View single post by sleddog218
 Posted: Mon Mar 31st, 2008 01:03 pm
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sleddog218

 

Joined: Fri Sep 9th, 2005
Location: Duluth, Minnesota USA
Posts: 493
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 I grew up around hockey (Grand Forks, ND) but realized in 4th grade that I didn't have the coordination or agression necessary to compete, so I quit playing but continuted skating. My little brother played, he was pretty good. Great slapshot, but his specialty was what he called his "snapshot" which was much less windup than a slapshot and used more wrist, kind of a hybrid shot. Goalies love slapshots, you can see them coming from a mile away, but that snapshot was so quick it was tough on them. He is one of the asst coaches for the U of Tenn club hockey team, where the kids pay to play. They made the national tournament for ACHA div 3 this year, I was able to make it down to see them as they were just down the road in Rochester, MN. 4 days of non-stop hockey.

Mark, I think the league you are speaking of is Junior hockey, which is the top high-school kids where they are looked at for college hockey. Kind of like the movie Youngblood (mmmmm, Cynthia Gibb!). Fun to watch, we were able to catch the first part of a game down in Rochester. Holy crap those kids are fast!

Hockey's a great sport, huge here in Duluth. As a matter of fact, a week and a half ago our local U of MN Duluth Lady Bulldogs won the National Championship, beating Wisconsin. 5th time in 7 years! They are coached by Shannon Miller, who coached the winning Olympic womens hockey team a few years back.

I highly recommend it as a kids sport, and it's a blast to watch in person.