10 Things Nobody Tells You Before Your First Beer League Game

TheBeerLeaguer:
0:07

You've gone through learning to play class, learning mostly how to skate. You're stopping great on one You've definitely been putting in the time shooting pucks in your driveway, and you're finally getting ready for your very first beer league hockey game. It's super exciting to get into few things nobody really tells Beer Leaguer podcast. Go through ten things nobody League hockey game. Number one, everybody is Even the good players and we You're going to be nervous. But even the guys that looked were doing, you're wondering why They're gonna be nervous playing the first game, even if it's not their first ever real hockey game. And they used to play, you know, back in high school or something like that. And they haven't played in ten They're going to be nervous too. Everybody's going to be nervous. The big thing is use that nervous energy as best as you can. It goes away after a little Maybe not the first game, maybe not the second, but it goes away. It gets replaced with kind of a there and play games. So you don't really have nervous excited for games. So it's a similar thing. But everybody out there is Everybody out there is a little bit scared from getting back on the ice, either for the first time or the first time in a long time. So just remember that. People will remember your effort Not really your results. Flat out the beginners not good Just how it is. That's why there's beginner That's why you're not jumping in playing high level hockey right away. The biggest things people are games that your team plays is Not necessarily how fast or how slow it was, but how much hustle you had. So don't pout about not making a play or not getting a great shot off. Don't act like a dick out there. If stuff's not going your way, you know it's your first big league game. Have fun. People are going to mess up. Embrace messing up. Figure out what you did wrong People aren't going to remember Everyone's going to screw up So just embrace it. Move on from it. Don't worry about it. Number three, the game is always going to be faster than however you practice. That's just how it is. That's kind of true for pretty But no matter how hard you you Or scrimmages? The game is going to go faster, of amped up and playing harder. So everyone's playing just a little bit harder than they were when they were scrimmaging or practicing. So it just kind of has like a kind of goes a little bit does a little bit more. So it's always going to be a little bit, maybe a lot, but A couple things to remember This sounds silly, but it's Don't forget to breathe. Don't get so nervous that you I've seen people that get so make themselves hyperventilate. Don't, don't don't do that. You know, it's just beer league. It's not life or death. So don't forget to breathe. No. You're going to panic when It happens. Just be ready for it. And always. When in doubt, sexy dumps. Dump the puck in the zone. If you have nothing else to do, of how to move forward. Throw the puck into the offensive zone and go for a change. That's always your last resort can always do. Number four. Everybody out there is going to There is so much that goes into playing your first beer League game that is beyond stuff that you practice. There's everything from where do Who's doing what from there? Uh, how long are our shifts When do we do line changes? How often are we doing line You know, what positioning do we You know, from face offs in the Defensive zone. Who's covering who. There's so much other stuff learning how to skate. Everyone's going to be confused. Know that this is the time to Talk to your linemates. Talk to your D partner. Find out what people are doing, what they're expecting you to do. You tell them what you're Get on the same page. This is really a case of you game to know what you don't know Online, people a lot of times first Beer League game? You know, I've, uh, either skated a ton or haven't skated at all and are either super overprepared or super underprepared, uh, for playing a game. But really, you don't know what playing a game. That's why a lot of the good, like learn to play hockey sessions. You know, they go through and make sure everybody kind of has the basics down of, you know, skating and shooting and passing and maybe some very, very basic positioning. But then they start dropping you scrimmages, something like that, So you see these things as soon everybody gets confused with it. So just know that if you're are we supposed to change? Probably someone else on your So bring it up. Ask. This is the time to talk on the Talk between periods. Figure this stuff out after Talk about it. See what people say you know. Make sure people are on the same One of the worst things you can talks to each other. So everyone is convinced they do, but everyone's doing Just talk, just talk. And while you're talking, this Number five enjoy the locker The super fun part about beer You hear it talk about it all the locker room. Beer League is really just a play hockey instead of doing And that's really what it is. Embrace the locker room experience, which is talking to the people on your team, hanging out with them, sharing dumb stories. You know, just fun stuff like Embrace that. Embrace that early on. You know, we've talked about in Doug on and, you know, he person that says, hey, let's go Be that person if no one's doing That's what makes beer fun. That's what makes your beer So make sure you're enjoying the And that helps with the talking Because if everybody's hanging out and everybody's pals, then you're not as nervous talking during the game about game specific stuff. See how it all works together? Number six being predictable for your teammates is more important than being good, at least at the start. Like I said, talk to your See what people are expecting you to do, what they want you to