Category: Positivity

Happy Birthday Rick

Today is Rick Moranis’ Birthday.

Ages ago I read something that really stuck with me. It was about actor Rick Moranis. He was/is a famous actor from the 80s 90s. Ghostbusters, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Little Shop of Horrors, of course you know him, the list is endless.

The story goes that sadly Ricks wife dies. At the time he was one of the biggest stars of Hollywood. But he had 3 kids who were suddenly without a mother, what did he do. He quit it all to become a stay at home dad. It was one of the boldest and inspiring moves I have ever heard.
Here’s the bit that I took on board and put into action. In a recent interview he said that he wanted his kids to come home from school the smell of cooking and sound of music. This fun, loving home really appealed to me.
Now that the roles have been reversed and it’s Mrs Berg who is in work and me who is at home I strive to keep my home a fun and happy place. When things are tough, when I feel I gave up too much I remember the commitment to his cause that Rick put in and that my one goal should always be to make my home a happy place my kids can thrive in. 
Happy Birthday Rick. Thank you for the inspiration. 
Berg
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Week 11 – Goodbyes and the Varx Select

When I first started back at hockey 3 years ago I was unsure about how much my skill level would have diminished over the years I was away. I joined the Varx in the hope of joining in to improve and build my fitness. I was very unsure of myself. But I remember the turning point at the time was when a long time respected Varx player said one simple sentence “…you come on my line with me”. It meant he thought that I was good enough to play as his defence man above all others.


This player and his wife have both played for the Varx for a long time. Since that day they have continued to coach and guide me. When I joined the Falcons he was there to encourage me, he is the one who constantly puts himself against me in scrimmage so that I have someone to battle against and work up to.
Now his wife has a job opportunity over in Texas and will soon be moving over there. They will be sadly missed. 
I have only known them for about 3 years though. They have been part of the hockey community for over 12. So this week as a final tribute they have gathered together a team to play against the new Varx players. All the money will go to charity.
The Varx select team is a team of players that they have played with over the years who have become part of their friends and hockey family over the years. 
For me it means I get to play hockey where practically every person on the ice is a friend. It was a wonderful experience.
Also because the select team was made up of a lot of the Falcons players it was a good pace to play up to and prove how much I have learned.
Varx played the Falcons in a friendly the year previously and honestly I was out matched and left standing easier than I’d like to admit. This time was a different story.
The first 20 minutes we actually matched their pace and I’m very sure they were unexpectedly on the back foot. We even scored the first goal.
Really these guys were the select team and not the Falcons but the pride we felt after that first period was immense. 
Sadly as the game went on, stamina and pace finally overtook us and despite no one actually keeping score, there was a fair gap between the points. 
But we regard the two teams as brothers so we were all proud of each other, and we were sad when it ended. I had personally had a brilliant game not letting people through and really getting stuck in. I have shown my worth in that match. 
It was a brilliant match that we enjoyed. In the end it was to see too people off who we all had come to respect over the years and whom we will be sad to see go. 

Week 10 – Perspective 

So far my journey in the beer league has gone right in every way. I quickly adapted to training, I earned a spot on the team, I got ice time in the pre season matches all quite quickly. 
I always knew however that it wasn’t going to be easy to get on the team. The pace and skill set was high and although I was keeping up I knew I wasn’t going to be fully up there yet.


As the first season game was drawing up I was optimistic and after good ice time at the pre season games I was eager to further my place on the teams line up. 
Unfortunately this was the week where I was going to have to take a step back. 
The training time on the Falcons changed, back by an hour. This made it more difficult for me to get there. But it made it easier for everyone else. As such a whole group of old time Falcons players could suddenly make it to training. As a consequence my ranking was pushed down as more familiar, experienced players suddenly wanted a spot. 
There was even a defenceman that they had been trying to get on the team for years, a real good one from the pro leagues who had become available. 
I was proud that my team had an influx of new players and the quality on training sky rocketed with even some of our top players being out worked. It benefited everyone.
The coach called me over and politely informed me that I was totally welcome to come to the game in Solihull, but it was the most players they have ever took and ice time would be limited.
I was disappointed. 
It happens a lot in the game where a player will think he deserves more ice time than another, and he complains and moans, or his parents complain and moan. But ultimately a coach wants/needs to put his best team on the bench. After 10 years as a coach working a bench, no one knew this better than me. 
So should I go down anyway ride the pine pony? I put the question to my Dad. “If he wanted you there,” he said, “he wouldn’t have said anything. If you go down, he will have to think about giving you ice time instead of concentrating on the game.”
It made sense. I knew it did. I would have to sit this one out. 
Looking at my position within the team I’m a line 4 defence man. Which is a lot better than not being on the team at all. I am grateful for my place on the team and happy that there are more high quality players to train with, it will only improve my own level. 
Ice time will come more and more I am confident in that because I am confident in the rate I’m improving.
It’s important to always take on a positive perspective that way you can always make step forwards, even when you step back.
If anything it has made me more hungry to improve, to get up to that higher level consistently. Until then I will continue to work hard and take the opportunities that come my way.

