Youngsters in beer league?

[Chadd 916]

I am questioning the credibility of the original post. No well-run legitimate beer league would allow 12 year old kids to play. In such a litigious society the liability is too great. Most beer leagues have strict policies. Every men's league that I know of is !8+. Is the original poster talking about pick up hockey? Big difference from Mens/beer league.

It happens, not as much as it used to, but it does happen.

To end my thought I would say let kids play with parent consent and Tell the adults not to give them special treatment. I know that if I was a kid I would want other people to play 100% against me.

Say whatever you want, but people let up and others get upset if they don't I've seen it happen way too many times. There was a woman on the team we played the other night and you could see everyone let up every time she got the puck. It wasn't intentional, just a natural reaction.

I understand that but its like in competitive leagues. what if you have a girl guys won't let up

If you play them hard, there's usually someone on the other team that is somehow related and will end up starting problems if you play like they're one of the guys.

[sickwilly 37]

Youth hockey is generally split into age divisions to keep it fair, safe, competitive and fun for all. It doesn't make sense to me that kids who wouldn't be allowed to play games against someone a few years older could play against adults. Sure, there are a few younger guys who pull it off quite well. However I see many more young guys that the adult games would be better off (and safer) without.

They have more (and better) ice time and opportunities to play, anyway. Let the older guys have their fun.

[sitzlejd 0]

^^^^ EXACTLY. These kids are on the ice all day long. Let us slow farts have our hour.

Personally, I think it's kind of a dick move to bring your kid, unless you got the okay from everyone on both teams.

[biff44 0]

I think it is a really bad idea. The kid can get killed out there.

On the other hand, I once did see a 13 y.o. friend of my son's go midieval on a 25 y.o. guy that shashed him from behind at a pick-up game. He was just pounding him. That kid ended up getting something like 400 PMs a season in the Maritime leagues later in life.

So I guess it depends!

[technophile 0]

That might be true, but not many of them are hockey players (more likely malnourished and non-exercising hipsters and long distance runners). I doubt there is a college roster that actually lists a player under 150. I am sure there are some, but I don’t want every 140 pound twenty year old posting in response.

There are alot of guys 18+ that are under 150lbs

I'm 32, 5'10", 135lb. (and I've actually put on weight the last few years).

Which is why I play in non-contact leagues. I don't mind a bit of incidental contact, and I'll initiate if you're hanging around the crease or screening my goalie, but I don't want any 200+ pound gorillas crushing me through the boards. :D

I'm not malnourished, I play hockey at least once (often twice) a week and am in generally good shape. I've just always had a very active metabolism, even when I was hitting the gym four+ times a week and playing hockey for 3+ hours at a go I weighed less than 130. I'd never make it in college or pro hockey, but at a rec/beer league level I can hold my own, especially as I'm a faster skater than a lot of guys/girls in my league.

Regarding the original question, my local adult league is 18+, there's an 18-year-old goalie who plays for one of the teams (and subs around a lot). He's pretty good, I don't have any problems with him being there. Younger I wouldn't want to deal with, though; both for maturity and liability reasons. I've seen smaller women get run over, I'd hate to see a 14 or 12 year old get nailed by someone. They have pretty good youth leagues here, though, so it's never been an issue that I know of.

[Big Glove Save 0]

I would agree that under 18 years old should play in a league unto themselves and not with those 18 years and over. Players can get excited, enthusiastic and just plain emotional quickly at times. I am sure noone is proud if and when they get too rough with a very young teenager but I do think precautions need to be taken to remove that scenario before it would happen.

We have all seen some older guy, maybe even in their 30's or 40's lose control when a quicker and more agile high school kid steals the puck and goes zooming around. And an equally crazy scene when a teenager's parents are screaming, demanding blood from the rink owner or getting face to face with an older player cause he is getting knocked down when his head is not up.

[goblue9280 33]

While I believe all adult leagues should be 18+ for liability reasons... I think part of the reason you see so many 14-17 year olds in beer league games is the desire between father and son to play together. Most fathers (was the case with my dad) are getting ready to move to senior leagues by the time their kids are old enough to play with them. Add in that most kids go away to college, and the window for father/son to play together is very small.

Little off topic:

It's a pretty cool experience to play on a team with your dad. I did it for one season when I was 20 in a noncontact beer league, and have lots of great memories. I played forward, my dad defense... so while we weren't on a line together, we did share a lot of ice time. One of the funniest moments was when my dad angled a guy along the boards and made minor contact as he played the puck. Completely benign play that happens 10+ times in rec league games. The guy took offense, and started crosschecking my dad, who gave it back a bit... the ref signaled to call coincidental roughing penalties... and this guy decided to take one last big hack at my dad. So I came in and just put a shoulder into him, sending him sprawling. Dad and I ended up in the box together... great father-son bonding moment!

[shotty 7]

my dad signed me up to play forward on his team in whistler when i was 17. i had a love/hate relationship with the scenario.

he'd get me up super early for breakfast and on the mountain for first tracks. we'd ski impossible terrain all day (til the mtn shut at 3pm), then go to the gym, then nap, then hockey, then bed. rinse and repeat.

nearly every day for about three months. in the summer it was the same, except instead of skiing it was 6-7 hour bike rides.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

In Atlanta the REC League (16+ with parent's consent and you have to play with your parent) is the laid back atmosphere.

The OPEN league (more competitive) is 18 and over league for contractual/liability reasons.

