Breakfast Club: Week Seven

It was a meat and potatoes type of day on the ice today. We worked on skating and puck handling. Do you touch the puck that much when playing in a league? I sure don’t. Carrying the puck while accelerating through a turn, passing, look for the rebound … he scores! Ronnie got a workout today in net. Only one ‘she’ on the ice today. Ladies, where were you? There are no days off, hockey’s first!

Pivoting, backward skating, crossunders, all the things that humble most players, we got a full dose of that today. Crossunders, reaching with your right foot, set the toe of your left foot to set up for another crossunder. It works if you can do it right. Balance, Balance, Balance on backward skating, bend your knees, don’t lean forward, keep doing it and you’ll find the balance point. Don’t think when you improve your backward skating, your forward skating gets any better also – balance and body position. Anyway, I try to remember the key points from Coach Lyle when he’s not ripping on me. He knows I work harder when he does that.

Ol’ Scottie was back on the ice today making his presence known. I like it when he’s around because it takes a little heat off me from the coaching staff. Remember skating at the Joe next Tuesday – you’ve got to do that! It’s something to experience … from the behind the scene areas of the Joe, sitting on the bench, playing on the ice. It’s a cool feeling. We have two for next week, so don’t miss Wednesday because you skated on Tuesday. Remember, hockey first.

I was talking with Kevin today and this is his first year skating in the Breakfast Club. He started as his two kids are skating and playing. He helps out with his son’s mite team and now better understands what is being taught to the kids. Not only does the BC help with your on-ice skills, it helps with your overall knowledge of the game. See you at the Joe Tuesday. Kirk out.

Breakfast Club: Week Six

Well I didn't have the "A" game going today (some might say when do you ever have your A game?). I was waiting for things to turn around, but no Miracle on Ice for me today. Oh well, just gut it out. I even got that look from Lyle saying "Hey, Kirk have you ever thought about being a guest on the Dr. Phil show? You would fit right in."

Excellent drills today! Good thing Scottie O was out today because the first drill with four puck carriers at center ice had his name all over it. He could have taken three people out in one play, sort of like a strike in bowling. Where were you today Scottie? Hockey comes first brother, let's get it together. Oh, Laura S, no one noticed you coming in late today, sneaking in under the radar (get it Jeff, she's short... under the radar).

What was it about that one-on-one drill, defense pivots then do two crossunders towards the puck carrier? I could not hit that one to save my life. Rusty was ripping on me all day on that one. I need to work on that, that is definitely game-situation stuff. This is Rusty's first year in the program; he's enjoying it as he's been playing in leagues for a few years. Like most of us, he gets to work on parts of his game at BC that he never works on during league play. You're going to need a little muscle to get Rusty off the puck; he's got a little bit of mass.

For me, the drill of the day was the board drill. Digging the puck out from the boards, this happens all game long. Doing a little assessment prior to getting to the puck really makes a difference. Another failing score for me on this one. Manthan was beating me like a drum on this. Randy and Jeff were going at it on this one, good contests. Randy left a couple of face prints on the glass as Jeff was just "playing the puck." Half-ice three-on-three at the end burned off any remaining energy in our systems.

Even though it was an off day, nothing beats starting the day on the ice. After hockey, next stop Tim Hortons, it's a Canadian thing. Actually Kwahn has caught on to the tradition, he's only been skating/playing a couple years. See you all next week, Happy Thanksgiving. Go Lions, please, will Joey be booed or cheered? Kirk out.

Breakfast Club: Week Five

We are now halfway through the fall program. Attendance was pretty good despite opening day for deer season. Would you rather be sitting in a swamp or playing hockey at sunrise? It was more skating and puck handling today. We started out with quick skating between the red and blue lines; we completed that without incident but we might as well go right to the ‘Scottie Play of the Day.’ The next drill was a one-on-one. Scottie is carrying the puck. Laura is playing “D”. He dekes right, then left and she is hanging with him. He’s running out of room so he breaks for the net. Get the video running, it’s time for “Running of the Bulls, Scottie style”. Laura takes the hit. Oh no, do we call 911 or the county morgue? Wait, she bounces back to her feet. This is like surviving a grizzly bear attack. Good job Laura! Tune in next week for another Scottie Play of the Day. He doesn’t plan it; it just happens. Oh yeah, Scottie scored in scrimmage today.

The skating skill drill of the day. Ready for this one? I can’t even explain it. Another player sits behind you, moves his stick back and forth, you jump over the stick as it passes by while you’re dribbling the puck and looking down the ice. I felt like the dog act in a three-ring circus (too bad Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus left town last week!). No way! What sicko thought this one up? I wonder … I give everyone credit for doing this one. People were doing it well, excellent coordination.

Speaking of Lyle … did you guys hear it today during the pivot drills? Drill Sergeant Lyle was loosing his voice, but he recovered, Thankfully? I think one of the worst feelings while playing hockey is when you’re playing D and the puck carrier blows by you because you didn’t power pivot with the puck carrier. Doing a power pivot without skipping a beat is a very valuable skill.

