I have returned to my old ice hockey club as a coach.  I have planned my first training session out clearly.

But things go a wry.  When I show up I find out that I have to share the ice with another team, which is run by a captain/coach who is used to the two teams training together.  Whats more all he wants to do is have a short drill called a carousel and then play a muck around game.

We disagree on this.  I feel that my players will not learn anything from this drill.  Training this way won't allow me to reach my goals.  We split the ice much to the disgruntlement of the other captain / coach.  I have to adjust my training to fit the new setup, which I struggle with.  I have pressure placed on me by the coaching director (my brother) and the other coach to do the carousel drill.  I know I have to act fast so I setup a modified carousel drill that will get my players using both their bodies and their heads.

But my players are not used to using both and struggle.  I settle with doing a simple carousel drill but I become frustrated as they still struggle with that (which seems hard to believe but have experienced this when I used to coach).  The other team are lined up and ready to play a scratch match but I am still struggling to get my team to do the drill properly.  I am copping abuse from the other captain/coach because he wants to play a game.

Real life associations: The captain coach is the captain (not coach) of a floorball team I played recently who I also grew up with.  A talented sportsman and quite passionate.  We beat his team 9-0 mostly due to their lack of defensive knowledge & experience.  They are a passionate team but lacking hockey smarts.

My brother was coaching director back when I used to coach ice hockey.  I always tried to approach my training sessions by developing my own drills (rather than drawing from 'drill books') with a combination of learning a specific strategy that was lacking from our games, while developing skills and having fun all in the one drill.

I did run into issues, usually around having to think on my feet (my brain works slow so a real challenge) as I did not often get enough people to training.  I also did have to share the ice with other teams which could make training sessions challenging.

I find the theme of your naturally independent personality coming out yet again in your dreams. Having an independent streak tends to make us a little more selfish but not in the conventional mean or malicious sense. More like hugging up things more than the norm especially as they relate to your emotions. You are used to solving your problems on your own, figuring out things for yourself, and just generally internalizing a lot. This can serve as a great strength to have but occasionally it can be a weakness too, because it can sabotage you. The dream is suggesting you need to be more of a "sport" and a team player. Share more of yourself and depend on others sometimes. It can be hard, but sometimes you are amaazed by the number of perspectives that open up and expand your knowledge base or better the solution to your given situation when you do at times. The dream can be pointing to emotional issues and also literal issues. I think you have the answer.

I think it may have a spiritual outlook too, it may be your spirit guides trying to reach out to you, they are telling you you need to open up more to them, and trust and rely in their own techniques and advice to help you with your growth. Their ways might be unconventional or unusual to you, but if you open your mind to it, it will be worth it in the end. This is just my take though.

I should also note that the training and team coming up in your dream may also refer to some matter in your life that is causing issues, anxieties and a lack of self confidence. Again the lesson is probably to share more on your problems and concerns and to trust in your spirit guides to overcome such matter(s).

Hiya Happyme

Yes, since I have quit ice hockey about two years ago my fitness levels have gone down hill a lot.  I am determined to work out to regain my former strength, but struggle to find the time / energy at the end of a long day.  When I do manage to crack the system and get into a fitness routine I quite often dream of returning to ice hockey.  Usually my performance in the dream correlates well with how hard I work out.

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to join a forum to give advice on fitness, more in an encouragment role, but things never really worked out properly.  I was thinking it references both that, as well as my failure to return to my routine (ie I am all of the people, I am disappointed (the coach) by my own inability to perform simple workouts (the players in my team).  The only fitness I am getting is from playing games of floorball.  I am not doing any training basically is what I got from that, a commentary on my physical fitness.

The reason I posted this dream was for insights like these.  I couldn't see the other levels of commentary.

As you say "sometimes you are amazed by the number of perspectives that open up", it is plain to me now I empathised with the coach, I did not look at the dream from outside that role.  I am intrigued by your insights into sharing more of myself, and depending on others (including inner guidance).  As you say opening up can be hard, its something I want to do, but its like there is a blockage there that I can't get my head around.