Getting Old / "Retiring"

[estogoalie]

I've been saying "I'm getting old" for a while now. In my late 30's I had knee+back pain, but I took some painkillers when necessary and battled thru it. At 40 I had a stress fracture in my hip, so I changed my diet a little to get some more milk+calcium and hung in there. In my early/mid-40's I was still playing some pretty good hockey, but when my late 40's rolled around it was getting harder and harder to keep the same level of play. I've been playing in the Swiss Div.4 since 2001. It's obviously not the highest, but still a "competitive" level, mostly stocked with guys in their 20's and 30's who have been playing their whole lives. Now I've hit 50, and with the lack of ice-time in the last year due to COVID restrictions, I'm struggling even more, and now had the realization that I just can't do it anymore, and told my team I'm quitting  

Well, I'm not quitting hockey, just Div4. I've been also playing part-time with some other teams that play for "fun" rather than "competitive", and this is what I'll be doing from now on. Which is fine. It's not as fast and good quality as Div.4, but then I'm not so fast and good quality anymore either, so I guess it makes sense  It's just been hard to figure out and deal with mentally. After playing a certain level of hockey for so long, to have to look in the mirror and admit you reached the end of the line there is kind of tough. I always used to look at these NHL guys at the end of their careers jumping teams, trying desperately to play just one more year, and would think "Dude, just retire", but now I see it's just that they just don't want the ride to end, because then they have to look in the mirror and admit it's over. And that's hard to do. At any level.

Anyway, I've been keeping busy with some other hobbies like playing guitar. And riding my bike in the woods to keep fit (ever-changing-and-confusing COVID restrictions make ice-time very sporadic lately). Trying to make the best of it all. Well, ok, it's not that bad, just something of a hump that I need to get over and accept. At least I'm still playing. But now I've got my eye on the guys older than me, as the "canary in the coal mine", to see how much longer I can still play at all . I don't see too many guys over 60 playing, but I'm sure there's some around....  

[insertnamehere]

2 hours ago, estogoalie said:

I've been saying "I'm getting old" for a while now. In my late 30's I had knee+back pain, but I took some painkillers when necessary and battled thru it. At 40 I had a stress fracture in my hip, so I changed my diet a little to get some more milk+calcium and hung in there. In my early/mid-40's I was still playing some pretty good hockey, but when my late 40's rolled around it was getting harder and harder to keep the same level of play. I've been playing in the Swiss Div.4 since 2001. It's obviously not the highest, but still a "competitive" level, mostly stocked with guys in their 20's and 30's who have been playing their whole lives. Now I've hit 50, and with the lack of ice-time in the last year due to COVID restrictions, I'm struggling even more, and now had the realization that I just can't do it anymore, and told my team I'm quitting  

Well, I'm not quitting hockey, just Div4. I've been also playing part-time with some other teams that play for "fun" rather than "competitive", and this is what I'll be doing from now on. Which is fine. It's not as fast and good quality as Div.4, but then I'm not so fast and good quality anymore either, so I guess it makes sense  It's just been hard to figure out and deal with mentally. After playing a certain level of hockey for so long, to have to look in the mirror and admit you reached the end of the line there is kind of tough. I always used to look at these NHL guys at the end of their careers jumping teams, trying desperately to play just one more year, and would think "Dude, just retire", but now I see it's just that they just don't want the ride to end, because then they have to look in the mirror and admit it's over. And that's hard to do. At any level.

Anyway, I've been keeping busy with some other hobbies like playing guitar. And riding my bike in the woods to keep fit (ever-changing-and-confusing COVID restrictions make ice-time very sporadic lately). Trying to make the best of it all. Well, ok, it's not that bad, just something of a hump that I need to get over and accept. At least I'm still playing. But now I've got my eye on the guys older than me, as the "canary in the coal mine", to see how much longer I can still play at all . I don't see too many guys over 60 playing, but I'm sure there's some around....  

There are definitely a couple guys around this forum that are older than you and still strapping on the pads. Keep at it as long as it's still fun and it doesn't hurt your health. 

Any rough idea what Swiss Div. 4 equates to for us in North America?

[RichMan]

@estogoalie Erik, want a reality check? I'm 52 and still pushing hard but realise that I'm not what I was before this damn covid shit.

Played this summer in a league with mediocre hot headed, egocentric, hot dogging players and my game was crap because of it. I played an hour and a half Friday night with a bunch of ex juniors and seniors and held my own fairly well. Saturday night, played an hour with a bunch of mid level guys and my game was off. But then, a young guy asks me to join his group that followed after for a cancelled goalie. I accepted despite having no juice left. Might as well take advantage of free ice time I told myself. These guys were all some junior A/B kids, and it was some 3 on 3 full ice shit.

