Check

I got my first ever bodycheck today in hockey.

As I remember it, I was along the boards, and I was just reaching for the puck...

and next thing I know I'm flying backwards. I landed with a great clatter. I think it must have looked very impressive because play stopped completely to see if I was ok.

I honestly didn't hardly feel it. The equipment does good things.

I've really been pleasantly surprised with my fellow hockey players. They've all been playing since they were wee lads, and I expected some impatience at my lack of finesse. Or maybe there'd be that jock-type arrogance you so often see in the movies.

But they've all been really, really supportive. For example, they'll tell me I had a good shift as long as I skated as fast as I could, even if it was skating in futile circles. Or when I got bodychecked, both benches stood to yell friendly things to my bodychecker about how it was my fourth time playing, and he was a bad person for hitting such a helpless target.

Or how when I got a breakaway, the OPPOSING team's bench was standing up to cheer me on.

It's been really great times.

Coming up next week: my first fight!