roller hockey dying

[trogdor 0]

Ok people as much as i dont want to admit this a few of my friends have pointed this out to me. Well roller hockey had its most popularity duing the 90's and now it seems its just looing steam. Rink after rink have been closing down in my area (so cal) so i just wanted to hear everyones elses opinion on this sad topic.

[skooled 0]

I think it is just leveling out. As you would know, SoCal had the biggest boom with RH. The amount of players increased dramatically, so everyone just tried to cash in. Now it is in a time where the diehard players are still playing, and the "fad" players have left.

The PIHA seems to be going strong, and is trying to expand as we speak. There is a new magazine to hit the news stands, "Roller Hockey Today" and alot of great product being released.

But I see that the best way to move forward is in two parts.

1- Giving the young players something to aspire to; A "proffesional" league where Inline is king, along with a strong(er) Highschool and College system .Without it, kids cannot dream, and will go elsewhere, as was seen after the fall of both the RHI and MLRH.

2- Unifying some, if not all of the associations; This will allow for a STRONG leadership for the future of the sport, and more clarity across the country.

NB: I am an Australian player, living in Australia. Our two associations (RSA and AILHA) have merged this year, and should, once all the people get used to it strengthen the state of play here.

[Fletch 219]

Ok people as much as i dont want to admit this a few of my friends have pointed this out to me. Well roller hockey had its most popularity duing the 90's and now it seems its just looing steam. Rink after rink have been closing down in my area (so cal) so i just wanted to hear everyones elses opinion on this sad topic.

Which rinks are you referring to? I know Upland closed....and Skate Zone in HB (ice and roller) closed down. Are there more? I haven't heard anything.

[nummer55 10]

Did Skate Zone close down? When I was in the US for my internship I played pick-up over there and kind of liked it. On the other hand, with C2C and Irvine so close by I understand that roller hockey didn't have a real chance over there.

[whit64 0]

Brea closed down a couple years ago and what ever happened at Inline sports Center in Corona? (I moved away almost a year ago.)

[mattzilla 0]

Rollerhockey here is just picking up steam. we got a new all year around facility which is nice. Before it was just when ice rinks took out the ice in the summer, and they are considering building a 2nd on the on the other part of the island.

We have 8 divisions and 55 teams or so. Each season we get more and more teams.

Some of the leagues in vancouver are getting huge too. I think roller is finally getting healthy and not being a fad sport.

[TheBert 0]

Rollerhockey here is just picking up steam. we got a new all year around facility which is nice. Before it was just when ice rinks took out the ice in the summer, and they are considering building a 2nd on the on the other part of the island.

We have 8 divisions and 55 teams or so. Each season we get more and more teams.

Some of the leagues in vancouver are getting huge too. I think roller is finally getting healthy and not being a fad sport.

I can second that. The Richmond and Vancouver leagues are capped because of limited floor time. (140 teams in Richmond, 50 teams in Vancouver) And there's talk of North Vancouver opening another sportcourt rink. Langley is probably still the premiere league though, eh?

[mattzilla 0]

Rollerhockey here is just picking up steam. we got a new all year around facility which is nice. Before it was just when ice rinks took out the ice in the summer, and they are considering building a 2nd on the on the other part of the island.

We have 8 divisions and 55 teams or so. Each season we get more and more teams.

Some of the leagues in vancouver are getting huge too. I think roller is finally getting healthy and not being a fad sport.

I can second that. The Richmond and Vancouver leagues are capped because of limited floor time. And there's talk of North Vancouver opening another sportcourt rink. How's it doing in Victoria?

its goin good, getting larger every season. theyre talking about opening a new sportcourt facility near sidney.

**with that being said, im not a big fan of the people who run the leagues here. I think its getting large in spite of them and would get bigger if ran properly.

[TheBert 0]

Rollerhockey here is just picking up steam. we got a new all year around facility which is nice. Before it was just when ice rinks took out the ice in the summer, and they are considering building a 2nd on the on the other part of the island.

We have 8 divisions and 55 teams or so. Each season we get more and more teams.

Some of the leagues in vancouver are getting huge too. I think roller is finally getting healthy and not being a fad sport.

I can second that. The Richmond and Vancouver leagues are capped because of limited floor time. And there's talk of North Vancouver opening another sportcourt rink. How's it doing in Victoria?

its goin good, getting larger every season. theyre talking about opening a new sportcourt facility near sidney.

**with that being said, im not a big fan of the people who run the leagues here. I think its getting large in spite of them and would get bigger if ran properly.

I know what you mean. Some of the leagues are starting to have logistical problems with divisions -- just a victim of their own success I guess. But you'd think with the sheer size of the leagues, they could afford to bring someone on to help out. Especially during pre-seasons and the start of the season.

[kovalchuk71 212]

Roller here is stronger than ever.