Suffice to say I got my ass handed to me on several occasions. That sent a hard message to me. I'm not young anymore. My reflexes are not what they were. My recuperation time is less than adequate for 3 games in 2 nights.

You had the great opportunity of playing at a high level for a long time and I commend you for it. I wish I could of had such an opportunity. If you do step down from competition, just focus on the fun of playing with no expectations from anyone...except your own. We will always be wanting more from ourselves when we know what we once were capable of doing in a game, once upon a time  

[estogoalie]

8 hours ago, insertnamehere said:

Any rough idea what Swiss Div. 4 equates to for us in North America?

Yea, best equivalent of Div.4 would be: "glorified beer league"  (a 2017 and  2018 game I played) I'm sure alot of you guys play better, but it's decent and competitive. Swiss Ice Hockey runs the league, it's structured well, and teams and players can move up/down (better Div.1 players go up to pro), there's a feeling like you're a part of something and have something to work towards. The Div.4 team I played with from 2002-2010 was good and moved up to the Div.3. The team I played with (on/off) from 2011-2021 was a Div.4 bottom-dweller. Actually, they were so bad, Swiss national TV made a documentary about them LOL  (I'm not in it, joined the year after) But cool guys, and plenty of work for a goalie, so I was fine there  

Anyway, we play only about 20 games per year (including pre-season), and teams want to move up, so each game is taken seriously. I'd work hard in training, and prepare myself mentally on game-day, get into "warrior mode" and give 110% on each shot. But now just playing in "fun" games, it's nothing like that. Actually I have a fun-game today, and I almost forget about it, LOL. Not that I don't try, it just kind of like it's not a big deal. People are smiling in the locker-room after the game win or lose. Which is cool in a way, but at the same time it's strange that the competitive nature is missing. I need to adjust.

[bunnyman666]

I haven’t gotten the memo to slow down. Yes, there is some limitations placed upon me by both age and medical condition. Not much I can do about that. I am the big 5-0 next year and as my “bunnyman challenge” is to illuminate, I plan on getting my fitness back. Will it be the fitness I had as a USCF Cat 3/2 racer? No. Will I be in the fitness category that I was as a high-level amateur duathlete? No. I didn’t return to hockey until I was 39 years old and started playing goal at 42. I am not Herschel Walker (he is a STUD), nor am I Jaromir Jagr (same age and hair cut, however). But I plan on being the best bunny ever.

I retired from duathlon at age 32, and have ZERO plans to return at any time; however, I could end up returning at 59 LOL Sometimes at high levels, you have nothing left to prove, even if you hadn’t won the ultimate prize. When I realised that I would never place in a single-digit overall placing and the training was starting to really burn me out, that was when I knew that it was no longer fun. It took me 25 years away from hockey to get me back playing. It is hard to deprogram that uber competitive fire. Once that I finally got that out of my system, sport became fun again. 
 
Enjoy your levelling down.
 
 

[Maxpower29]

I'd suggest looking at diet again. Upping milk products might actually be a bad thing and is trending that way with more and more science coming out 

[RichMan]

6 hours ago, estogoalie said:

Yea, best equivalent of Div.4 would be: "glorified beer league"  (a 2017 and  2018 game I played) I'm sure alot of you guys play better, but it's decent and competitive. Swiss Ice Hockey runs the league, it's structured well, and teams and players can move up/down (better Div.1 players go up to pro), there's a feeling like you're a part of something and have something to work towards. The Div.4 team I played with from 2002-2010 was good and moved up to the Div.3. The team I played with (on/off) from 2011-2021 was a Div.4 bottom-dweller. Actually, they were so bad, Swiss national TV made a documentary about them LOL  (I'm not in it, joined the year after) But cool guys, and plenty of work for a goalie, so I was fine there  

Anyway, we play only about 20 games per year (including pre-season), and teams want to move up, so each game is taken seriously. I'd work hard in training, and prepare myself mentally on game-day, get into "warrior mode" and give 110% on each shot. But now just playing in "fun" games, it's nothing like that. Actually I have a fun-game today, and I almost forget about it, LOL. Not that I don't try, it just kind of like it's not a big deal. People are smiling in the locker-room after the game win or lose. Which is cool in a way, but at the same time it's strange that the competitive nature is missing. I need to adjust.

I hear you on that. My pro aspirations have long been diluted, my EBUG aspirations are dwindling as well. Right now I'm just happy to still play at my age. My number is 60, then I'm moving on to trail running full time.

