Besides actually playing, what else do you like about hockey?

[sweetblazer 0]

Without a doubt the best part for me is just being in the rink and the memories, stories and friends you make throughout your minor hockey career. Its unbelievable looking back now how much of my life is hockey. Most of my good friends that I've actually stayed in contact with over the years are from hockey. 97% of stories i have are with the boys. The hockey dressing is a sacred place.

[djinferno 2]

i like watching games, i have center ice and watch every game and i also go watch my friends play

[DMBeer41 0]

1) The friendships. 95% of the people I hang out with on the weekends i've met through one of my mens league teams

2) Finding the perfect linemates: when you find linemates that you click with, pulling off the perfect 3 man cycle in the corner finishing with a quick give and go resulting in a goal.

3) 5 am practices: I miss these immensely, but we always showed up an hour early with a dunkin donuts coffee, and the guy opening the rink would meet us there and me, my dad, and my brother(a goalie) had the ice for a full hour before practice started. Those were good times

4)Forgetting troubles: for 45 minutes of clock time, nothing matters.

[Jarick 5]

1. I'm not out of breath now ever doing anything "normal" because it doesn't even compare to a two minute PK shift

2. I'm down about 15 pounds since I started playing last November

3. I feel like a million bucks after playing

4. Helps with anxiety issues that I have

5. It's challenging and gives me confidence and motivation in other areas of my life

6. I can go to the rink and forget about all the bullshit in my life for a couple hours

[Cheesehead 0]

i love the full experience. my best friends are my teammates. When i am out on the ice, it is all i can think about, just playin' hockey, nothing else. I love the feeling of scoring a goal, laying someone out, or the sacred locker room. I love going to tournaments, because i get to play the greatest sport ever, and chill in between games with my friends. I love the feeling of breaking in new skates, and the last time skating on the old ones.

I don't think any other sport comes close to hockey.

[Slapshot25 0]

I can be mad at one of my teammates in the locker room but as soon as i step on the ice all of that anger is gone towards my teammate (if i am mad at them) The people you play with in hockey arent just your friends they are your family. Hockey is the best sport ever

[hockeyherb 1]

Here's another good reason to play hockey...

Yesterday a guy in our league sent out an email that his startup employer is shutting down almost immediately and he's out of work pretty soon. The email got forwared to the league and within a day he had at least two emails of job opportunities for him to look at.

Last year one of the guys' had his infant son die and they shut down play for the day of the funeral so guys would be able to go and support him.

It's a good feeling to know we all look out for each other even when our personal lives are affected.

[DMBeer41 0]

Here's another good reason to play hockey...

Yesterday a guy in our league sent out an email that his startup employer is shutting down almost immediately and he's out of work pretty soon. The email got forwared to the league and within a day he had at least two emails of job opportunities for him to look at.

Last year one of the guys' had his infant son die and they shut down play for the day of the funeral so guys would be able to go and support him.

It's a good feeling to know we all look out for each other even when our personal lives are affected.

I got started in mens league hockey from the company I started working at. They had a team in the league nearby. From the guys on that team, I was able to get more opportunities at the job. It was great! One of the guys got his series 7 license sponsored from a guy on our team. Hockey people are good people :)

[AnthonyJTa 0]

This is by far one of the best threads ive ever read. What a pity, season ends mid April here and the rinks will be closed until September :(

Uh yah, for me, its besides your reasons because of these rituals and the spirit.

While I'm lucky enough to be able to skate year round- I kinda wish we had a 3 month lapse during the summer. So I could really bust my a** all summer, and get myself into better shape for the next season.

But this thread is awesome. I'll have to agree, the friendships of the guys you play with whether it be a beer league team, or a pickup hour. Skating 3 times a week can easily expand ones network of friends.

Sometimes, I enjoy the shenanigans in the locker room pre, and post game more than the actual skate itself. It makes me wish I took up hockey when I was younger, so I could experience the whole aspect in a traveling situation. It's got my brother and I thinking of planning a trip North with the boys just to play.

[BK 0]

Honestly, I love my wife's new-found interest in the sport. She's even talking about joining a girls league in the summer.

It gives me warm-tinglies on the inside.

[ktang 34]

BK's post reminds me of some of my team-mates' reasons (not mine) for continuing to like hockey: getting away from the wife / kids / girlfriend / parents / room-mates for about 4 hours...

[cabreezy 0]

I think it's great how everyone has each other's back out on the rink (for the most part). When you see a teammate go down, or you yourself go down, you got other guys there to back you up.

[ktang 34]

Something else that appeals to me is all the skills that are needed to play. I will never master all of them, but I try to improve in some areas to make up for losing ability in others. It really is fun when a play clicks because a team-mate and I are thinking the same thing and we have the skills to pull it off.

[Doctor Hook 0]

Another thought...you don't have to be a very talented player to do well in this sport. Hell, even if you can't make it up and down the ice without falling, as long as you're going all out and hustling, chances are you can at least be a valuable grinder.