Leaderboard

First....NO CRYING IN HOCKEY!!! Don't ever be embarrassed if you can't do something or have a question. That is part of the learning process. We all had to learn, some just did it earlier than other. When you are practicing, don't every be afraid to fail or fall. You learn that way. As long as you are putting in a honest, hard effort you have nothing to be embarrassed about. If someone gives you crap because you asked a question, fell during a drilled or whiffed a shot they are the fools not you. Even the pros still make mistakes and they will tell you they are always learning something.

I had the same problem, but I simply put the rivet on the edge of my vice and whacked the insole side with the end of the ratchet extension bar with a wooden hammer to re-flatten out the rivet. I did this on all of them and they haven't moved in 3 months or so.. I also put silicone sealant around each of the posts of the runner as there was quite a bit of space and had a thought that ice and crap would get underneath the mounts and accelerate rust / rot (even if it didn't, what harm could it do!).

another shell acquired:

Thanks for the sympathy guys. The group that are building the new rink have announced that they're investigating options for a temporary rink, so all hope is not completely lost. I've got a seat at the next association board meeting where they will be talking about their options, so hopefully some good news might come from it. The A and B Grade league was supposed to start this weekend, and the national league starts early next month, so hopefully something comes out of it...

Depends on your tenacity to improve and how quickly you can pick up techniques. I'm currently teaching a 32 year old woman and she's at the beginner level (she can stop, skate backwards and shoot) and she achieved that within 8-10 months or so. She won't be playing at a "competitive level" for at least another year or so. But the thing that's important to note that she does two hockey classes, plays games, and she gets taught by me. So, she's definitely passionate about learning and playing (when she first started she told me she never had any intention of playing, but with a little time and patience, she got the confidence to want to play). So to sum it up: The more dedicated you are, the quicker and more proficient you'll become at being a hockey player!