Wheels sliding - How to get grip back

[eastside 0]

Hi All, have an issue, I am a coach and several of my players have been working on hockey stopping but as a result slide along the floor without the wheels giving any grip at all. We use a tiled indoor surface, and the wheels they have are Rink Rat Split Xxx's and Hot Shots which in my own past experience have been really grippy. My feeling is that their wheels have hardened (the splits are second hand), and if so is there a way to get some sort of grip back to them? ie heat them etc.

Other option is to buy a new set of wheels however if i could save these kids money. Any input would be appreciated.

[althoma1 574]

There could be a few issues causing slippage:

1. Dust and Dirt. Make sure the floor is clean and clean the wheels.

2. The wheels were used on cement at some point - you want to use sport court wheels on sport court only. Once you use them on any type of cement (even smooth concrete) they tend to lose their grip for sport court and you can't really get it back.

3. They're just old and worn out or have hardened with age as you suggested - if they're just harder with age perhaps some of the lighter players can trade with heavier players. The heavier players can still get grip with harder wheels (as long as they're indoor sport court wheels), but the light guys need fairly soft wheels.

If the wheels have hardened there's not much you can do besides trading them with heavier players (this may actually help the heavier players as well as they'd still have grip, but would gain some speed). If they're worn out or have been used on cement then new sport court wheels are needed. Dust and dirt is the easiest fix - you clean the wheels and sweep the floor and should have improved grip.