5 hours ago, bunnyman666 said:

I haven’t gotten the memo to slow down. Yes, there is some limitations placed upon me by both age and medical condition. Not much I can do about that. I am the big 5-0 next year and as my “bunnyman challenge” is to illuminate, I plan on getting my fitness back. Will it be the fitness I had as a USCF Cat 3/2 racer? No. Will I be in the fitness category that I was as a high-level amateur duathlete? No. I didn’t return to hockey until I was 39 years old and started playing goal at 42. I am not Herschel Walker (he is a STUD), nor am I Jaromir Jagr (same age and hair cut, however). But I plan on being the best bunny ever.

I retired from duathlon at age 32, and have ZERO plans to return at any time; however, I could end up returning at 59 LOL Sometimes at high levels, you have nothing left to prove, even if you hadn’t won the ultimate prize. When I realised that I would never place in a single-digit overall placing and the training was starting to really burn me out, that was when I knew that it was no longer fun. It took me 25 years away from hockey to get me back playing. It is hard to deprogram that uber competitive fire. Once that I finally got that out of my system, sport became fun again. 
 
Enjoy your levelling down.
 
 

At one point I actually thought of getting back into road racing with the masters, but then I thought differently and that's now on pause. I might eventually do a Grand Fundo for fun one day and test my limits.

2 hours ago, Maxpower29 said:

I'd suggest looking at diet again. Upping milk products might actually be a bad thing and is trending that way with more and more science coming out 

I agree, an over-abundance of calcium can have the opposite effect and create more damage.

Edited September 12, 2021 by RichMan

[estogoalie]

6 hours ago, Maxpower29 said:

I'd suggest looking at diet again. Upping milk products might actually be a bad thing and is trending that way with more and more science coming out 

I'm in Switzerland, milk products are kind of a big thing here  But actually, I don't really like milk products, which I guess is why I had a calcium deficiency. Now I drink 1 glass of milk a day, and also some mineral water with calcium in it. 

...people have been drinking milk for thousands of years, what's the new "science"  coming out? 

 

[bunnyman666]

@RichMan Those Masters blokes are TOUGH, almost BRUTAL.

I made the mistake of thinking I could hang with them at 25. They smoked me AND put me on the road strip first for good measure. 

[RichMan]

1 hour ago, estogoalie said:

I'm in Switzerland, milk products are kind of a big thing here  But actually, I don't really like milk products, which I guess is why I had a calcium deficiency. Now I drink 1 glass of milk a day, and also some mineral water with calcium in it. 

...people have been drinking milk for thousands of years, what's the new "science"  coming out? 

 

Milk creates phlegm and inflammation in the gut. Parsley and sesame seeds have more calcium than milk and won't create calcium deposits between the joints that can feel like crystals creating painful friction and eventually damage. The plant based calcium is better assimilated by the body.

"Food is thy medicine, medicine is thy food"

[Maxpower29]

5 hours ago, estogoalie said:

I'm in Switzerland, milk products are kind of a big thing here  But actually, I don't really like milk products, which I guess is why I had a calcium deficiency. Now I drink 1 glass of milk a day, and also some mineral water with calcium in it. 

...people have been drinking milk for thousands of years, what's the new "science"  coming out? 

 

Honestly I didnt realize a lot of people still drink milk. Nobody I know does. I haven't in 10+ years and never eat milk products either. I've had my blood tested numerous times and I'm not deficient in anything. Plants and a proper diet gives you everything you need 

[Maxpower29]

4 hours ago, RichMan said:

Milk creates phlegm and inflammation in the gut. Parsley and sesame seeds have more calcium than milk and won't create calcium deposits between the joints that can feel like crystals creating painful friction and eventually damage. The plant based calcium is better assimilated by the body.

"Food is thy medicine, medicine is thy food"

This is it. I really hope people decide to learn stuff instead of being stuck in old ways. As we develop more in life we can choose what we eat and not eat what we only can. Big difference 

[estogoalie]

22 hours ago, RichMan said:

Milk creates phlegm and inflammation in the gut. Parsley and sesame seeds have more calcium than milk and won't create calcium deposits between the joints that can feel like crystals creating painful friction and eventually damage. The plant based calcium is better assimilated by the body.

"Food is thy medicine, medicine is thy food"

Wow, I actually didn't know there was plant-based calcium until right now. When I was in school, I was always taught the food pyramid. And they always said milk stuff was for calcium to keep bones+teeth strong. I think the 11 servings of bread+pasta daily might be a little too much carbs, but this is FDA approved, so obey and "follow the science". The government would never lie to you  

 

Healthline says:

Quote

As an added bonus, your body absorbs the calcium in dairy products more easily than that from plant sources.

