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Mayuu · 07-13-2018, 06:34 PM

Ready for grading

I made sure I packed my bag correctly, making sure everything was in order. It was pretty nerve wrecking to get to the training facility for the first time. To actually put the skates, I didn’t really know what I was going to expect or what the day would look like but I had got a pamphlet with some information on it, but I could barely read it because I was so excited.

I’m nervous to meet the boys, anxious about what the first training would be like, the experience from previous clubs sure helps but this is something different. Everything is so much more professional, from the coaching staff to the facility is to the practices and the games we’re going to be on. The road games is a whole lot more than they ever been before.

You have to wake up very early, 6:30 to be precise because I’m taking the bus to the training facility.
As I left the house I make sure you packed everything again, lock door twice make to sure that the door is locked. I was staying at a hotel outside the city so the bus ride would take about 30 minutes before I get to the training facilities. Nobody would recognized me on the bus to the city and probably wouldn’t for a long time. I am just another hockey player right? On the bus I was checking my phone, trying to get in contact with some of his friends I know from back home. They might not be awake and I didn’t actually count out the time difference between the US and Sweden yet, but I knew there was some awake. I didn’t reach anyone. The bus trip went pretty smoothly, no hiccups at all. I will probably have to take this bus for another week until the Falcons sorts out my apartment. As I arrived to the training facility you still have to check-in go to the reception and receive a key pass. Even though you were drafted you still had to go through all the normal procedures of entering a facility for the first time. I think was very much the same as in Sweden.
Once I got into the locker room I was one of the first ones there actually. Even though it was only one hour before practice I guess some of them were much more accustomed and wasn’t as nervous as me. I was going to make sure that everything was working fine with the equipment. The shirts to the skates was prepared I was not going to be unprepared, the first impression is important, both to my team mates and coaches.

Once I started putting on my clothes I was making sure I got all my equipment. Tying my skates and tying them again. I’m making sure that everything is perfect, Eventually more and more people started coming in and I saw some familiar faces from the draft. I also saw some veterans on the roster and eventually even the coach showed up in the locker room to tell everybody that we have 10 minutes before he was expecting us on the ice. As soon as the coach left the locker room the mood changed and everybody’s face everybody got tense and serious. It’s game time everybody knew you had to go out there and show them the best from the start to have a chance of making the roster. Getting into the line and with the line makes you want to. Everybody knew that it was the coach’s decision eventually in the end but you still wanted to position yourself to have a good start.
The ice in the Falcons training facility felt little bit different it was way colder than back in Sweden for some reason. It made me feel like you were skating a lot faster for some reason, maybe it was the illusion of the smaller rink that they used in the US compared to a at home in Sweden, but something definitely felt different now.

I am for skater so I’m going to make the best of it, I like to play fast and I like to play hard and in theory the smaller ice should work out better for me than the bigger open ice in Sweden, cause I have no problem moving myself around on the on the bigger rink, then it should not be an issue on the smaller rink.

The coach called everybody to circle around him we were gathering at the center of the ice. I now realized that it was Game Time, time to show up, time to make the family proud, time to make myself proud and time to start working on all my flaws and strength. Make sure that I could give a hundred and ten percent every evening. we’re going to travel a lot and it’s going to be a long season so I had to make sure that the preseason training goes as smoothly as possible.
I need to prepare myself for this, there’s going to be nothing for free in this in this league, you’re going to have to fight for every inch

Warm up was some pretty basic drills and then started working on three versus three as the defensemen was doing two versus two drills. I quickly found myself with two new line mates I’ve never spoken to before except the locker room before the practice of course. The line mates are Pingy Pingu and Mark Palicka, we quickly found some chemistry. me being a powerful forward and Pingy coming from a senior season. he had a good season and Mark being the center joining from the draft with me. we actually had some good chemistry and hit it off quite well, communicating well on the ice and at the side of the ice when we were waiting for our drills. I think the coaches were impressed with our chemistry from the get-go. I think we have a good composition of speed power and game sense as well so I think it’s going to be one of the better lines to see, or at least I hope so

