practice jersey colors

[Norm 0]

Imagine if you will....

A regular pickup game between two teams, but with 2 different levels of play. Right now every one shows up wearing whatever and its a pain to get the numbers and quality even.

So I'm trying to think of a practice jersey scheme where we can keep the offenses and defenses together, but allow for the following combinations but still be able to keep the teams clear:

Team A Off/ Team A Def vs Team B Off/ Team B Def

or

Team A Off/ Team B Def vs Team B off/ Team A Def

Does that make sense? Ideas?

Thanks!!

[Chadd 916]

It's easier to just change every 1:30 or 2:00 and keep the better groups against each other. Use the big clock or put a small clock on the bench and just call "change" at the appropriate time.

[Doctor Hook 0]

Or you can do what we do in my pickup sessions: throw sticks. Everyone puts their sticks at center ice, then you toss one toward one net, another one towards the other, until they're all gone.

For the most part this will randomize and mix it up.

Oh, and we also have a bag of red scrimmage vests to throw on one of the teams. These things haven't been washed since Stan Makita was in double runners, so almost everyone brings an extra red sweater.

[jjtt99 0]

We do darks against lights, with a few keeners (like myself) who brings both jerseys on the ice so we can make changes if the teams are uneven.

It's funny because I'm a so-so guy who often gets traded for a good guy to balance things out. (We avoid moving the unskilled guys because they tend to take it personally!)

One or two switches can make a world of difference.

[RadioGaGa 162]

It's funny because I'm a so-so guy who often gets traded for a good guy to balance things out. (We avoid moving the unskilled guys because they tend to take it personally!)

I'm "that guy" too....*L*

The group I play with Sunday has essentially the same light & dark teams every weekend. And almost every weekend the flow flip flops from light o dark. One week White blows out dark...the next week is opposite. Every now and then BOTH goalies are outstanding, and we have like a 2-1 pickup game...almost unheard of. One goalie posted back to back shutouts (IN PICKUP!)

[Monty22 831]

There are also reversable practice jerseys, white/color that you may want to look into.

[Hockeydog 8]

For some reason only known to the Gods of hockey, throwing sticks seems to somehow result in even teams. In Norms situation he wants to have two teams, but with two sub-teams if you will. Maybe having black or navy jerseys against white, but putting yellow pennies on both teams A or B players so you can not only tell the entire teams apart but also the sub- teams. Unless you just stop play to switch out doing this would allow players to change on the fly and be able to recognize both the A and B and the entire team.

[ktang 34]

I heard of an industrial league run that way; one of our facilities has a team in it, and it seems to work.

All teams specify their lines as A, B, and C. Every 1 1/2 mins there is a mandatory change, so As play with As, Bs with Bs, and Cs with Cs. Only the goalies aren't changed. I don't know if they change on-the-fly or if they interrupt play, though.

They do this because there aren't enough players yet to have A, B, and C divisions of teams.

[jjtt99 0]

Interesting concept. I guess that would work pretty well if there wasn't enough players of the same calibre to form teams.

The big con is missing the changing on the fly. I like that part because of the strategy involved.