Tuck Tripod

Guess what? 

I did something incredibly adventurous, new, and slightly dangerous this fall.

I joined a real, bonafide hockey team. {okay maybe just tripod but still}

Crazy right?! 

The best part was that it was one of the best selfish decisions I have made.  Normally when I come up with a selfish thing that I want to do, the guilt always takes over and I end up making the choice that puts myself on the backburner.  Whether it is doing a girls night/trip, buying a coveted clothing item at the store or simply choosing a fun activity just for myself; I will normally plan on doing one of these things only to let guilt intrude my mind and I eventually choose to stay home and not buy/do the wanted thing.  Why you ask?  Well, I always feel the pressure to buy the needed and not wanted items, and the compulsion to just stay home because I am already gone three nights a week at work as it is.  It seems as though I am letting my family down if I leave them.

When I first heard about Tuck Hockey last year I said I didn't think I would ever want to play Hockey.  It was so far out of my comfort zone that I didn't really think twice.  Jesse played on the men's league and I went to a few games; that was it.  Then this year I had a good friend mention that she was thinking about playing.  I started to debate doing it and eventually asked Jesse's opinion.  He immediately discouraged from it, saying that I wouldn't like getting pushed and shoved around.  Plus I would have to buy new equipment which is fairly expensive and I would have to pay to play in the league.  I felt guilt big time and gave up on participating until I found out that another friend was going to play as well.  

After debating back and forth for awhile I finally decided literally the last minute to play.  Several days before the games started I headed over to the local sporting goods store and picked up my equipment and then I was ready to play. 

The first game was a little overwhelming as I really didn't know the rules to the game and I had never worn all the heavy padding, hockey skates, or skated around with a stick in my hand.  Not to mention that fact that I have never stopped on skates before {my normal stop is a grab at the wall or a spinning stop}.  Thankfully there were several other girls on my team in the same boat as me. 

Now a few months later I can confidently say that I understand part of the rules of Hockey and manage to follow most of those, I am slightly more accustomed to wearing heavy padding and skating with a stick, and I still don't know how to stop. Nevertheless, I feel braver and proud of myself for putting myself out there and trying something I didn't already know how to do.  It makes me feel like I can try other things that are hard and new.

And I confident that whatever team I am on during second semester of Hockey we will improve from this year.  After all we were 0-8 so you can only go up from there.

Our last game of the regular season toast of champagne {sparkling cider for us Mormons/non-drinkers}

GO MOTHER PUCKERS!!

*this picture was taken after our playoff game where we {once again} lost.  I couldn't make it because of a work conflict

Taken by my good friend right before my first ever game

"Give me your meanest, toughest hockey faces"

*my cute friend that helped jump start this entire adventure for me #loveherforhelpingmebebrave