Yea, I use a girdle as well. More form fitting, more lightweight. I prefer it. And if I change teams a new shell is a lot cheaper than different color pants.
Beer Leagues, Gear, and other Non-Pro Related Items
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I'm probably going to get them. I'm leaning on the True XC9 which I worry might be a little long since I'm only about 5'9", but they look perfect otherwise (length seems to be the knock on them elsewhere on the interwebs).
Not in men’s league, but the tournaments I play in with various disabled veteran teams generally provide full kits.
It took me a while to finally buy the girdle because the True XC9 is discontinued and does not seem to exist anymore except as an image on the web. I ended up with the Warrior girdle (I like the light weight and the cup holder) and I don't think I'll ever go back to pants, even if the girdle does not hold up as well. Yes, it is a little warm compared to pants, but otherwise there is just no comparison. I can't believe I've gone this long. I may start skating commando just to get a little more air circulation!
So I played in one of the most fun games I've played in a while Sunday night. It's the 40+ league on the cape, but there are some pretty good players, ex college and minors guys. But we played the defending champs (who knocked us out in OT last year) and had a great up and down game. Pace was playoff caliber, play was very physical but clean, mistakes were few, goaltending was good. I turned to the ref about 20 minutes in and told him I thought it was a great game, he agreed, said he was impressed. Both teams agreed over beers after. Just a blast to be a part of...
What a great game we play
What a great game we play
How late is the latest skate you've skated?
I just got back from a 9:45 Tuesday night drop in. I'm tired.
My league has regular 10:30 start times.
For a little while I skated what still seems to me to be an insane 11:30 Friday night skate.
I'd never do that 11:30 again and I'd never do later. So I wonder, what have you done and what are the limits?
Also, the earliest start I have ever taken was in high school -- 5 am.
I just got back from a 9:45 Tuesday night drop in. I'm tired.
My league has regular 10:30 start times.
For a little while I skated what still seems to me to be an insane 11:30 Friday night skate.
I'd never do that 11:30 again and I'd never do later. So I wonder, what have you done and what are the limits?
Also, the earliest start I have ever taken was in high school -- 5 am.
I feel like I had a bunch of 10:40 or 10:50 skates when I was doing HNA. Used to skate pickup in Woburn at 11:30 many many years ago. I don't think I could do anything after 9:30 these days. I'm too wound up after a skate to even sleep, no matter how tired.
I had been doing the 7am Thursday Stinkysocks in Burlington on a regular basis up until a few weeks ago. That's the earliest I think I could handle.
I had been doing the 7am Thursday Stinkysocks in Burlington on a regular basis up until a few weeks ago. That's the earliest I think I could handle.
The funny thing for me is that I would do a 5 am skate now in cocaine heartbeat -- I live pretty close to a rink and I'd have no problem getting there and going for it. But these late skates now just seem nuts. And yeah, I'm up all night after a 10:30 puck drop game. I hate that.
(FWIW, once, just once, a guy came on the ice after we were done with that 11:30 skate. After the Zamboni, he hit the ice around 1 am. I didn't stick around long enough to see if he was on his own or if there were other people that crazy, but one guy was out there in gear.)
I sort of got thinking about it because the 9:45 for a weekday, and just drop-in, is now sort of my limit. Mercifully that skate might be moving to an earlier slot.
(FWIW, once, just once, a guy came on the ice after we were done with that 11:30 skate. After the Zamboni, he hit the ice around 1 am. I didn't stick around long enough to see if he was on his own or if there were other people that crazy, but one guy was out there in gear.)
I sort of got thinking about it because the 9:45 for a weekday, and just drop-in, is now sort of my limit. Mercifully that skate might be moving to an earlier slot.
Our league has 10:50s fairly frequently during the winter.
The womens college team I coach has 11:20-12:30am ice time. The next day I’m completely useless. Getting home at 1:30am and being up for work at 6:15 is not a recipe for a productive day.
The womens college team I coach has 11:20-12:30am ice time. The next day I’m completely useless. Getting home at 1:30am and being up for work at 6:15 is not a recipe for a productive day.
I played in a 4 day tournament in Las Vegas many years ago. We had two games a day at all times, around the clock. It stopped being fun about halfway through day 2. I think it took me about a month to recover from it.
I just played two nights in a row of 10:30 games - and 11:30 starts aren’t uncommon in my league. Fortunately I work “remote” and can more or less set my hours - sort of a necessity playing on two teams, I guess!
I think I could handle getting up and being somewhere early the morning after a late game once a week, but twice a week it would get old.
The problem isn’t really the game time itself - it’s that once you’re all wired up from playing, it’s hard to fall asleep. If someone had some tips for getting to sleep by 1:00 am after a game that ended at 11:30, that might be helpful…
I think I could handle getting up and being somewhere early the morning after a late game once a week, but twice a week it would get old.
