97 replies to this topic

[madams9]

I have always wondered if ice hockey fans know how to ice skate. Playing the other major sports is easy in that anybody can pick up a ball and try to throw, catch, kick, or hit it with very minimal costs. With ice hockey you need to learn to skate before even trying to play. I am guessing most fans can't skate but was curious what others thought.

I went to the VIP Gold Circle event and there were definetly more people on the concourse than on both rinks combined. Maybe that was because of autographs (turned out they signed on the ice anyway) but I thought it was much more fun skating and talking with the players than standing on line for an autograph.

[Dead]

I used to play ice hockey

[DaneykoIsGod]

I used to play roller hockey from the time the school bus dropped us off until the Sun went down, but never could make the transition to ice.

[lucifer91]

DIG, i play mostly roller hockey as well, every now and then i play ice hockey but it takes me like 2 mins to get re-adjusted to ice as opposed to roller. But after that I am about 95% of what my capabilities are at with roller.

also, FWIW, it seems like most fans can't even shoot going by the Score-O during intermissions, its almost painful to watch sometimes.

[pattyelias]

I played roller hockey growing up, but never ice. Last week I played some pond hockey up in CT and was surprised that I didn't totally suck.

[nmigliore]

I've been playing since I was 6, both ice and roller.

[DaneykoIsGod]

DIG, i play mostly roller hockey as well, every now and then i play ice hockey but it takes me like 2 mins to get re-adjusted to ice as opposed to roller. But after that I am about 95% of what my capabilities are at with roller.

More power to ya. I just couldn't get it. I think it was the difference between rolling with wheels over top of a surface to simply gliding over the top of it. It felt weird. Couldn't turn, couldn't stop. And it wasn't the skates because I even went out and got a decent pair of Tacks. The last time I tried ice skating I fell on top of a little girl and thought I killed her (she was OK) . Haven't tried since then.

But roller? I played in summer leagues for most of my middle school and high school years and did the indoor thing a couple times too. I still try to play whenever I can, but as you get older the free time just isn't there anymore. Could probably count on one hand the number of times I've played in the last three years. Sad.

[GA Devil]

Put blades on my feet (roller or ice) and I'm totally useless.


Of course, my friends would say I'm useless without blades on my feet, as well.



OK, extreeeeeeemely bad joke.

[devilsfan26]

Based on the fact that seemingly most people that get picked to do Score-o don't even know how to take the shot (it's more of a pass really) or even hold a hockey stick, I would say that most fans in this area don't actually play the sport, and probably either don't know how to skate, or they can skate enough to the point that they could go to a public skating session without falling down, but aren't a good enough skater to play hockey.

I played college roller hockey and currently play ice hockey in the house league at Protec Ponds in Somerset. I am much better at roller than ice, for some reason I am much slower on ice and I haven't been able to transfer my shot to ice that well yet. Probably because I started playing roller when I was 5 and didn't play ice until I was 16, and I took a break from ice for a few years as well. I still enjoy both sports very much though. I personally prefer roller simply because I'm better at it, but I think if you're just starting out, ice hockey is the more fun sport.

Unfortunately many fans don't bother trying to learn because as you said you must learn to skate before you can really play. I say anyone who doesn't take the time to learn is really missing out. It's tough at first but it's definitely worth it once you get the hang of it! If you think you're too old, there are adult clinics and learn to skate classes at a lot of rinks, call up and ask about them!

While we're on the topic, it bothers me to no end when fans who don't play the game criticize the players on the ice because they don't really know what goes on down there. This is evident in situations where a puck bounces over a point man's stick and exits the zone and everyone boos him, or the guys that yell "shoot" when there's people in the shooting lane, or the ones that yell "hit him" like it's just that easy.

Edited by devilsfan26, 31 January 2011 - 01:15 PM.

[Scott O]

Grew up playing roller, but switched to ice after college once a rink finally opened. I'm 27 now and still play ice hockey. I spend about 3-5 hours a week on the ice.

[BCdevil]

The reason why most Score-O contestants are horrible is that they are trying to play golf. They line the puck up directly to the side of them, as opposed to dragging in back, put their hands close together at the top of the stick, and slap at the puck rather than trying to stick handle. That usually results in the puck going toward the left corner for righties and vice versa.

[Joonas #6]

I play hockey...but I'm like Clarkson on skates. Hahah. Just kidding

But yeah seriously, I've been playing hockey since I was...maybe 9 or 10 years old.

[thelastonealive]

Still want to learn to ice skate. Used to be decent on roller blades, but that was many, many moons ago.

[Quinn01]

Played ice hockey until sophomore year of highschool then havent played in a league since. I want to get back into a local league but I dont have the money for equipment right now.

[estreetcrew3]

I play ice once a week,I start to have withdraw if I don't play. I wish I had the skills to play at a pro level, cause I def have the passion and love for this game

[Devs1965]

Skated and played since I was 5, I have the knee's to prove it.... lol

[devilsfan26]

The reason why most Score-O contestants are horrible is that they are trying to play golf. They line the puck up directly to the side of them, as opposed to dragging in back, put their hands close together at the top of the stick, and slap at the puck rather than trying to stick handle. That usually results in the puck going toward the left corner for righties and vice versa.

Yep, makes me angry to see that when I sign up every game I go to and never get picked.

I play ice once a week,I start to have withdraw if I don't play. I wish I had the skills to play at a pro level, cause I def have the passion and love for this game

Sadly too often it happens that the people that have the skill get burned out and lose interest. One of my friends played high school hockey and he said one of the kids on his team was so good he could have walked into the NHL after high school, but he just stopped playing instead. The goalie of that team played for UMass and has played against 15-20 guys that are currently in the NHL and he says the kid from that high school team is better than all of them. I never saw the kid so I don't know how much is being exaggerated, but still sad for someone with such great skill to just give up on the game.

[Ollie McKraut]

also, FWIW, it seems like most fans can't even shoot going by the Score-O during intermissions, its almost painful to watch sometimes.

Mac! Mac! Mac! Mac!

This is a fun topic

I always wanted to play hockey when i was a kid but there wasn't a rink in town, and I was pretty small so my overbearing mother discouraged contact sports. Plus the expense.

I was a freshman at college last year and took skating as part of PE, and loved it, so I started going to free skate every other day, and signed up for my residence hall's hockey team. Blew a sh!tload of money on equipment (which i now kinda wish I had to fix my car haha), and we started a week ago. It's pretty harrowing but everyone's nice and it's so much fun.

Sometimes I feel like the Score O contestants don't even watch hockey, the way they swing the stick like a golf club.

[Jerzey Devil]

I played for Cranford Midget B circa 1990-1992 at Warinanco Park. For those who have never been there it only has 3 walls (1 open) so you can only skete there for a few months out of the year. Never had a chance to get very good on the ice because I started so late in life. I did play a lot of roller hockey before that so I was a lot better on roller blades than ice skates.

I've lived in Florida for the past 10 years or so where hockey is almost non existent. I do still have my pads and skates though and have been thinking about hopping into some late night rec leagues just for fun (I'm 36 now).

Edited by Jerzey Devil, 31 January 2011 - 02:21 PM.

[hurricane1091]

Never picked up ice hockey, couldn't afford the $800 a season price tag + equipment. I've gone ice skating a few times though and played street hockey for years.