Charging Here, There, and Everywhere.

Take 'the charge', usually a tactic associated with horses...for reference the battle of Helm's Deep, Minas Tirith or pretty much any war scenario with the Rohirrim: but as defined by Wikipedia, that bastion of knowledge, it is: "a manoeuvre in which combatants advance towards their enemy at their best speed". The subtext of which, hints towards surprise being an encouraged outcome.

With a last minute blown bulb at Tipperlinn throwing our terrain preparations to the wind, we are moved to MES, and with last week's stagnanticity still tasting bitter on the tongue, we, the members of the L3s, were charged with one task, and one task only....running towards the ball.

Having paid attention to the cliff notes on how to charge, once the klaxon sounded we immediately began with a slow measured, and weighted pass back, then, challenging Alexander the Great at his Greatest - in particular, hi noted performance as Chief Charger in Command at Gaugamela, we sent our diversion wingers wide, then on mass stormed through the middle. A goal!

Now, as a team that is actively trying not to repose on our laurels (continuing the current trend focusing the meaning far away from the phrase's original denotation), we moved from the ancient techniques straight through to medieval. The medieval, and geographically topical "highland charge": trading musket shots for whippet like passing; attacking targe moves for passing neatly round defenders (and goalie); and finally trading lumped-off-limbs for the thuds of balls striking the goal's dashboards. Four Nil.

Four nil, and half time - a feast of fallen Jelly Babies.

Having discovered there might be something in the often quoted run towards the ball', the second half was vowed to being more of the first and from the moment the peals signifying the start of the half we were a collective of straining sinews - all trying to make a positive connection to the ball (no alkaline solutions need apply). We charged her, we charge there, we charged there again, here, there, here, there, everywhere the ball went, there we charged; passing the ball also her there an everywhere - eventually into the goal. Six Nil.

Of course amidst all this charging, we did not perhaps take into full significance the advancements in military tactics, in particular those of a defensive nature, and eve more specific those that dealt with charges. Soon we found our way blocked with defensive walls of players, guerrilla attacks, and long dangerous shots that sent a scrambled defence sprinting back to try and intercept, save the goalie and the day - needing nary an explosion, car chase or a dishevelled Tom Cruise to add to the drama.

Now, as serious students of the art of hockey, we couldn't help looking for further teachings and reflections form our alma meter, and spiritual guiding light: 'The Art of War'. In which we found there are in total zero references to charging, and indeed only one tinsie-winsie-little mention regarding cavalry. On pg. 11 to be exact - which notes the absence of cavalry in any discussion in the tome. The subtext once again can only assume hints, winks and nods towards the nature of surprise, and perhaps 'the charge' should not be the only strategy for winning.