League News

Bear: You seem to play hockey every night, not only for Blue in the Dover Coed League, but also at all the other pickup games in Dover and Exeter and Rochester, Over 45, Chix, and likely some rink you made in your basement. What are you up to?

Donald: Are you looking in my basement windows? How do you know I have synthetic ice and a full-sized net?

Bear: Is it true that you and Ellie were married between periods?

Donald: LOL… We actually met for the first time at the Dover Arena in 2000

Bear: Where were you born?

Donald: Seoul, South Korea

Bear: Do you speak Korean?

Donald: No Korean… I have a hard enough time speaking English.

Bear: Where do you live now?

Donald: Durham, NH

Bear: How long have you been playing in the league?

Donald: 4 years

Bear: Why play hockey? Why not play some other sport, or no sport at all?

Donald: Because of the simplicity - staying upright on 1/4 inch of steel, don't run into

the other 9 players, stick handling, passing, shooting, and the other 71 things to remember...

Bear: What is the best thing or event that has happened to you while playing?

Donald: My wife, Ellie, joining the Coed Red team. Very few couples get to share in the

fun of playing hockey together.

Bear: What is the worst thing or event that has happened to you while playing?

Donald: Dover Arena - Broken finger and Rochester Arena - Broken foot

Bear: If you were lacing up your skates one day and the Hockey Genie appeared to give you 3 hockey-related wishes, what would they be?

Donald: 1. A better saucer pass 2. More stamina or 20 year old legs 3. Perform the "soft-lift" shot

Bear: What’s the “soft-lift”?

Donald: Shooter lifts puck up softly… Up and over a goalies head… Lands on the back of goalie and goes into the net.

Bear: Do you ever dream about playing hockey?

Donald: Yes (actually a nightmare) - forgetting a piece of equipment (my cup, only 1 glove/skate, no pants, etc...)

Bear: You pass the puck a lot, even when it looks to me like a good time to shoot. What’s your strategy?

Donald: I tend to draw 2 to 3 opposing players, which frees up 1 to 2 team mates to pass to. Gives them the opportunity to make a play or take a shot at the goal.

Bear: Do you learn anything from watching televised hockey?

Donald: Yes, the pros make 5 to 10 mistakes during a 1 minute shift. Just like us!

Bear: Where do you work? What kinds of things do you do?

Donald: St. Mary's Bank - Mortgage originator.

Bear: What does a mortgage originator do?

Donald: Helps borrowers with obtaining a mortgage to purchase or refinance a house.

Bear: Do you get tweaky at all about your gear? Any pregame (mental or otherwise) ritual?

Donald: No, but am known for spreading out my gear in the locker room… Taking up a lot of space.

Bear: You don’t look it, but I think you are one of the older players on the ice. How long do you estimate you will play hockey?

Donald: As long as I can stay upright on 1/4 inch of steel

Bear: Anything starting to go yet?

Donald: Not yet… Keeping my "unbroken" fingers crossed

Bear: Do you think you would ever get surgery to fix some bodily part just to keep playing hockey longer?

Donald: No


Bear: You’re the first person I’ve talked to who has said that. Can you say why not? I mean, what would you do with the spare 40 hours a week that you are not skating?

Donald:

Bear: If hockey were a vegetable, what vegetable would it be?  Explain your answer.

Donald: Pineapple (I know it's a fruit)… Hockey players can be prickly on the outside but sweet on the inside.

Bear: When did you start skating on ice?  When did you start playing hockey?

Donald: Pease AFB on their outdoor rink, age 10. Someone gave me a free pair of Bauer skates and a lefty stick.


Bear: If you could change one thing about the coed league, what would it be?

Donald: I would like to see 15 minute periods

Bear: When is the last time you washed your equipment? Must be hard to find the time when you play every night. Perhaps you just buy new equipment, as the old stuff gets too stinky.

Donald: Never… A great excuse to get new equipment… Especially those stinky gloves


Bear: Would you be in favor of the Arena piping in crowd noise during games?

Donald: No, too used to playing without fans in the stands. At Portsmouth High hockey games, 10 fans was a great turn out.

Bear: What’s your go-to move in a shootout? 

Donald: Top right corner


Bear: What do you wish it was?

Donald: The soft lift… Lands on the back of the goalie.

Bear: What’s the Blue team like? You were traded or sold or something?

Donald: Blue was very welcoming… White team had 14 skaters, so they jettisoned their shortest player.


Bear: Ever wanted to play goalie?

Donald: No way…

Bear: How do you think playing hockey effects your life? Please use a story to illustrate your answer.

Donald: Mortgage originating generates a lot of stress. Hockey "re-sets" the stress meter.


Bear: Does Covid change the way you think about playing hockey now?

Donald: Not really…

Bear: Favorite hockey movie? Are there any good hockey movies?

Donald: Can’t think of any.

Bear: Favorite professional hockey player?

Donald: Connor McDavid… Uses "Cross-Unders", to give him a competitive edge to beat NHL players.

Bear: Tastes great or less filling?

Donald: Tastes great