Amen.That’s the best 1-2 hours of my week, and it’s not even particularly close.
I started in my 40’s much the same way you are. I stuck with an adult learn to play / scrimmage program through several sessions for about a year. I stopped when that program ended. I hooked on with a C league team that’s progressed to a B league. I’ve found that I miss the skills and drills. It was a good of sized leap from scrimmages with low skilled guys to a c league and a massive jump from there to a B league. I’m probably a better overall player now than a few years ago, but for a while my game got worse from just playing games. I now play pickup in addition to the league and use that to work on specific things.Man I love playing this game. We have 9 weeks left in our class, so trying to decide if I want to take the class again or join a Bronze B team.... I much prefer joining a team, obviously, but we will see how the next few weeks go.
We are getting ready to send the kids to their mom's for the summer so I'm hoping to find a little bit more free time to get out to stick time each week, as the last few have been tough. Our class has finally progressed to scrimmages, but it'll be more fun once everyone finally figures out how to stay onsides!
The better skater you are the easier hockey is. Stick time always seems hard and expensive to get. So the easiest way I've found to improve is lots of work on your skating. Are there any public skates you can get to? Even spending an hour on the ice just working on edge work, or backwards skating, starts and stops, can make a huge difference. If there are not a lot of good public skate options, get a pair of roller blades and find a good path/park. Plus its great exercise and will improve stamina, toss some headphones in and IMO is a million times more fun than running. I haven't gotten to try them myself but we've gotten a ton of good feedback for http://marsblade.com/. Other options for cheap skills improvements is a cheap swedish stick handling ball. Just a literal wooden ball you practice stick handling with. Works great on non-shag carpets while you watch tv or something so you practice controlling the ball while focusing on something else with your head up. You can buy fancy stick handling practice devices, but honestly just three cans on the floor and you stick handling around them with your ball.I started in my 40’s much the same way you are. I stuck with an adult learn to play / scrimmage program through several sessions for about a year. I stopped when that program ended. I hooked on with a C league team that’s progressed to a B league. I’ve found that I miss the skills and drills. It was a good of sized leap from scrimmages with low skilled guys to a c league and a massive jump from there to a B league. I’m probably a better overall player now than a few years ago, but for a while my game got worse from just playing games. I now play pickup in addition to the league and use that to work on specific things.
Without knowing where your skill set is, I’d recommend joining a rookie league and still doing skills if you can. Get a taste of games to gauge where you are but still work on your skills. You’re not likely to get much better just in games.
You won't have a problem finding something. If you end up in Mass, NESHL has draft rookie and novice leagues. FMC Icesports has adult instructional and novice pickups at several of their rinks. Worst case is you call a couple of rinks near where you are and let them know you're interested in C or D level and to get you on a list for any teams short a player.Also, we might be moving back to the northeast next year when I retire from the military, so if anyone knows a good place with a beginner class or league we could look into, that would be awesome, too. It sounds stupid, but one of my bigger stressors about retirement right now is not wanting to end up somewhere that I can't keep up playing this sport that I am just starting to learn.
There are some good players in the league. Widest range of skills, so sure to find a fit if you look around enough.Just be, well, careful in some of those leagues. FYI I hate the NESHL but I’ve played in it for the last ~10 years. Best I’ve found and most accessible.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/deadspin.com/5868584/how-a-senior-league-hockey-fight-ended-with-one-player-pooping-in-an-opponents-glove/amp
My favorite experience was one of the first years I played the ref gave us an extra goal against a team that was full of assholes (actively slashing us, trying to goad people into fights, etc.) in the semifinals. We won by 1. The biggest asshole/meathead on the other team then took his jersey off on the ice and tried to fight the refs. I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be banned from the league already due to previous acts of shitheaddery. Good times.my biggest issue with Paul is the lack of accountability for dangerous players, but yeah, the scheduling is atrocious.
I need more details here.My favorite experience was one of the first years I played the ref gave us an extra goal against a team that was full of assholes (actively slashing us, trying to goad people into fights, etc.) in the semifinals. We won by 1. The biggest asshole/meathead on the other team then took his jersey off on the ice and tried to fight the refs. I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be banned from the league already due to previous acts of shitheaddery. Good times.
Man, I wish I could get my beer league team to fully process this point. Most of the time our weak, shitty wings are so worried about being behind the play that as soon as the other team has the puck they skate back like we are setting up for half-court defense in basketball, and so that first pass is always too easy. But it is amazing how effectively you can create a crappy first pass just by a little pressure on the decision.NZ- completely dependent on system, but I find that generally forwards should pressure the puck carrier to force a decision, while the SS D plays a tighter gap than the WS D.
It’s brutal. I can’t tell you how many times a game or pickup skate I’m yelling “step up” as the forwards on my team skate backwards into me in the NZ.Man, I wish I could get my beer league team to fully process this point. Most of the time our weak, shitty wings are so worried about being behind the play that as soon as the other team has the puck they skate back like we are setting up for half-court defense in basketball, and so that first pass is always too easy. But it is amazing how effectively you can create a crappy first pass just by a little pressure on the decision.
Just to open the can of worms-It’s not even that. I was one of the better players on my last team but people actually knew basics of positioning, like keeping on your point if you’re a winger. Damn mite shit. Especially frustrating as a defenseman who wins a puck in the corner, looks for an outlet and sees three guys standing around on the opposite side flying the zone. SERENITY NOW!
We definitely did it properly. Brought the speaker into our bar playing We are the Champions then made them shut off the jukebox and played DJ. Considering most of us have been on the team for 10+ years, it was fun to celebrate.Excellent name drop.
Congrats on the win- hope you celebrated properly.
My 40+ team won the league last season after 13 years...4 dudes had been there the whole time. Them 4 and me shut down Kettle Ho. They were pumped.
I used it more in a sense of in the general vicinity and not down low pretending to be a dman in front of the net. Cover the point is a lot more pithy.Just to open the can of worms-
F should NOT be covering the point- it opens up too much space in the middle of the zone. They need to be able to deny a pass and get in the shooting lanes of course, but ‘covering’ the point is some 1970s shit.
Fair.I used it more in a sense of in the general vicinity and not down low pretending to be a dman in front of the net. Cover the point is a lot more pithy.
Try being a goalie haha. In Colorado I played with some guys that were amazing athletes that picked up hockey late, and all they would do is chase the puck all over the zone. Or try to block/stop shots. My favorite was a wide low slapshot with 3 seconds left that was going to miss the net when my forward, perfectly screening me, reached out to stop the puck only to score a beautiful tip in. Over my shoulder. In the playoffs. Of a tied gameIt’s not even that. I was one of the better players on my last team but people actually knew basics of positioning, like keeping on your point if you’re a winger. Damn mite shit. Especially frustrating as a defenseman who wins a puck in the corner, looks for an outlet and sees three guys standing around on the opposite side flying the zone. SERENITY NOW!
So feedback on skating tiles have been mixed (one of the reason we haven't run a deal on them). Some think they change your stride and mess you up, others have complained they mess up your skates and recommend you have a junk pair for them. Overall I'm not sure they are worth it. Now the shooting passing ones are different those are awesome, and with a DIY pass helper () and a net they are a blast for practicing shooting and passing.Skating. We were looking at the Hockey Shot setup for our garage.
Our rink is almost an hour drive and it's hard for me and the wife to match our schedules since she started a new kob.
Relentless mocking and shaming.One of life's timeless questions: how do you control shift lengths on your beer league team?