Did you ever have a "click" moment

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Just curious. I am pretty new to hockey, within a year, and took some skating lessons, and have been going to stick and puck and the likes. I have always felt like I was slowly improving, but still somewhat shakey on parts of it, and liable to fall on my ass at any given moment without notice.

But this past weekend at stick and puck, it sort of fell together.

Firstly, the stick and puck is at 7am on a saturday morning, perfect for me, because I get up early, and there is usually only 10-15 guys there, so plenty of ice to practice with.

Anyway, I have had a routine where I will spend the first 20 or so minutes just skating the circles, trying to improve.

This week, something felt different, there was a stability to my edges that I don't think I had before, my crossovers were smoother, I actually felt like my hockey stops would stop me, not throw me tit over arse on my head.

It was almost like a jump in progress, whereas before now, it had been small somewhat unspectacular improvements.

I came home really excited, the last 30 minutes I was skating round, just with the puck, shooting occasionally. I hit the crossbar on one of my shots, which would be a disappointment to most, but I had trouble getting my shots up with any power as well, and the stability on my feet helped that also, I felt like I scored a big goal with that crossbar clang.

Anyway, what I was wondering was, is this normal, is there just a point where you go "aha, THIS is hockey!!"

I obviously still have a long way to go, and to people who are naturals on the ice, if they read what I describe and saw what I was like on the ice would think, "who is he kidding".

But something clicked, and I am better, and more excited about hockey than ever.

Did this happen to you, or is small progressions the norm?

Cheers, and sorry if I bored you all

[mrusse01 0]

I remember certain days when things seemed to 'click'. One of my earliest memories is the day I 'learned' how to skate on my own, I think I was 4 or 5 and it was on a pond near my house. Other than that I can recall when I figured out how to stop both ways, when I figured out backward crossovers, and when I really felt I was stong enough to get some good snap on my shot.

You are always learning though, I must admit I don't work on skating much anymore other than for fitness, but I still practice one-timers, saucer passes, and mostly positioning/strategy after playing for 18 years or so.

[chk hrd 164]

the small progressions are what make you better. I think everyone has those small moments but, as you found out, that is something that keeps you interested.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

See, I was a late starter, I only moved here from Ireland in 2000, prior to that, hockey was something played on a field, by women in skirts.

I got here, got addicted to the sport and decided I would start playing.

I never thought of those who have been skating their whole lives, I guess in that instance the "click" becomes more distant as you get completely comfortable on the ice.

It's a great feeling, hope I don't regress to falling on my ass again next session at the rink (tonight!!)

Starting hockey as an almost 30 something, the clicks are like a sports car for those midlife crisis moments!! :)

[mnitishin 0]

i felt that about 3 years ago when i just went and skated at the rink. its a great feeling, and hopefull it will keep you interested. too many people just give up on hockey because they're are not immediatly great.

[forbs02 20]

I didn't start playing until I was 16... which is pretty late by MN standards. I once spent an entire summer stickhandling and rollerblading. When I got back on the ice that fall it was the first time I felt entirely comfortable and in control. I suppose you could say it was my 'click' moment. All of a sudden I was competing instead of just being in the way. :P

[millertime99 0]

this is why hockey is so great...it takes years to master..anyone can run...but it takes years to learn to skate then to shoot then to stickhandle..i learned to play basketball in a year and i was decent...for someone to begin hockey and become decent in a year is kindve unheard of

[Langenbrunner15 0]

When I was younger, just learning to skate well on my own. I was on the pond(lake)...and just learned to do a transition(front-to backwards skating) and it felt all good!

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Learning to stop both ways was my first click moment. The second was proboly when after over a year of playing I finally found a stick+technique combo that allowed me to get a semi decent slapshot (sometimes). Whats cool is, I still think (and know) that my slapshot (pretty much) sucks (still) and I can improve on it so much. Its like everyone few is real good and saucers and is hard, and the rest suck. Its cool, you can constantly improve your game by playing.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

All of a sudden I was competing instead of just being in the way. :P

You summed up in one sentence what I babbled on for several trying to say.

Thats exactly it. I feel now like I am part of the game, not just standing there taking up a jersey

[Fire0nIce228 1]

Probobly the second best feeling to a click feeling is when you feel as if your team needs you. And not just your coach saying "go sit in the sin bin for so and so." Like, my first 2 years I pretty much was 3rd 4th line. Then, you get better and maybe start a game here and there, and then you start getting to penalty kill (which I think is more responsibility than PP) or play in clutch situations. Awesome feeling. And, for example, I'm hoping to play at my college this fall, so I'll be able to have that feeling of going from 3rd and 4th line to higher up as I progress through school.

[Allsmokenopancake 0]

Also, starting to justify my gear whoring now!!!

[ktang 34]

When I finally got my slapshot to go, more or less, after 4 years of trying. I was 7 or 8 at the time.

When I finally got the backwards crossovers to the left. I was 12 or 13.

When I finally got the timing of the D-D-F regroup. I was at least 15.

When I finally got the butterfly slide. I was 35. I had played G as an emergency.

I am converting from F to D now because I am almost 40. I actually thought I was already 40. I know what to do, but then the brain locks up. I am sure that I will be able to work through this too, and have fun doing it.

Thanks for your stories.