[trogdor 0]

Ok people as much as i dont want to admit this a few of my friends have pointed this out to me. Well roller hockey had its most popularity duing the 90's and now it seems its just looing steam. Rink after rink have been closing down in my area (so cal) so i just wanted to hear everyones elses opinion on this sad topic.

Which rinks are you referring to? I know Upland closed....and Skate Zone in HB (ice and roller) closed down. Are there more? I haven't heard anything.

yeah upland, corona, brea and anahiem is being kick out of their building its sad

[skooled 0]

Well I think you have your answer. It seems to be getting stronger everywhere but SoCal...

[trogdor 0]

well thats just fucked up haha.

[Jim A 4]

It's a cyclical sport, all sports are....places like TX are now gettting an influx of AAA kids transitioning over and getting hooked

as for rinks closing..the same people who rode the wave and never had to manage their business correctly..now have to close the doors...I would say 90% of closures in the inline world are owner related...

[SCATMAN 33]

Its always been small in AUS... 1996-2002 had the best numbers for inline here with there being dozens of clubs all over the place. But no anymore :'(

[mattzilla 0]

Its always been small in AUS... 1996-2002 had the best numbers for inline here with there being dozens of clubs all over the place. But no anymore :'(

i have a friend whos going to play in aus on the national team, or something like that.

[Fletch 219]

Did Skate Zone close down? When I was in the US for my internship I played pick-up over there and kind of liked it. On the other hand, with C2C and Irvine so close by I understand that roller hockey didn't have a real chance over there.

Yeah, they closed a few months ago....it sucks because they offered Wed. and Thurs. night ice pickup and I liked knowing that if I couldn't make one I could make the other one. It was a tiny old ice rink that they actually had trucked in from back east but it was awesome....they would let you stay after for hours and shoot pucks after pickup. I'm gonna miss that place. :(

Ok people as much as i dont want to admit this a few of my friends have pointed this out to me. Well roller hockey had its most popularity duing the 90's and now it seems its just looing steam. Rink after rink have been closing down in my area (so cal) so i just wanted to hear everyones elses opinion on this sad topic.

Which rinks are you referring to? I know Upland closed....and Skate Zone in HB (ice and roller) closed down. Are there more? I haven't heard anything.

yeah upland, corona, brea and anahiem is being kick out of their building its sad

I had heard the rumors about AHC.....wow. I didn't think they were true. And yeah, Corona closed down last year....that place was brutal anyway...I don't miss it. There also was the "Circuit" rink in Fountain Valley which closed down after only a couple years. It was a really nice place too.

[Archangel#16 1]

why is anaheim shutting down? I love that rink.

[SCATMAN 33]

we still have nationals and everything but not every state is represented in every age group. the "boom" was 96-02 as people were saying before

[skooled 0]

well, lets just see what the merger brings.

It also depends where you play. where are you from SCATMAN???

[Aussie Joe 0]

After playing inline for 10 years Im not so sure this merge has improved things. Im from Vic and allot of the "RSA suck-you-bus" type creatures are still running things.

Lying, cheating, over charging 14 yo kids who just wanna play state and all that jazz. The biggest thing for me is rink quality and being forced to play on sub standard surfaces really gets my goat up.

Im back at Ice for the 1st time and things are run so much smoother. Rarely are there fixture changes at the last minute etc. It just seems like its organised so much more.

Unless things go well selection wise for me this summer in the inline leagues I might just stick with Ice.

PS: Good to see some more Aussies on the board.

[shute 4]

if you want rollerhockey then come to B.C cause it's as strong as ever! i think we have the only rinks which stays rollerhockey all year round (Sportsplex) in canada as well. i know for sure we have the biggest league in canada (Pitch with well over 100 teams) which isn't played in the year round rinks btw.

[Bane 1]

Ok people as much as i dont want to admit this a few of my friends have pointed this out to me. Well roller hockey had its most popularity duing the 90's and now it seems its just looing steam. Rink after rink have been closing down in my area (so cal) so i just wanted to hear everyones elses opinion on this sad topic.

Which rinks are you referring to? I know Upland closed....and Skate Zone in HB (ice and roller) closed down. Are there more? I haven't heard anything.

yeah upland, corona, brea and anahiem is being kick out of their building its sad

When did you hear Anaheim is being kicked out? They just me that they signed a new seven year lease. My wife is in the property management business and is telling me that the current building owner (CBRE) is looking to sell the building to another property management company. When buildings are sold, new owners almost always want someone in there with a long term lease, it shows the building can make money.

Out of curiosity, what team do you play on at Anaheim?

[gee2626 0]

if you want rollerhockey then come to B.C cause it's as strong as ever! i think we have the only rinks which stays rollerhockey all year round (Sportsplex) in canada as well.

Not the only one in Canada. There's an all year round roller floor in Langford/Victoria, B.C. too.

[trogdor 0]

why is anaheim shutting down? I love that rink.

well its not shutting down its gonna move, if they can. but as for signing a new lease please tell me its true because i thought the owner wouldnt do it.