Dairy may have additional health benefits.

A recent study suggests it may lower the risk of heart disease (8Trusted Source).

Another study found that eating cheese daily was linked to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which raises your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes (9Trusted Source).

I don't think dairy will be replaced by seeds+greens for everything, but good to know there is variety. I've been eating a spoon of chia seeds every day for the omega3, I didn't know it had calcium too  

17 hours ago, Maxpower29 said:

Honestly I didnt realize a lot of people still drink milk. Nobody I know does. I haven't in 10+ years and never eat milk products either. I've had my blood tested numerous times and I'm not deficient in anything. Plants and a proper diet gives you everything you need 

From this table, it looks like N.America is not drinking much milk, but it's going strong in Europe. I was never a big fan myself, but got used to having a cup or two a day now. 

...and from all the "natural sources of calcium" I was reading, I don't think anyone mentioned water (!). Not all water has alot of calcium, but if you look around, you can find some. Here in Switzerland, Adelbodner and Eptinger both have 580mg Calcium per liter.

Edited September 13, 2021 by estogoalie

[estogoalie]

Jesus, I AM getting old, here I am rambling on about calcium, LOL. Definitely time for me to retire and sit by the window and yell at the kids to get off my lawn, LOL

[RichMan]

2 hours ago, estogoalie said:

Wow, I actually didn't know there was plant-based calcium until right now. When I was in school, I was always taught the food pyramid. And they always said milk stuff was for calcium to keep bones+teeth strong. I think the 11 servings of bread+pasta daily might be a little too much carbs, but this is FDA approved, so obey and "follow the science". The government would never lie to you  

 

 

[Scythe]

I know I'm kinda late to the party.. but a lot of what you guys have posted in this thread really hits home. I'm 55 and still play usually once and sometimes a couple times a week. I felt like quitting all together about a week ago but the sting of my performance has kind of subsided and I will probably go back for more .. good thread 

[Fullright]

Esto, I am 58. Nothing wrong with slowing it down some, but do NOT quit. Take care of yourself and yes the dings take longer to get over but playing will keep you young. Do not stop unless that is what you want or your body cant do it anymore. 

[Wonder35]

At 72 I am able to play regularly because I found my niche. All players are 55+ with a graduation availability to join the 70+ group. We have full squads, play 3 games/week, always midday.

There is no way that I would be competitive against much younger players. We have all adjusted to a tempo our bodies can handle and by shaking up the teams before every game the spirit of camaraderie persists.

Most of you are a long, long ways away from my situation. Here's hoisting one to the notion that we all get to play goal as long as our spirit and body allow.

[SaveByRichter35]

On 11/2/2021 at 12:32 PM, Wonder35 said:

At 72 I am able to play regularly because I found my niche. All players are 55+ with a graduation availability to join the 70+ group. We have full squads, play 3 games/week, always midday.

There is no way that I would be competitive against much younger players. We have all adjusted to a tempo our bodies can handle and by shaking up the teams before every game the spirit of camaraderie persists.

Most of you are a long, long ways away from my situation. Here's hoisting one to the notion that we all get to play goal as long as our spirit and body allow.

[jayluv54]

Glad I found this thread, was just about to post asking where all the old guys were at...lol.  I've been out since right before Covid and looking to make a comeback @ 42.  It won't be my first comeback, but I know it will be the hardest as I haven't touched ice in over 3 years and when I turned 40, everything seemed to head downhill fast.  Covid has really made me lazy and I feel like right now I miss hockey more than anything and need it as a motivator to care more about my nutrition and fitness.  Not that I will play competitively, but we all know how a shitty performance gets us thinking about what we can do to be better.

[RichMan]

28 minutes ago, jayluv54 said:

Glad I found this thread, was just about to post asking where all the old guys were at...lol.  I've been out since right before Covid and looking to make a comeback @ 42.  It won't be my first comeback, but I know it will be the hardest as I haven't touched ice in over 3 years and when I turned 40, everything seemed to head downhill fast.  Covid has really made me lazy and I feel like right now I miss hockey more than anything and need it as a motivator to care more about my nutrition and fitness.  Not that I will play competitively, but we all know how a shitty performance gets us thinking about what we can do to be better.

[insertnamehere]

45 minutes ago, RichMan said:

Old. You're old. And you have a bum ankle. 

[RichMan]

[insertnamehere]

39 minutes ago, RichMan said:

He's old too. 

[SaveByRichter35]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:48 AM, insertnamehere said:

He's old too. 

You watch your damn mouth jabroni.  Don't ever talk about the Great One like that.