do. Tell them what you're expecting them to do. Get on the same page that can go such a long way in beginner beer league and lower level beer leagues. It is such a help out there. If people you know, know like, from the defense, I know that my and he will cover for me. I know when I get the puck that my center is expecting, you know, they're gonna go, like across ice and look for the pass. Uh, you know, any, any little hockey more fun. Uh, but also it makes it easier to play if you know what everybody's doing, if everyone's on the same page, it really does help. So be predictable. Let your teammates know what tell them what you're expecting Talk about this and other tips That is how you can still be an not the fastest skater. Uh, it is perfect for beginner It is a perfect episode, really aimed at people playing their first couple games to help them out. So I recommend checking that I'll have that linked as well. Number seven, you're going to be thought you were. Uh, it goes along with the game is going to be way faster than you thought. You're going to be way more Uh, once you start playing real hockey games, you quickly find out what a lot of people do when they start playing hockey, that hockey cardio is not the same as regular cardio. Uh, it's very different. It's just, you know, you're Uh, it's different muscles that So just be ready for it. Don't be shocked. Uh, it's always funny to me when you see people that are in great shape and can, like, run marathons and stuff and go out and play their first hockey game and they are gassed, like right away gassed because it is very different. So hockey cardio is not the same And the only way you really get playing more hockey. You can do other stuff, uh, that helps out with it and helps obviously to be in better shape, but just know it's not really like anything else that you're probably doing. And because you're exhausted, So watch out. If you're playing your first beer league game, I assume it's probably a pretty lower level game. They're going to have people They're going to fall. You have people that are really pushing themselves, so they're going to fall all different reasons. So just be aware. People are going to be falling And honestly really good They fall the pros they fall, but they just kind of learn to fall better. And I think it's a better way to So it's not taking them they're still able to do but they're still falling. So just know it happens to But be aware of the people around you that they're going to fall. Uh, when I started in Beer League, I used to wear a half shield because I thought, yeah, whatever. I mean, I know what I'm doing. I'm not going to get hurt. And I think I've told the story in either my first or second Uh, I was skating behind and they just fell. I, I guess they just weren't a Like, wasn't ice wasn't bad or They just fell. And as they fell, they kind of flailed around and their stick came up, just hit me in the shoulder. You know, they weren't trying to Nothing happened. It wasn't like the play was near They just fell stick, hit me in out of me. And after that, I went out and got a cage because that was kind of my wake up moment of, oh, it doesn't matter how good of a skater I am or how sure I am on my feet or anything that I do, people around me are going to fall. Uh, definitely, as you get into lower levels, that's the thing that happens. So just be aware. Also, something else that you your first game and your first people's, how do I put this? Your brain is going to probably possibly your legs. It's going to get more tired than you expected, because there's so much thinking and so much processing for new players to do when you're playing hockey. This is why I say, like the finding out what's going on, of everybody, just trying to these new things all at once, when you're playing hockey. So be ready for that. You know, if you're not aware that that could be a little bit Uh, so be aware, uh, competitive going on, a lot of being aware referees even are on the ice, It's a lot of thinking that has start playing games. Uh, because there isn't just you're in practice. It's just you, uh, maybe just skating, or maybe it's you at the puck. And that's really kind of all you have to worry about is doing the thing you're supposed to do within practice. But when you play a game, all of a sudden you have to be aware of, you know, nine other skaters on the ice and probably at least one goalie. And what one, two, three officials of where they are on the ice, because that makes a difference of where you can, you know, rim pucks around and stuff like that. So just just be aware, uh, you mental fatigue after a game. So something to be aware of as well when you play your first game. All right. Number eight. Number eight you're not going to That's normal I mean really most don't have the puck on your Just in general. Uh, think of how many times the Think of how many other players probably all want to have the So just know, more than likely puck very long. Just overall, I think the correctly, the average time that blade during a game is like the It's a few minutes, like two or three minutes or something like that. It's not it's not very long at Uh, in beer League, you know, some players can have it for longer than others, obviously, because you have, you know, varying skill levels, uh, by a lot. But don't get frustrated with Just know probably not gonna have the puck on your stick a lot. So try and learn to do stuff can, so that you can get the Number nine. You're going to remember every mistake you make way longer than anyone else. Listen for beginner beer leaguers in your first couple games, your confidence usually swings Hugely, you know, even game to game, shift to shift even. Even within. A shift, but just know you're going to remember the mistakes you made way longer than anyone else does. It's just the way it is. Uh, everybody's always their their