I didn't realize it'd been so long

Lemme see.

Tuesday's practice went pretty well - we did a new drill where we had to maneuver through cones (set in a star pattern; we had to skate around them in loops) while the Head Ref was giving us hand signals that we had to call.  I did okay until I started thinking about it too much (as is the case with most of the things in my life).

Thursday's practice was pretty sparse and I was late; did a bit of IPRing.  I need to stop trying to gauge 10 feet by looking at the tape marks on the floor - I need to look at the actual people.  I stayed after scrimmage when the skaters were doing drills, and tried working on that (they were very nice and worked on bridging drills for me), but it's hard when there's no back IPR telling you that the pack is all or back or whatever.

Saturday was another trip to the east to help out with junior derby reffing.   My son (he's 13; for purposes of this blog he'll be KidQueenie) came with me when he learned that he could do some NSO stuff (he ended up penalty box timing).  We went out Friday night and stayed at my dad's - no 6am driving this month.

It went well, I think.  One of the other refs there talked about how he liked reffing junior derby because when they commit penalties, they REALLY commit penalties and they're easy to notice (which is true).  I also got a "Queenie did this very well" compliment at one point (as OPR, watching the jammer when she's on the outside part of the track, and nodding when it may look to the JR that she cut or something like that to show that no, she didn't).

So, yay me.

No practices at all this week for Thanksgiving, then one more week and we're off for a month. Boo hiss.  I've been invited to Thursday night practices at the other league, but they end at 10pm, plus an hour-ten drive back home.  (Mr. Queenie also has bowling that night, so KidQueenie is home for a little while.  Me not getting home until nearly midnight would not fly.)

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In addition to being a referee for our league, I also am one of our Fresh Meat coaches.  We had our newbies try out their 27 in 5 this past Sunday just for kicks, and since I hadn't done it in a while*, and since I should practice what I preach, I did it as well.

I got 29 in 5 and was pretty gaspy and near death afterwards.  So I have to get my endurance back up.





*Back in January, trying out for the travel team (on which I ended up not playing because of my surgery), I had to do as many laps as I could in fifteen minutes.  I got 86.