.

The Pond

Henry David Thoreau went to Walden Pond to live deliberately.
Let us go to the pond to play ice hockey deliberately.

If you play ice hockey you never grow up.  Billy Smith , New York Islanders

The Face-off

Face-off tips
1.Watch the refs hand and move quickly, aline your stick 6 inches above your opponents
stick, as the puck drops move your blade quickly forward,then turn the blade toward the
side to be drawn.

2.Lean on your stick and hold tight and block your opponents stick and then draw
the puck back.

3.If she slaps at your stick just lift yours and then gain control of the puck.

4.Once a game block the center and have your wing retrieve the puck.

5.Push the puck through the legs of the opponent and skate around to retrieve the puck

How to play the off side wing

Hello  A short trip to New York City and Madison Square Gardens  to view  Rangers vs. Senators
Quite a few players chose to play the off side wing. How they player their chosen position was to face the location of the puck. The stick face was against the boards. What makes playing this position  well is knowing your team mates and having talked the options in difference situations. At this position you can take a pass on both the forehand and back. A big plus is seeing more of the goal opportunity when breaking in on the net.

This will be a new drill  

The Hockey Stick

The Stick. One size doesn't fit all players. Does your stick feel like it is apart of your arm extension or is it like a club? Unbalanced,weighty,too sift,to long or short,with the wrong lie for your skating style.

The shadow test, set your body in line with the sun as it crosses the ice. With the stick at a 90 degree angle to the line of the sun.Take your hockey stance. Look to see if any light appears from heal to toe.the blade should flat on the ice with no light appearing.
 

Stickhandling for my friends in CC

Speaking of Stickhandling … 4-Jan-12

The act of sliding the puck foreword at acceleration, then manipulating the puck to avoid opponents and deceive the goaltender, this is the art of stickhandling.

”Know thyself”…and your equipment.

Inspect equipment for any part that does not allow free flow of hands, shoulders, and forearms. Gloves must have soft with pliable palm. Elbow pads and shoulder pads are other areas that restrict flow…

The stick must be the extension of the arms with sensitivity of the tips of your fingers.

Page 26

Practice Rock around the Clock drill and the triangle drill.

Lets press on

 Notes from "Born to Run"

Eat like you are poor…85 % vegetables

Smile and play while you are running

Practice abundance by giving back

Improve personal relationships

Show integrity in your value system

Live lean/build in your soul

Think easy and soft with quick feet

Don’t fight the trail or course

Take what it gives you

Use pity pat steps. When running steep grades use two short steeps and running with rocks three steeps

Back must be keep straight

Beware of tricksters

Travel

· Light

· Smooth

· Fast

· Tippy toe steps

“To live with ghosts requires solitude.” Michael Anne

The best runners leave no footsteps Tao Teh Ching

Speed work on the track every other day

“The only thing going on is pure flow.”

Just finish the run

Your shoes must be light and flexible

Shoe block pain, not impact

Pain teaches us to run comfortable notes from Born to Run. Christopher McDougall

My game/ revisited

The Detroit game August 30, 2011

“He shoots… and he scores,” than turns to see who get the assists while skating to the scoring table. That was Detroit ice Hockey of the 60’s, what a game. Full body checking with heads up action. The rule: a player could take two strides and check a player with the puck or if he passed it away he was liable for a body check until the puck was touched by one of his players. Also two strides were allowed for a board check. The players who choose keep the puck and not pass was the target of five defensive players. The hands, stick, and elbows are in the down position. The player skated with the head up. The amateur game off no checking has lost the beauty and necessary team skills.

Stretching is not warming up

1. You have to be hot to stretch.

2. Strength, not gravity develops flexibility.

3. Sports do not get us in shape. In fact sport gets us out of shape.

4. All injury is sport is caused by structural and muscular imbalance (save contact with other).

5. Muscular imbalance and structural irregularities don’t fix themselves.

6. Even iron will bend if you heat it up.

7. Stopping training doesn’t correct imbalance.

8. No matter how fit you are at what you do, when you start something new you have to ease into it.

9. Stretching does not equal warming up.

Works Cited

Birch, Beryl Bender. Power Yoga. New York: Fireside, 1995.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

It is Thanksgiving the wonderful game ice hockey begins

Handle the puck daily

Turn off volume and watch ice hockey on TV. Visualize the player’s moves, where do they look, and pass.

This winter team play will return. The Montreal Canadians were the best passing team in the original six 1950’s-60’s this equated to many victory, Stanley Cups, and inducted Hall of Fame players.