The problem isn’t really the game time itself - it’s that once you’re all wired up from playing, it’s hard to fall asleep. If someone had some tips for getting to sleep by 1:00 am after a game that ended at 11:30, that might be helpful…
The one thing I do that helps - I keep these in my hockey bag. When I get off the ice, I pop 2-3 during post game beers and by the time I'm home I'm signficantly more calmed down than if I don't take them.
Had a 10:20 game last night. They screwed up scheduling so all our games through the end of the year are 10:10 or 10:20. I normally would do a 10:10 pickup Thursdays, but 2 late night just kills me. Best case is I get 5 hours of sleep, but best case doesn't happen that much.
Several years ago I used to do a 11:30 - 1 skate in Franklin. That was Friday nights so it didn't feel so bad since I could sleep in.
Several years ago I used to do a 11:30 - 1 skate in Franklin. That was Friday nights so it didn't feel so bad since I could sleep in.
I just ordered some. Will report back…
Had a weird thing in the last two nights, though. Monday I felt like complete garbage on the ice; No energy, no hustle, no nothing - barely got my heart rate over 140 each shift, and felt like I was carrying a refrigerator on my back…last night, I felt perfectly fine.
Must have been something I ate ( or didn’t eat).
I’ve actually gone back to my roots and been doing short track speed skating twice a week - which in general has made me feel like a champ at hockey (that shit is hard), but Monday night was weird, felt like I was just in a haze the whole time…
I've been having a similar problem, but for me it is sort of figuring out what the right level of exercise is to not overdo it before games, but also not just sit around doing nothing when I'm not on the ice.
Have you been playing much over the past year plus though?
I got on the ice for the first time in 11 months on Sunday morning and I felt fine, even though I feel like I'm out of hockey shape
I've had the days like you're describing though, so I feel like they are normal. Just depends on what else is going on in life
But I'm no doctor either, so large grain of salt required
Just got home from a game. Scored the OT winner vs. consistently the best team in the league and the team that is our chippy-and-way-too-rough-for-beerleague nemesis. Wow, what a cathartic adrenaline rush. Popped one in earlier in the game too! (Both were sort of dirty goals in the craziness in front of the net after a shot from the point, but they all count the same.)
I'll be in a real good mood for a few days after that one.
I'll be in a real good mood for a few days after that one.
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Half of my goals I probably don’t even score (stay at home dman who logs McAvoy minutes with a Forbort impact). Take ‘em how you can get ‘em.
Anyone in the NoVa/DC area want to skate today?
Some friends and I rented ice at PWIC 5:20 to 7:20 for a friendly scrimmage. We’re cooking out and drinking in the parking lot before the game. It’s like $30 a skater.
DM me if interested! We need 2-3 more skaters
Some friends and I rented ice at PWIC 5:20 to 7:20 for a friendly scrimmage. We’re cooking out and drinking in the parking lot before the game. It’s like $30 a skater.
DM me if interested! We need 2-3 more skaters
https://wargatehockey.com/
Anybody using one of these?
I'm thinking I might pick one up. I've been using the 'Tron' hybrid cage/shield "bubble" which is good but heavy and maybe a little more closed in than I want. This looks like it will combine with a half shield to do the same protection and be a fraction of the weight while also having better air flow and better visibility.
Any experience out there?
edited: link
Anybody using one of these?
I'm thinking I might pick one up. I've been using the 'Tron' hybrid cage/shield "bubble" which is good but heavy and maybe a little more closed in than I want. This looks like it will combine with a half shield to do the same protection and be a fraction of the weight while also having better air flow and better visibility.
Any experience out there?
edited: link
I had one sent to me to review but wasn't a fan. In theory the hybrid cages are great but they rarely work out. I used to wear a half shield until a scare with a skate blade to the face. Now I rock a full cage. The weight of the wargate was lighter than traditional hybrid cages but I had an issue with fogging. I used anti fog spray and even lemon pledge. At the end of the day the full cage doesn't hinder my vision enough to worry about the fog issue.
This is my first post and I came here to get some reviews of Veterans Arena in Somerville. We are hosting a BLPA Draft Experience there on St Paddys day weekend. We originally booked another rink but a long time customer decided to use that weekend because we were and we had to move. Luckily we found Veterans and was looking for some insight on the facility.
Curious if the rink is a dump and if the surrounding area is. How are the locker rooms, etc. I don't live in Boston but have played at a number of rinks around town.
Rink is solid- they upgraded the place a few years ago. Ice is usually quite good. Locker rooms are pretty spacious, although older. Showers fine. Parking could be a bit tight at times as the lot isn’t the biggest but has enough spots to comfortably hold a rink full of people.
