Picking teams at pickup

[Doctor Hook 0]

Probably the best and fairest (somewhat...you'll see why in a sec) method I've seen was to have everyone toss their stick at center ice. Then, one person would go to the pile of sticks, grab one, and toss it into one defensive zone. Next, he'd grab another, and toss it into the other defensive zone. He'd continue until all the sticks were gone.

For the most part, these would randomize the sides, however I found it strange that the tosser, who was a pretty good player, would ALWAYS be on the same team as this really talented Russian dude. So I think he memorized the Russian's stick, but whatevs, it was good to play with pretty much different teams each week.

At other pickups, teams would be based on similar colored jerseys to form a side. Other times, whoever booked the ice would tell people what team they were on. And at other sessions, teams would be pre-assigned based on known skills, but if you have a bunch of no-shows, then this screws it up.

Personally, I like the tossed sticks. It's random, quick, and you get to play with different players. Only thing to keep in mind is you either need to have a bag of pullovers handy or have skaters bring one light and one dark jersey to the pickup.

[-venom- 0]

I'm down with the stick-toss thing, but it's too easy to know who uses [what] stick, so we make 'em toss 'em with their eyes closed.

[KryptOng 9]

yeaa, generally the tosser would have his/her eyes closed or his/her jersey over their face

[wildebeest 0]

Stickpile is the way to go. I keep a reversible jersey for pickup and it actually came in handy again today.

[fatwabbit 93]

Stickpile, but get the most inexperienced player to do the toss.

We usually get the youngest or latest recruit to do the toss... play a few scrimmages and if its really one sided, one of the better players would go over to the weaker side.

At the end of the day its all about having fun... no point that one team is so dominate that they run up the score.

One team I used to play against in a league/tourney used to run up the scores. They had good players, but when they were drilling a newbie team 18-0 they just kept going. The newbie team obviously were devestated, some quitting the game soon after. Bad thing was, when the good team faces another relatively good team, they start to play realy dirty (tripping behind the play, slashes etc.

[Slapshot9123 0]

We usually just go out and split up colors evenly when everyone is on the ice. Once we get the sides picked out we switch guys in and out to even up the talent. This is the easiest way because the drop in around here is very random with who comes out and plays.

[Smitty34 0]

We usually go by jersey color. Its so much easier to tell who is on which team.

[fatwabbit 93]

what happens when everyone goes skins? :P In perth we split teams by jersey color, but back home the weather is too freakin hot (and outdoors too)... so everyone plays without a jersey/tshirt on. Only ones that do keep their tops on are the girls... we've been trying to convince them to go skins for a looooong time...

[whizod 0]

No one uses Eeny meeny miney mo anymore? :P

[roller to ice 0]

We always do it just by color of jersey by me darks vs. lights and somehow it always works out and if it is uneven most of us have both types in our bags anyway i havent done stick toss since i was like 7 years old at floor hockey

[crispy92 14]

We do the stickpile but then halfway through we would switch the teams up based on how people have done during the session making the teams as fair as possible

[Chadd 916]

Around here you get a group of kids that insist on playing together, never pass to anyone other than their friends and take 8 minute shifts. Because of that, you rarely get a decent turnout at pickup.

[interpathway 9]

Around here you get a group of kids that insist on playing together, never pass to anyone other than their friends and take 8 minute shifts. Because of that, you rarely get a decent turnout at pickup.

It's not just around you, that's for sure.

[ashtonhutch05 0]

Here we have a new player sort the stickpile, then we go shirts/skins. It's an high school pick up so everyone wears shouldies for the most part, so not too much actual "skin" shown. Works really good for us.

[Tikkanen 1]

Around here you get a group of kids that insist on playing together, never pass to anyone other than their friends and take 8 minute shifts. Because of that, you rarely get a decent turnout at pickup.

Those are the people you play full check pickup against. If they want to have fun their way then I want to have fun my way.

[mrusse01 0]

Here we have a new player sort the stickpile, then we go shirts/skins. It's an high school pick up so everyone wears shouldies for the most part, so not too much actual "skin" shown. Works really good for us.