[gavin 0]

Sometimes I think I've been playing for so long I can't remember any "click" moment, but if you think about it even NHLers have those times. Like Lupul scoring 4 goals. Like Huet playing outta his mind.

When I because the biggest/fastest/best puck controller on my college team, moved to D and started playing PK, PP and double shifting, that is really the time that I felt some clicks.

[technophile 0]

I had a slapshot click a few games ago. It's my weakest area, but I'd been practicing it during warmup and it finally clicked that I needed to move my lower hand down further on the shaft. I took a slapshot that game that was exactly what I wanted: low, flat, just inside the post. The goalie blocked it, but at the next shift change one of the forwards told me it was a great shot, which was a first. Our last game (the championship game) I had a couple of good chances where a scrum in front of the net resulted in the puck popping into the high slot and gave me the chance to step into a slapshot, and I put both of them right on net. I feel like I can actually make a scoring contribution from the blue line now instead of just keeping the puck in the zone and playing good defense.

Early in the season I used to pass as soon as anyone challenged me. I used to stickhandle in stick&puck etc, but in games I was so scared of getting stripped and giving up a breakaway that I just got rid of the puck instead. Halfway through the season I started stickhandling sometimes (not all the time, just sometimes) and realized that I could beat a lot of guys, that if I ducked my head thus and moved my stick so, I could go right around him and create a chance for a forward to get a breakaway. That really clicked for me, and resulted in my first assist.

For most of the season, if we had a clutch situation like a PP/PK, my partner and another defenseman would be out on the ice. Lately I've been getting more chances, and two games ago--in the playoffs--we ended up tied and going into 4-on-4 overtime. We took a penalty a few minutes in, and I got tapped to play on the 4-on-3 (where we scored a shorthanded goal to win the game). At that point I really felt like I'd arrived, like my whole team trusted me to go out in a clutch situation and make a difference. It was an awesome feeling (especially when we won ;)).

[gavin 0]

I had a slapshot "click" moment too... I did a one-timer last December from the point, went STRAIGHT 5-hole, where I wanted it. The goalie closed the 5-hole just in time, but it was one of those shots... we were up on the team and just putting pressure to keep a lead, and my teammates were like "great job at the point!" and my partener and I were kinda like heros because of a few great shifts.

Since then I've scored a couple goals with cannons from the point. :)

[sonsplayhockey 0]

yea, when our team switched to another bear league and dropped a division. Playing people at your own level made everyone click.

Skating wise back when I was learning cross overs, one day I just committed to the edge and worked 1 solid hour on cross overs 2 to the right , 2 to the left. Until then, I never did a cross over during the game. Made me more mobile getting to the puck. I spent the previous season just playing and not working on my skating and that stagnated me. Gotta practice something new before you can do it man.

[pantherfan 0]

^^Thats true i remember when i was little and didnt think being able to stop both ways would matter but once i learnt to do it i could tell it made a difference

[DarkStar50 679]

I started "playing" hockey when I was 12 on the pond, then going to rent the rink with buddies was a big deal we progressed to. Played some house league, by my 20s it was pick-up hockey with the same guys every Thursday and more mens league. I played as often as I could but I think my click moment came around 27 years old! The game got easier and I got more confident. I always said I played a long time before I got any "good" at it. I always measured myself against the better players. That was how I knew I had a lot of work to do. Now I'm almost 50 and feel like I can play better than when I was younger. Not faster, just better.

[Reaper 0]

All of a sudden I was competing instead of just being in the way. :P

Being in the way is like 75% of my game. It's how I compete. :D

[Ti-girl 0]

All the time.

Small victories are the best.

[sogaduch 0]

i had one happen a few yrs ago at a game of shinny where every move i made and pretty much every shot i take was solid. i was doing moves i never thought i could ever do. thats one game where everything clicked i loved that game and people from work who were playing were going wow did somone turn the finnish switch on in your head instead of it just being all swedish no finnish

[thejackal 46]

I played 3 vs 3 2 summers ago. First game i sucked it up and didnt do didly. Second game i had maybe 6-7 shots, a crapload of chances, but only one goal. After that I started scoring more often than i ever did and ended as my team's leading scorer.

[jeffw 1]

I'm in my fifth year now, age 38. Every once in awhile I'll come off the ice after a shift & realize I've just done something I've never been able to do before, or after a game remember one thing that stood out.

This past Sunday I went into the corner with the best forward on the other team, battled with him along the boards for the puck and came out with it clean, dished it back to the defenseman who shot & scored. Like the other guys said, I'm getting to the point where I feel like a contributing member of the team instead of a pylon, lol.

Last week I scored to tie the game in the third and it was the first time that I was more excited that our team got a goal than I was about me putting one in.

[bwear 0]

I'm 38, just started skating in Jan, started beginner league in March, so I'm definitely getting a late start, but I had a great "click" moment about a month ago during a stick and puck when I just decided to keep working at trying to figure out the backwards crossovers and finally got them...

I came home so excited and told my wife how great it was and she had absolutely no idea... she finally caught on when we were out to dinner a week later with a friend of hers who had figure-skated when she was younger and when I told her, she got all excited, as well, and told my wife that that was huge!

Great moment and made me feel like I'm definitely improving... I play D, so I'm now working a ton on my slap shot, which I'm making slow progress on, but Monday during stick and puck, I actually hit a couple that felt just right and actually lifted off the ice, so I'm hoping that click comes soon.