Notes on the Tampa Bay Shootout

With the Tampa Bay Shootout over, I'd like to offer a few notes and impressions from the event, which took place October 23-25.

Teams from across the country came together over three days in the Tampa Bay area for some great technical, and sometimes physical, hockey. Teams traveled from all across the USA, and even from as far as Ontario, Montreal, and Nova Scotia. And even farther, the eventual winner of the open division came to us from Slovakia. It was an interesting mix of both people and playing styles.

The competition got more and more heated as the playoffs started. Several players found their way to the penalty box as the stakes kept getting higher and higher.

And that goes to show how seriously these teams took the tournament. This wasn't a collection of hobbyists or backyard players. These were cohesive teams that took the game seriously. They knew how to play, how to shoot, how to check, how to pass. It was amazing to watch just how good a lot of the guys and girls were in the rink, from setting up plays on offense to sacrificing themselves to stop a shot on defense.

The misconception of these events is the players aren't that good and can only play to a certain level. But in watching even one game you can tell that's not the case. No matter what division, whether open, rec, master's, or women's, everyone could go. Every player had skill. And some players were spectacular. I'd see a player on a breakaway sprinting down the rink, handling the puck perfectly before setting up a perfect one-timer goal to an awaiting teammate. I'd watch time-and-time again as goalies made four or five saves in a row, going head-over-heels to block the shot, glove the rebound, and force a face-off.

It was a great three-day weekend, and my hat is off to the hardworking men and women who gave their all during the event.

Upcoming this Wednesday, November 11th, we'll have Matt Garry, tournament director for the Tampa Bay Shootout on the Pauly D Radio Program. Anyone who played or attended the event is invited to join in. You can always give us an Email at PaulyDProgram@gmail.com to drop us a line.

And stay tuned here for more information on the event. In the coming days we'll have some pictures and video up.