When we started with five versus five it changed a little bit because we have a lot of playmaking defenseman so I had to take an defensive roll. But I think it fit me pretty well and I didn’t want to go too hard though I know I might have. I’m a smaller dude and my low center of gravity makes me be able to knock people off, iit might lead to some nasty knee injuries and I had to take it easy. I didn’t want to injure any of my teammates during the first practice. that said I did lay out some hits and I could see some of my teammates throwing long and wide eyes at me but I just got to brush it off and say hey this is my game. I need to show the coaches what I can do so they know where to put me in the game

Also the after the practice I got a veteran on the team approach me in the locker room and pulled me aside. He said “hey dude I know we’re just practicing but it’s the first practice off the season can you go a little bit easier on everybody? I know that we don’t want anybody to get injured the first practice you know.”
I answered: “ I understood what you mean but then again I really want to make the roster. I respect that I understand it but bear in mind all my checks were clean this game I have no intention of harming anybody, especially not on my team but I got to show my strengths you know? As a physical player I need to show what I’m capable of to the coaches so they can put me in the correct spot so I can provide as much value.
I’m going to compete 200% every practice, every training you know? I’m going to keep going out and show that I’m a competitive player and I deserve my spot on this roster.

That didn’t bother me that much In the Heat of the discussion. I went to shower and pack my thing, got on the bus ride home and didn’t think so much about it afterwards.

in the evening when I was just making my food you know taking care of myself preparing for bed I started hesitating. but I can’t afford that. if I want to make the team I can’t afford to.
I’m a player who wants no regrets after a game. I want to know every goddamn game and practice that I gave it my all and when I leave I want to be proud of my work ethic and make sure that I leave nothing on the ice. That I’ve exhausted all of my resources.

I gave it my all because I think my teammates to deserve that of me.
I’m a hard-working player and I got to keep reminding myself. I work hard so that offensive players on my team who has to score games and make flashy plays are able to do that. so that’s my roll.

The next morning I arrived only half an hour before practice because I realized that I don’t need to be that early if no one else going to be there.
I’m still glad I got there early because the same senior member pulled me aside and said “hey I’m sorry for coming on to you like that yesterday. I know you’re a hard working player, you have to show if you’re game. “

I’m going to play and show everyone what the type of player I am.
I’m going to play for this team and it’s so much easier when everybody knows their roles, when everybody knows how to how to perform as a team.
My two future line mates arrived and I asked them “hey guys do you think I went too hard yesterday n practice? I know you weren’t the receiving end of it but I had some doubts about me playing to physical on the first training. I just want to make sure that everything is all good with you guys.

I got good response from them and that’s also encouraged me to keep pushing my way, to keep playing my kind of hockey.
I’m trying to stay humble, I’m trying to be a good person while still laying out to hurt on the ice. making sure that I provide good opportunities for my teammates on the ice and also of the ice.
I don’t want anything unsaid between any of my teammates and me.
the practice continued on, I kept pushing I tried to not play too physical because let’s face it I don’t want any of my teammates to get hurt by any check I do.

Though it was good hearing the coach encouraging me saying “hippo good work out there keep it up“
I need some encouragement sometimes you know?

it's going to be weird not having my family here all the time and old friends that I could talk to. I know they're still just a phone call away. Anyway I’m still confident in what I’m doing here.
It’s going to be a long season, I know that and it’s probably not the last time I’m going to wonder if I checked someone too hard, if my play was perfectly legal, if I made the right decision on the ice, ifI left it all out there?
I’m just going to have to keep pushing and keep practicing day in day out show up every day.
I can’t wait for the first preseason game because then I can finally show what I’m capable of.

Love you mom and dad!
Miss you so much
Hippo Passamus