How about Ronnie our goalie today? He was the fourth coach on the ice giving tips to shooters. I didn’t even know Ronnie could talk. We ought to put him in caffeine shock before every session. I figured out there is a hierarchy in the coaching staff. We all know who’s at the top of the pyramid. Scott must be somewhere in the middle, but poor Dave. Come scrimmage time, hey rookie Dave, play goal. He didn’t even flinch. Granted we don’t have dangerous shots, but no gear playing goal? You Da’ Man Dave.

Jeff C made it twice in a row now. He must have worked things out at work. He and Randy team up a lot and are probably the better skaters on the ice. Everyone has a routine before the session. Jeff has a dozen donuts and coffee in the parking lot before class and is ready to go. This comes from years of police training. Are you guys as worn out as I am after the session? Folks, have a great week. Kirk out.

Breakfast Club: Week Four

The 4:45 a.m. alarm rolled around quick today. I dragged myself out of the house with triple strength coffee. As I made the drive to the rink, I had to get myself together. What torture will Lyle inflict upon us today? I can hear it now, "Two hard laps counter clockwise" a few seconds later "your other counter clockwise, Kirk.” Thanks for the reminder Lyle! How would that Tim Hortons coffee taste after I dipped my hockey glove in it? I get to the rink, park in the same spot, and sit in the same spot in the locker room. I’m still running on autopilot until I hit the ice.

The skating instruction plan today was crossovers, crossunders and transitions. Let's get it going. I love this stuff. Improving in these areas really adds to your game; you always remain facing the play and ready to make a play. Keep your knees bent, work your ankles and stick on the ice (STICK ON THE ICE KIRK!!).

One recommendation I have is we need to wire Scottie “the Mack truck” with a backup alarm. When he's making those wide backward turns, you need to be on high alert – any contact could be a disaster. Dave was working with us on passing techniques. Hey Dave, why does my back hurt after doing these drills? "That's because your bent over at the waist instead of bending your knees and your hands aren't in front of you.” OK thanks, I was asking for Jeff; he was too embarrassed to ask himself. Speaking of Jeff, welcome back! He missed the first three sessions, work conflicts. Answer, quit work. Maybe not, Jeff is a Waterford cop; that could come in handy one day. Then some quick skating and shots on goal. Kevin was talking up a storm again in goal today. Is there a DNA "issue" with goalies? Somebody help out here. Scrimmage time, everyone had plenty of energy left at this point; yeah right, just let it all hang out. Doug had a collision and went down hard, didn't notice if Scott was in the area.

After seven years of hearing bend your knees, I think I'm starting to listen. It really does make a difference in your ability to apply pressure to all of your edges and maintain balance and body position. I think I'm getting a fever, gotta get to the hospital now, I'm starting to talk like a Lyle-trained person. In the end, despite the slow start getting to the rink, I don't think you ever regret going to the rink, learning new things and having fun. That's a wrap folks, the boss is beating me down. See ya all next week, Kirk out.

Breakfast Club: Week Three

No one is complaining about ice time today, lots of full-ice stuff. How do those legs feel? We focused on passing and skating, lots of skating, skate-till-you-drop kind of skating. You OK Randy? We need a little oxygen on the bench.

What do you guys think of our goalie core? Good guys for goalies. Ronnie is the senior guy, Chris played last week and Kevin played today; they'll be rotating. Kevin can lay down some trash talk as you're coming in for the shot. I'll send a thank you note to his caregivers at the home for getting him up early, dressed in his goalie gear, medicated and delivered to the rink so he can play. You da man Kevin. Have a restful day. Ask the guys to loosen the straps on your straight jacket; you deserve an extra Twinkie at lunch today.

There are three women skating in the class this year; they're troopers. The Laura/Laura team was connecting pretty good on the drills today.

There was a few Scottie O alerts on the ice today, which means heads up and run for your life. Those bone-jarring earthquakes you felt today was Scott hitting the deck. Normally, he's one of the best skaters on the ice, but his skates must have been too tight today. "Down Goes Fraser", no, I wasn't near him for the trip. The hit of the day happened near the end of the session when the mad scientist Lyle tries a full-ice two-on-two drill, which was fine until he introduced another two-on-two player set at the same time, can you say train wreck, oh yeah. Scottie O slams into somebody who is still unidentified after the crash. CSI are checking dental records, needless to say Professor Lyle decided to end the experiment.

Player profile of the week is Don Jeffery, he's been playing in BC for about 10 years. He has especially picked up his game in the past three years. He's become a real threat when we play together on Tuesday and Friday mornings at Suburban with other BC delinquents. Don works at an investment firm and manages institutional investments. I sometimes wonder if Don can count he's kids’ lunch money let alone manage large investment portfolios, only joking Don.

Folks, have a great week! See ya, Kirk out