The immediate area is gentrifying. But within a 5 minute drive are absolute shed loads of bars and restaurants, access to trains and busses is close.
it’s not a brand new rink or a multi purpose event facility. It’s a solid city run hockey rink in an area with great night life.
The immediate area is gentrifying. But within a 5 minute drive are absolute shed loads of bars and restaurants, access to trains and busses is close.
it’s not a brand new rink or a multi purpose event facility. It’s a solid city run hockey rink in an area with great night life.
Right around the corner from Aeronaut Brewing, which would be good for a big event. Short walk to Union Square, which has a bunch of higher and lower brow places that should be evident from a quick Google.
I played in a draft league there about 4 years ago. Rink was as described above. Only issue I had was parking was a pain occasionally. It is a good neighborhood for after game beers.
Great info here boys. Really appreciate it. I will for sure look into Aeronaut brewing for the Draft party. Although Im sure being March 18, there will be a lot of St Paddys day parties going on there. Here are the first jerseys if any one is interested. Draft Experience (DEX) to explain the play on Dropkick
Interesting concept (around the draft and all that). I hope you have a good tourney!
The tourneys are always fun. The draft really helps level the playing field and really no one cares all that much about winning. More about the beer and camaraderie.
I used to do them for a Canadian company for 7 years. We had a bad split and I started my own company. First tourney was the week before Covid shutdown in March 2020. So we bought an RV and drove around the country hosting in the summer of 2020. It was a riot.
https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/High-school-hockey-player-dies-after-injury-16755811.php
Tragic hockey story. A kid who came up thru the same youth program my kids play in died after an injury sustained in a high school hockey game this afternoon.
Tragic hockey story. A kid who came up thru the same youth program my kids play in died after an injury sustained in a high school hockey game this afternoon.
Heard about that last night and was just shocked. Just a crazy accident from the sounds of it. Player falls down and another player 'collides' with him is just strange wording. It lacks on detail (not that I'm begging for it, something tells me I don't want to know) which makes me think it was something gruesome. Just so sad for the family and that hockey community. Definitely hugged my own players a little harder last night.
Definitely a big shock to my org (SWYHA). It's not much, but we're doing moments of silence before all games this weekend and I know I'm going to be much more of a neck guard "nazi" than I have on the teams I help with moving forward.
Just such a tragedy.
Just such a tragedy.
What's the hold up at USA hockey at requiring these at that level? I'd rather take a puck to the nuts than a skate to the neck. At the very least, they should just phase in at the mite level starting now.
Does USA Hockey have the same sway over HS as they do over other "youth" levels? Mine is only a Peewee currently, so I'm not as up on the distinctions between HS and Midget hockey.
My son came to our pickup while he was home from college. I noticed he was wearing his neck guard, but I didn't say anything. It obviously wasn't required all through high school so I was a little surprised he was still wearing it. A day later I saw the news about Teddy. He told me it never bothered him to wear it so why take a chance. I'm more surprised he didn't didn't get razzed in high school for still wearing it. He is starting intramurals next week and he told me he'll be definitely wearing it due to the differences in skill levels he expects.
I just can't imagine the heartbreak for his family and what everyone in that rink had to witness. A neck guard is the least obtrusive piece of equipment they can wear. No reason not to require it all the way through.
I just can't imagine the heartbreak for his family and what everyone in that rink had to witness. A neck guard is the least obtrusive piece of equipment they can wear. No reason not to require it all the way through.
I had no idea it wasn't required by USA Hockey. The organizations my son played for required them through Pee Wee. Here is the USA Hockey "rule" for those who haven't seen it. (emphasis mine)
Not an expert, but my son plays both half season club hockey (U-16) and HS hockey in Mass. For club, all the USA hockey rules apply (like no icing on power plays and the dumb no delayed offsides change this year). For his HS team none of those rules apply, so I assume they don't have the same sway at the HS level.
Thank you for posting this. Such a horrific tragedy both for Teddy and his family and the poor opponent who was involved in the collision.
It's a tiny gesture but both in town (we are in the same town as Teddy lived) and throughout the CT Hockey community we are keeping our sticks outside the front door in his honor.
And yes wear the neck guards especially for older kids who are just skating faster and playing with sharper skate edges. It's not a 100000% guarantee against a neck laceration but it does enough at a not significant discomfort.
You can also get them as part of your shirt, I know Bauer makes one. More expensive but I know my son loses his neck guard constantly.
Losing them is common. My son was "trained" to loop it through the cage on his helmet as soon as he took his helmet off and never lost another one.
They should be required. They are up in Canada, but you need the good ones. There has a been a constant push to get them required in the US that gets blocked over and over. Teddy was wearing a Bauer NLP7 which failed compression tests miserably. There was also independent tests that showed the collar style guards can actually be worse for safety because it can deflect the blade into more vulnerable parts of the neck.