[Chadd 916]

Little off topic:

It's a pretty cool experience to play on a team with your dad. I did it for one season when I was 20 in a noncontact beer league, and have lots of great memories. I played forward, my dad defense... so while we weren't on a line together, we did share a lot of ice time. One of the funniest moments was when my dad angled a guy along the boards and made minor contact as he played the puck. Completely benign play that happens 10+ times in rec league games. The guy took offense, and started crosschecking my dad, who gave it back a bit... the ref signaled to call coincidental roughing penalties... and this guy decided to take one last big hack at my dad. So I came in and just put a shoulder into him, sending him sprawling. Dad and I ended up in the box together... great father-son bonding moment!

That's the biggest problem with parents/kids or husbands/wives playing together. If something happens to one, both are going to get involved. We had a goalie that jumped a guy in the handshake line because the guy had a running battle all game long with the goalies kid. Neither of those guys plays with us anymore.

[titand19 0]

I think the problem lies in locker room activity. Some how there was some 15 yr old kid playing on my team the other day and I totally forgot he was 15 until I saw his face. He had an unopened beer in his hand and he seemed in shock hearing about cream pies and donkey punches for the first time.

[troy 12]

A creampie is a very delicious snack, my mother would pack them in my lunch sometime. I certainly feel sorry for this deprived adolescent.

[87vert 0]

around here most leagues are 18+ but they also have a D league that is 25+

Pickup however is 16+ but they dont check ID's so sometimes you get younger guys because they dont offer a pickup for sub 16 only stick time.

[JoeyJ0506 191]

They have more (and better) ice time and opportunities to play, anyway. Let the older guys have their fun.

I could not agree more. As a college baseball player I'm not trying to play in the over thirty baseball league in my area until it is apparent I can no longer keep up at the level I'm at now. I'm 22 and I have alot more opportunity to play competitive baseball than the older guys do, why should I take someone's roster spot in the 30+ league when there's four or more other leagues in my area aimed at my specific age and talent level? So, I agree with sickwilly, let those of us that do not have the opportunities to play elsewhere get our ice-time in the rec/beer leagues; enjoy your ice time with your traveling/high school/whatever team.

[rtwng20 0]

We were the loveable loosers of our C league. Just a bunch of hockey dads ans 2 moms getting together to have some fun. (We did have the nicest jerseys in the league though.) After a couple of seasons we replaced some departing members with a few of our then 17 yr old sons, and a former div III goalie. Three championship seasons later the league forced us to the B league thus endding the playing careers of most of the old folks.

[BucksAway 16]

In Atlanta the REC League (16+ with parent's consent and you have to play with your parent) is the laid back atmosphere.

The OPEN league (more competitive) is 18 and over league for contractual/liability reasons.

That could turn out bad

16 year old got get nailed on the boards and the dad cracks the shits and starts fights uncesseserarly

[ovechkin_368 0]

I think the liability factor is a huge part of it, but so is just being pschologically understanding of the concequences. Along with many league across the US and Canada I 18 should be the minimum age of beer leagues. At that age when you are legal and you can make the decision full well knowing that if you of a smaller stature that there is a chance that you could get hurt and your not putting stress on the league that they may go out of business if you do get hurt. I don't think it should be based of physical characteristics because I am small guy for an 18yo so I when I played beer league this year I knew that an injury could occur playing older guys who so much bigger and taller then I was.

[chippa13 1844]

Anyone care to translate that?

[Ahriman 1]

Into what? Its a bunch of run on sentences, completely forgivable. Not internet text messaging 4chan l33t speek. Dont be a douche.

[chippa13 1844]

Who is it, your cousin? Settle down, Francis.

[highslot84 0]

Here in annapolis, we have a few pickup games at the naval academy rink. They let all ages come and play. I've found that sometimes playing against a 8-9 year old kid can slow the game down. But on the other hand i enjoy playing with them and growing their love of the game.

I wouldn't want them in my adult league though.... They get their own damn leagues!

[cptjeff 0]

Into what? Its a bunch of run on sentences, completely forgivable. Not internet text messaging 4chan l33t speek. Dont be a douche.

Run on sentences are certainly not that forgivable, they can often be just as hard to comprehend. I know not everyone can write like Hemingway, but basic sentence structure and punctuation is not too much to ask.

BTW, have you heard of those apostrophe things? They're very helpful in indicating contractions.

My kingdom for a comma...

[IniNew 51]

I love posts proceeding a grammar insult. Everyone struggles to show their (yes that's the right one!) grammar skillz on the interwebz.

As far as youngster in beer league? None. Terrible idea in every shape and form for the reason most of stated. Siblings/Parent's tempers get flared up really quickly which just adds to the already piss-poor attitudes in most (read: my) beer league.

[Chadd 916]

Here in annapolis, we have a few pickup games at the naval academy rink. They let all ages come and play. I've found that sometimes playing against a 8-9 year old kid can slow the game down. But on the other hand i enjoy playing with them and growing their love of the game.

I wouldn't want them in my adult league though.... They get their own damn leagues!

You're screwed when you're on the ice against a 9 year old, especially one that isn't all that good. You give them space and they just fumble the puck for a while with their head down and if you play any defense against them at all, you're an asshole. The sad thing is they're also most likely to be the ones taking 15 minute shifts.

[Bucky25 0]

We have a pick up league where some H.S. aged kids come down. Usually it's OK but the young ones often get their sticks up around the face...I tend to go in cautiously against most of them. We had a kid there this week who is local but plays AAA hockey and is in the US Developmental Program.

He went about 1/2 speed and could've skated cirlces around everyone if he wanted to...a few times he "huslted" and showed what was probably 4th gear for him. Pretty neat to see that level of talent from a local kid.