harshest critic with stuff. This is one of those I know, I great to say, but you really take it to heart that. Yeah. I mean, people don't remember Probably. You know, they're not going Really, it'd have to be pretty So just know that you're going to remember your mistakes way longer. They're going to hit you way harder than they do anybody else. So yeah, it's not that big of a It's beer league. Take it seriously. Have fun. Don't take it so seriously, And finally, number ten. The ice is big, but there is One of the things that I think people when they start playing games is they kind of, you know, get get out there on the ice and it seems so big, seems so expansive. The full sheet of ice, especially during practice, and everybody spread out like it seems like there's so much ice everywhere. But as soon as you start playing the action always takes place in that just moves around. Uh, it's it's kind of an odd Uh, I think you especially see it, you know, with little kids, because little kids all follow the puck. So, like, all the players are usually all clustered in one area. But that's kind of how hockey in a small amount of ice instead Uh, I mean, think about it. If you're like in the offensive zone, You're not even in half the rink. You know you're from the blue Really. And that's less than half the And that's almost every player. Almost every person is on the usually in that small area. And then like if a puck is in the corner, well, you probably have at least four people going for it, maybe more in the corner. So it's one small little area that everybody is kind of clustered around. So just be ready for it and be aware that even though it seems like the ice is big and you might think you're going to have all this room to move and all this stuff going on, there's going to be a lot of traffic going on. There's a lot of people kind of writing each other's ways, like you think it is. Now the really, really good out into open space. You know that's a really good Or if you get yourself into open find you, you can be out there back to talking to teammates. See how all this stuff works But just know that even though the ice seems big, there's a lot of traffic. The ice is big, but the game of generally in a small area that So just just be aware of that. All right. There you go. Ten things I don't think anybody your first beer League game. Hopefully those help you out. Uh, I'm going to run through a know where to put these little, throw out there for people to beer League game. Beer league shifts. I mean, this varies team to But I would say in general, most between forty five and 90s. Uh, you do have some people that You do have some people that This is something that kind of over time with your team. As long as your team stays together for a couple of games, you tend to find a rhythm with it. So just know in the beginning going to be all over the place. Uh, speaking about shifts, don't let yourself get gassed on the ice. Don't don't be out there where Change before that and don't get defensive zone, getting stuck And also don't change to leave Don't change and cause a You know, try and be smart about always the thing that I don't for beginner beer leaguers. But be smart about your changes. Think about it. You know, if now's a smart time Sometimes you might have to I know people don't like to do that because they want to be out there for offense, but it's usually a good time to change and, you know, try and keep your shifts reasonable. You know, you you'll get into a what everybody's comfortable Uh, games are late. I think everybody knows this. Beer League games historically Some people get super lucky and o'clock on a Sunday night. Most of us are living with ten o'clock during the week kind of games. So games are like just how it You know, you're gonna have to adjust your schedule of your life accordingly. Pretty much every beer league game has warm ups before the game. They're there, but don't really count on them to really warm you up. If you're someone that needs to you're probably going to have on the ice. Uh, usually it is. As soon as Zamboni comes off, up, and in there everybody's your stuff on the bench. And, you know, maybe you have a 90s maybe two minutes, uh, to Uh, get a little bit of a skate get a couple shots off. Most people in beer League do not have time to go out there and go, okay, let me get out there and get my good stretching, get a couple shots off, get another stretch or whatever. Don't count on that. For someone that needs a stretch Do that before you get on the Just trust me. Another harsh reality that I your first beer League game. I don't think that's a scout in That's somebody's significant thirty Wednesday night game. Sorry. I'll emphasize this again. I know it sounds silly, but Your first shift is going to be Your first game, it's a lot. Don't forget to breathe. Say it again. Also, you don't need to Alright? You're going to mess up. You're going to make mistakes. I mean, you're just going to in especially in beer league and beer league game, you're going Everybody's going to screw up a Don't apologize for every Listen, the the moment you stop moment you can start improving. All right, take those mistakes. Figure out what you did wrong. Do better the next time. That's it. Hopefully those extra little talked about help out. You playing your first beer tenth beer league game, maybe And these are some things you Maybe this is something to help remind a teammate of, or a better way to say something to somebody. I hope it helped out. I would love to hear if it did. Drop me a note. You can text the show down in thebeerleaguer.com and let me know if If you're definitely starting for other tips and tricks and is all about things specifically people playing Beer League for into it to help them out. So go check that out. I'll link that everywhere as Otherwise everybody, thanks a I'll catch you in the next one.