JMS Hockey

I started playing JMS pickup games last April and it's been the best decision of my life. Back at Orono High School I barely made the JV team playing forward on the 3rd line and scoring just one goal a year. Whenever a linemate skipped practice, the varsity coach (Leo Goslin, local legend) would skate in his place and cuss at me when I fed him a bad drop pass. My sole team contribution was being the only player who could read the clock from the visiting teams bench during practice. My adolescent uncertainty and lack of aggressiveness made me a poor hockey player and just the smell of the ice arena filled me with dread, especially on game nights. But that has all changed now that I'm playing between the pipes. The defensive focus of the goalie position is so much more intuitive to me and doesn't require that "killer" aggressiveness that I lack. As an adult my high school hockey days haunted me with notions of failure but now by some kind of metamorphosis I'm able to channel everything Leo Goslin taught me into becoming a semi-respected lower-level goalie after playing in just 40 games. My 20/15 vision also helps ;-) I still have much to learn but already it's been an incredible gift for me and a source of growing self respect and confidence amidst the challenges life brings. If only Leo could see me now.

That's an awesome story, Jonathan!

Jonathan, glad you found JMS and are getting to enjoy hockey!

Welcome to the Goalie Union, Jonathan!

Thanks Rob. Sometimes people make comments like "you goalies are crazy" or "you have to be nuts to play goalie". Honestly I don't know what they're talking about which is further confirmation that I've finally found my position.