Week 8 – Always a Falcon

As I stepped onto the ice on Varx training it was for the first time since I had signed for the Falcons and made my debut the previous evening.

Players from the Falcons train with the Varx. We had set up a drill that we also used in Falcons. Instead of shooting from the middle we started to shoot from the side. I followed suit.
My Falcons teammates reminded me of how the drill should run. This was when I realised that now I was a Falcon, I was always a Falcon. I remember looking up to the Falcons players, watching them for how the game should be played. 
I don’t arrogantly think I should be responsible for leading by example, I think all players should build all players up. If someone is doing the drill wrong, or needs help or coaching, we should all be encouraged to help out.
Hockey is a team sport and the most successful teams are ones that build each other up. Work together to create plays and work on tactics. There is a wealth of books or videos online that can teach you the basics of the game from your home. Although these are important to practise in the rink, the true benefit and purpose of going to training is to learn as a team. 
We had a match on our training session for the Falcons this week. My Dad who had recovered enough to play was itching to get on the ice and disappointed he had to wait another week.
However the next generation of Hirst players made his latest step towards playing some puck. Sawyer passed his Grade 1. Next week he starts his Grade 2 training along with his sister who will be starting her skating lessons.


I am so proud with how far he has come on. He is looking really confident on the Ice now and I am confident that he will keep up when he goes on stick and puck training. 
 

 

 

Blackburn Falcons – Vs Widnes Wildcats (Preseason Match 2)

This time we were on home ice. Our ice is wider so we had the advantage of space. Generally there is more players in home games than away games.
This meant that they had a smaller bench and i also meant that I fully expected to have less time on the ice as more of the players could make this. I didn’t mind, i had expected to ride the bench for well even the full season.
As Period One started we came out strong again. Playing our game, our strategy. We got an early goal. Now one of the line 3 defencemen couldn’t make it, so the coach had options, rotate from lines 2 and 1, or play me on line 3.
For the first shift he took option 1, in the first 10 minutes we were 4 – 0 up.
So I got put on line 3. I hit a guy, bounced off and fell over. Then I stopped the puck, slipped and fell over. I came off genuinely thinking he would not be playing me again. But I was wrong. He sent me out again, I remained on line 3 for the rest of the match. Not only that, I had gotten rind of my stumbblings in those first 2 min. After that I was cool on the puck, made some great simple plays. I broke out well, fought for the puck and skated well. I had someone try to start a fight with me, but I held my own and didn’t take a penalty. I kept a good pace with the players and never let any obvious goals through.
The team itself was calm throughout, no going for the big hits like last time, we didn’t get distracted. 
They had a really great player with fast hands and great legs. He did flash through once, but in general he was contained well. 3 goals slipped past but we led with 8 goals and remained in the lead and in control the entire game.
At the end of the game all the played came up to me and spoke my hand and genuinely congratulated me on how well I played. I was so pleased with my performance and the approval I got from my team mate. I really appreciated them telling me how well I had done. I felt like part of the team in its entirety. Because of how I played and how I was treated at the end I will always remember this match as the one where it all came together for me.

