Time to Change

[RichardGraham]

Hi Folks,

I'm leading our ice league in one category -- penalty minutes (46 in 5 games); while our team leads the league in another-- fewest wins (0).

(Most of my penalties are for retaliation. One was for shoving a guy who high-sticked me in my face-shield with the toe of his stick blade; one for responding to a painful slash, etc., etc. All excuses, really. Other players avoid those kinds of penalties.)

I need to (and want to!) change my style, immediately. I'm not helping my team when I'm in the penalty box.

Short of skating around away from the puck and every opponent, what can I do to ensure that I won't take any more penalties?

I've brought up this before, but I guess I didn't seriously listen. Now I must. Any advice will be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

Okay, Buddy...

(disclaimers, first)...have no way of knowing if my personal experience equates to yours...(disclaimers over)

Three causes of penalties:

1. The "oops factor:" you are legitimately trying to make a good play, and something happens to your stick, skate, arm, whatever, and it ends up where or how it shouldn't, and yu have deprived a fellow human being (albeit the vile, evil guy with the other color sweater on) of the right to play...

2. You are deleiberately doing something you know you shouldn't, because you feel the game dictates that you must prevent the other guy from making his play in a critical situation.

3. The retaliation ("the Rich penalty?")...you are attempting to even the score because of some "perceived injustice..." that you feel has been perpetrated upon you by one of those vile, evil guys in the other color sweater...

The only way I feel that you can effectively take yourself out of the retaliation-response mechanism is to demand of yourself that you psychologically categorize these perpetrated injustices upon your person as "part of the game" and therefore part of the intrinsic "challenge of play."

From now on, you are going to endure in stoic silence "anything that the other guy does, not matter how vile and evil." See just how much the model citizen you can become. Make it a game with yourself. Challenge yourself to do better...

I have not received a penalty of any kind for five years, roughly 850 games or so. I am sure my game is totally different from yours, so it's apples and oranges. Hey, it's also inline, rather than ice...

My daughter, who plays peewees through midgets, rec league and tournament, girls and boys, recognized toughest defender in the city in her age group, has only ever received one single penalty in her entire life...and I was the ref that gave it to her. Her stick got stuck in a crowd, and the guy emerging from the crowd went down over her stick. She really let me have it, loud, angry, and tearful, that the guy stepped on her stick, her stick did not go to his wheels, but the ref was adamant on this one...oh, well...

That's the best for explanation and inspiration I can come up with..go get'em (or rather, don't).

See you out on the blue floor.

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[RichardGraham]

Hi Danny,

The Rich Penalty. Now, that's RICH! lol

I've had one of each of the first two penalties; all the rest are "Rich Penalties."

I will do my darndest to stay out of the box this coming Wednesday night. I've got a couple friends on the other team, and didn't get any penalties last time we met, so I'm hoping I can do the same this game. I'll give an update after Wednesday night's game.

Thanks again. I'm serious about this.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

Hi, guys, My name is Rich...

"Hi, Rich."

...and I am a penalty dork...

I have always been a penalty dork, but now I play one game at a time, one shift at a time. Each time out I make the decision to turn myself over to the higher power, the one with the whistle, and let the pucks fall where they may...

See you all out on the blue floor...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[MDE3]

"Higher Power" - sure - encourage them - refs already think "Infallibility" was a concept the pope borrowed from them. /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

[Ken]

Hi Rich,
As a rink owner, player, and referee, I can assure you that the retaliation penalty is so easy to spot, you will get caught most of the time.
Knowing you are a logical person, I would suggest that you take an outcome approach to the taking of the penalty. You are likely to get caught, and your team will be short handed. It is a team game and you are hurting your team, and reducing your own playing time in a league you pay for. And what does it accomplish? If you get a rep for taking retaliation penalties, the other players will try to get you to take one, and the referees will keep a closer eye on you.
Your getting older, and it should be a release from the everyday stresses.
I like to let it go, and hope I can help my team by drawing a penalty from the other guy.
Good Luck!!!
Ken Spencer
www.AmericanHockeyArena.com

[MDE3]

Is this full contact? If so - make sure you hit the other guy hard enough, but cleanly, and hope to make him retaliate. Solves two things - releases your aggression and may draw the penalty instead of taking one. - Just have to take the satisfaction from the clean first hit and walk away from any secondary action - knowing you did your damage.

Of course if this is roller hockey....... see MLRH tryouts.

[missionhockey21]

Two words Rich, anger management. lol j/k
But seriously, I guess you could say I've been in the box a good deal in my hockey career and this is how I look at the situation. Whats more important, being on the rink to try to help your team win or retiliating against the other team? Keep your emotions under control and try to look at the situation from the perspective of what would be best for the team.

[missionhockey21]

The Rich penalty. lol
Whenever I get a retalition penalty, in my head I am going to think about this :P

[missionhockey21]

I think Rich needs to go on the 12 step program to not getting penalties anymore ;-)

[missionhockey21]

&gt;refs already think "Infallibility" was a concept the pope borrowed from them.

When I was learning the rules of the game from an older ref years ago, thats what he told me. Oh, my entire view on life has changed. lol

[GROWL]

sedatives ... lol I'll send you some

[RichardGraham]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for your reply. I appreciate it.

Tonight, we lost 7-3, but I didn't take a penalty... though different refs could have easily have tagged me for a slight face wash or two...

We were down 4-2 after two periods, our best effort yet, but then gave up three quick goals in a row. Hey, we knew we were likely to lose, so the story of the game was, "Will Rich get a penalty or not?"

I won.

LOL.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[JMUDukes26]

Rich,
I play for JMU's team in the ECRHA, and for years, one of our players has taken countless stupid penalties. This past season was his Junior year, and we looked to him to take a leadership role. He realized that his image as a chippy and dirty player was costing him more than the benefit of getting out some aggression. By all rights, he should have been on ECRHA's NARCh team, on the ECRHA South All-Star team, and should be playing in one of the pro leagues, but his image always led people to look upon him differently. This season he really cleaned up his act, playing skilled hockey, not dirty hockey. It has gone a long way towards improving his image, and hads made him an asset to our team. I hope this improvment continues through the upcoming season, leading to furthur success. Maybe you can take something from what I have learned from dnorm.

Gary...signing off

Gary

[RichardGraham]

Hi Gary,

Tonight I took a stupid penalty early (stuck out my foot as a HUGE opponent skated inside our blueline with speed), but after that I chilled out and didn't take another. I then scored our second goal and assisted on the game winner, as we won 4-3 after getting behind early, 2-0.

It was our first win. Every time I score, we win! /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Though I still lead the league in penalties, I've only had one in the last two games (three if you count the game I had to sit out... LOL.) /wtimages/icons/shocked.gif

Was what I did tonight (penalty, goal, assist) a Gordie Howe hat trick, or did I need to fight rather than trip? /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

&gt;&gt;Maybe you can take something from what I have learned from dnorm.&lt;&lt;

I always try to do more than D norm...

LOL.

Lates.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Ken,

Sorry for the slow reply!

Great to hear from you!

I'm workin' on it... /wtimages/icons/cool.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi MD,

Nope, it's not full-contact. But I seem to find a lot of it. LOL.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[RichardGraham]

Hi Mission,

You make great points.

You wanna go? /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[missionhockey21]

Name your time and place Rich, I'll be there!