How to get started playing hockey?

[Rustpot 1]

YAY!! Good to hear you are hooked

How did it feel skating around with all the gear on?

For the first few minutes it felt awkward, but after that I didn't really notice it anymore. I thought it would be a lot more awkward than it was, but I think having all the gear on made me feel more protected in case of a fall, which in turn made me more confident and actually helped my skating.

I've developed my skating more at drop-in sessions than the dedicated skating class I took. I wore my shin pads to skating class and used them every so often, but I was pretty timid still. At hockey I have no problem trying new stuff and falling/tripping/sliding/colliding. My stopping isn't 100% and I still sometimes catch too hard and end up ass-over-teakettle, and I thus never try hard stops at public skates.

I started playing when I got to college and I kick myself for not trying to persuade my parents into letting me start when I was younger. Keep going, it's one of the only things that makes me smile no matter how beat, tired, crappy or terrible I feel.

[number21 3]

Congrats to all those starting up late in life. It can be intimidating at rat hockey and when you start a league, but it's totally worth it!

I haven't played since September, I quit my job and moved , and I haven't found a job quite yet. I miss hockey terribly! I haven't even been to a stick and puck since I have no insurance or money.

Keep going! Surprisingly in most adult league players will give you great tips, some might get annoyed with how green you are, but the majority won't.

[Rustpot 1]

I haven't played since September, I quit my job and moved , and I haven't found a job quite yet. I miss hockey terribly! I haven't even been to a stick and puck since I have no insurance or money.

July for me. Moved to PA and can't work in time for the local rink, too used to school in MI where I have every weeknight, weekend, ponds and morning skates available. 1 more year of college and I'm going to spend as much time on the ice as possible.

[vectoranalysisgo 3]

I thought it would be a lot more awkward than it was, but I think having all the gear on made me feel more protected in case of a fall, which in turn made me more confident and actually helped my skating.

This is so key.. it's awesome to hear that you're already on board with the "padding=no fear" concept. I think you make the most progress once you let go and let yourself fall.. the first time you really skate hard into a play and hit your ass because you can't stop, or take a big chance on a tight turn as you're learning your edges and wipe out, your body finally realizes where the limits of motion are and you begin to develop that crucial muscle memory. It's awesome. I play with a lot of women (and beginner men too.. but we might as well be specific here), and it seems to me that the major difference between the people who, over time, get better and better and the people who continue to skate around looking like the little plastic figures in a dome hockey game is whether or not they can let go of their fear of falling. If you're always tentative, you never learn exactly what angles you can tilt at, how much you can trust your edges and your own body, or how hard you can hit something (person.. boards.. etc) without it slowing you down.

I know it's a hockey cliche, but "if you're not falling, you're not learning." 100% true. Keep up the good work!

[roller to ice 0]

vector.... ahmen with the quote just about a month or two ago i started playing ice (im 18 i played in various floor and roller leagues since i was 8) and only problem i had was skating and i only feel like i have gotten better in that aspect of my game if i had wiped out on a odd edge a few times or flew into a guy b/c i still cant ice hockey stop

[Darkbyte 0]

Good to hear DevilsFan38.

I know it's a hockey cliche, but "if you're not falling, you're not learning." 100% true.

hehe I get that a lot, as well as "if you're not falling over, your not trying hard enough", "stop being a girl and start falling over", and "stop being a girl, buy a girdle, and start falling over"

memo to self: fall over ;)

[DevilsFan38 0]

Two skates later, and I think I'm on my way to becoming a gear whore...

I'm already looking at new sticks - I think I need a lower lie since the toe of my stick is off the ice. I can't really justify it yet since I've only used the thing for two hours and really have no clue what I'm dong out there (and the variety of different curves, lies, flexes, woodie/blade & shaft possibilities is mind-boggling!), but I'm thinking about it. It's probably a good thing I don't know where to start with that - it'll keep me from spending money I don't have.

[fatwabbit 93]

When some people ask me to teach them how to skate, the first thing I do is to teach them how to fall 'safely'. Easier to teach someone when they already know what to expect, rather than have them give up because they fell backwards onto their back instead of forward where they could brace themselves with their arms.

[Darkbyte 0]

I guess it can be an early Christmas present to myself.

And another gearwhore is born.

I was already a shopaholic. I'm a chick - shopping is in my blood :D

Two skates later, and I think I'm on my way to becoming a gear whore...

:P

Nice work

[DevilsFan38 0]

When some people ask me to teach them how to skate, the first thing I do is to teach them how to fall 'safely'. Easier to teach someone when they already know what to expect, rather than have them give up because they fell backwards onto their back instead of forward where they could brace themselves with their arms.

That I've got down. I horseback ride as well, and I can't even begin to count how many falls I've had doing that (50? 100?) and, knock on wood, so far nothing but a few ugly bruises. After getting thrown into jumps by a horse the ice and boards look pretty benign (especially when you have padding on!).

[fatwabbit 93]

Yup... exactly! Once people understand that with all that gear on they wont be hurt falling down (fingers crossed), they focus more on enjoying themselves rather than worry about falling over. When they get over that phychological barrier, it makes it all easier.

I dont skate without my gear on now... even recreational skating I wear some beefy knee pads. Somehow I feel naked without my gear on!...

[sdcopp 1]

I'm already looking at new sticks - I think I need a lower lie since the toe of my stick is off the ice.

depending on how bad the toe lift is and how long the stick is currently you can cut it a tad shorter to adjust, it will bring the blade closer into the body as well.

[DevilsFan38 0]

I'm already looking at new sticks - I think I need a lower lie since the toe of my stick is off the ice.

depending on how bad the toe lift is and how long the stick is currently you can cut it a tad shorter to adjust, it will bring the blade closer into the body as well.

I was actually thinking I might leave my next stick an inch or two longer, because right now it feels slightly too close to my body, so I'm not sure I should go that route - but thanks!

[Darkbyte 0]

Just curious to see how you are going

[DevilsFan38 0]

I am loving it! I'm actually starting league play next week, so we'll see how that goes. And I bought myself a new stick today (Bouchard curve), can't wait to try it out tomorrow night, along with my superfeet for my aching arches. There is a serious lack of stick variety out there - I want something with a lie of 5 or 5.5, slight mid curve, not too rockered, and in a wood stick or wood blade. Is that too much to ask for?

[Darkbyte 0]

Wow congratulations.

I know what you mean about sticks, but we take what we can get. I would have loved to have started with a straight stick (Ive just swapped from shooting right to shooting left, hardly anyone here shoots left).

[KABAROV 0]

i got started super late. i was 22 years old and me and a few buddies bought skates and sticks and headed to the local outdoor rink. we soon learned that we needed the following

1. shin guards

2. elbow guards

3. to learn how to skate.

So we slowly started improving. I went out and bought the cheapest gear i could find... $30 helmet, $40 gloves, $30 pants etc...

After couple months we pooled our resources and started renting out ice time at the local rinks. a 1.5 hr time slot would cost about $15 bucks a person.

Now its 5 years down the road and i'm actually a fairly decent skater. I recently started upgrading the bargain basement gear i had but let me tell you, most of it held up and is still in playable condition!! Not bad for around $250 bucks including skates!! Of course by now as my skills have improved my lust after the newest and nicest gear has gotten stronger. This year is my first time playing in an actual organized beer leauge. I'm having the time of my life! My first game I scored a hat-trick it was unreal!

Of course there are ups and downs but definitely jump in there and dont be afraid to suck! Just keep working hard and you will be skating around competitively in no time.

:P