Blackburn Falcons – Vs Widnes Wildcats (Preseason Match 1)

My Debut

Once upon a time Widnes and Blackburn were the same team. This was the team I left. Then they split and began to get more professional and started to draft players in from the professional, minors and foriegn pools. Despite most of the original players moving on, there is still a fierce rivalry between the two teams.
What better a match then to have my debut.
I was surprised at two things during this, my first match at this level. People were warning me that the pace is quicker and as such I have tried to bring my pace up to this level. Also I realise that this is a checking league, but level of checking was the surprise. How hard and how often these guys check left me open mouthed on the bench. I have always loved checking, I have no problem dishing out the hits, taking the big hits, but this was at a whole new level. I was glad that had the opportunity to watch first before we got started so I could get ready. It served as a reminder that although I had made the team I still had a long way to go.
The second surprise came from how much I was welcomed within the team. In the team talk, it was mentioned that I had my debut, in the end talk I was hailed as having a successful debut. No one got frustrated when I was put on instead of them, and I was actively encouraged on the bench. The best way to bond with a team is on the bench, when everyone is actively and enthusiastically pursuing the same goal.
1st Period
We took the lead early on. We played our game, we bested their pace, and we concentrated on the breakouts and strategy we practiced. We scored 4 goals in the first 10 minutes. We checked hard and kept them out. But then they started to check back and made a few nightly plays. We were determined to fight back.
Period 2
They had this period. We got pulled out of position trying to go for the big hits. There was a lot of penalties. It did mean our special plays lines got tested and for the most part they held up. One of their played slashed at the bench with two hands, every player o the bench wore a visor except one, me. Luckily for him it his me square in the face, anyone else and it would be a hospital visit. 2 goals to them and 1 to us.
Period 3
We regained our form and finished it home for the last period. Scoring a further 3 goals to their 1. 
Final Score: 8 – 3 Falcons Win.
I played about 6 min ice time, which for a debut was more than I expected, and when I was on I played well.
Finally their is a player who hasn’t washed his underpants fro 16 years. He wears them for training, matches the lot and the rest of the time they live in his hockey back. It is tradition that newest members of the team are initiated by having the garments wrapped around their face and rubbed unceremoniously. This time I was the lucky victim. I had made it. I had debuted.
  

Week 7 – The Week I joined the Team

Despite this being the beer league a lot of people on the team take there fitness seriously, or, like me, they are fighting age and trying to return to a time when they were at the peak of their physical condition.

It is in this endeavour that the drop a stone in a month challenge started. Two players challenged each other to lose a stone. Whoever lost gained a tenner. Then the banter escalated and the rest of the team were some asked who there money was on. But it didn’t end there the forfeit also fell on the backers and extended further, by the end the losing team had to skate the ice naked and slide across the ice similar to the forfeit in Mystrey Alaska. 
Because I picked a side before I realised the forfeit included the group I was stuck. Suddenly we were all doing the challenge. 
This worked out in my favour I suddenly had a support network and access to good information about weight loss. However if I didn’t lose a stone in a month then I had a naked skate to perform and I would lose 10 pounds.
Our coach is a qualified doctor and has access to scales and fat calipers. At training we were required to get there early for a weigh in. We all got weighed and had our BMI measured. Currently I weigh 186 Kg with a fat percentage of 30%. Honestly it was a lot better than I expected, I certainly wasn’t the biggest. My fate had been sealed, I was commited. 
At Varx training I had took advantage of the slower pace and had been practising my basics. In particular I had been working on the legs and glide, stopping on my wrong side, and my shot. My shot had came on loads since I got my new stick and now I was getting practised with it. However this week I did not hit the net once, the power on the shot was awesome, if I was shooting against a wall at home I would be very impressed, but on the ice the puck sailed wide and or hit glass each time.
In scrimmage however I had some excellent moments, it all came together, getting the puck in the offensive zone, pulling off some dangles, skating hard into positions. All in all after Varx I felt ready, so I on Falcons I wore my circa 2005 Falcons jersey and I brought my signing fee.
On Friday we have our first preseason game against Widnes Wildcats, we went through our strategy and practiced our plays. Everyone was getting fired up and knowing that I was finally signing made it feel so much more like part of the team. 
Once the session was over, and I signed the paperwork and I was officially a team member. I was so pleased that all my hard work had paid off, I had achieved my goal. 
I realised that now was the beginning, to learn, to play at this level. Despite being on the team i knew I had a lot of bench warming to do, to watch and match my pace to the new level.   
I was in the same league as my brother, the fixtures showed that I had 3 months until our teams played each other.
I was a Falcon now.
I would play with passion and pride.
Starting with the match on Friday.