You guys play shirtless on ice?

I've never seen that once in my entire life. I don't think.

Around here it's always just dark vs. white...sometimes it works out so red/white are on the same team if there aren't enough whites. Teams aren't usually that lopsided, if it starts to get stupid someone will just change teams.

[ashtonhutch05 0]

Jersey-less, yeah. Works perfect, no need for pullovers or specific jerseys, since we can't rely on everyone to have the right thing here.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Around here it's always just dark vs. white...sometimes it works out so red/white are on the same team if there aren't enough whites. Teams aren't usually that lopsided, if it starts to get stupid someone will just change teams.

We do it that way too...and since it's usually 80-90% the same guys week to week...we kinda keep track of the score and a running tally on how many white or dark wins in the "season".

[phunky_monkey 6]

We did the stick-toss at inline, and get the most inexperienced player to do the toss as stated above. Worked pretty well for the most part

[iceholes 0]

we have several drop ins... but the best around here is.... one guy organizes it and he has them two nights a week(wed, thurs)... sends a text at 7:00am to his database of the time it is and are you in... 1st 20 responders are in, respond and dont show... tough to get back... He sets the teamsby skills. When you Show up he has lists on two locker room doors with your name and teams jersey color. Always has full squads both nights with few exceptions. Always good goalies. $10. Even has extra jerseys. Its black vs white each night.

database of about 50 guys

[Esa_10 1]

we have several drop ins... but the best around here is.... one guy organizes it and he has them two nights a week(wed, thurs)... sends a text at 7:00am to his database of the time it is and are you in... 1st 20 responders are in, respond and dont show... tough to get back... He sets the teamsby skills. When you Show up he has lists on two locker room doors with your name and teams jersey color. Always has full squads both nights with few exceptions. Always good goalies. $10. Even has extra jerseys. Its black vs white each night.

database of about 50 guys

Wow, now that's some organized pick-up.

[phunky_monkey 6]

That's awesome, I'm jealous!

[Law Goalie 147]

One of my groups has been broken into the same rought white/black teams for well over a decade now. There's some back and forth if the numbers are off for a given skate, but what really keeps the game consistent is the implicit competition. If a bunch of the whites, for example, don't show up, and the black team slaughters them that skate, the white guys who did show will let their teammates hear about it - as will the black team who trounced them in absentia.

This partly works because they all work together outside hockey. It also works because the goalies are free to move. If the game's tight and even, we switch ends regularly (mini games to 5, for example); if it's not, the better goalie plays against the better team. Because I'm by far the longest-serving and most regular goalie in the group, I make the decision. By the time I've seen who's out for the warmup, I know where I'll be.

[Scurvy 3]

My drop-in just goes by white vs darks/colours. It's funny that the same guys always turn up and we always have the same teams. If it so too one-sided, nobody usually changes teams unless people get really upset. :lol:

[fatwabbit 93]

We kinda keep a tally of the score, and the running gag for the past few years is when someone just declares 'best of 7 series'... meaning that they are on their last legs, and we need to get it over quick.

5 years since we started that, only once have we ACTUALLY finished a best of 7 series.... usually its one or two more games till we're done.

Also, the guys make up the rules as they go along... as we dont have goalies 95% of the time, goals are only counted if:

- top corner

- one timer

- special shot (off the boards)

- scored from outside of the crease, but below the hashmarks

- skater cannot skate more than 5miles an hour

rules pop up whenever one team is down, tired or just plain beaten... at the end of the day, nobody remembers who scored how many, but how much fun we had...

you get bozos turning up and playing like their life depended on it... one hit me with a shoulder to the nose (no helmet due to pickup hockey), I wanted so much to nail him back, but decided not to as there were a few beginners around (not a good example to set). He's been playing that way for a long time, thinking he's really good. Next two shifts, I'd get the puck, wait for him to line me up, then i just turn on the speed past him. He'll chase, and I'll slow down a few yards from the goal and roof it (still making it less than 5miles an hour), and just skate off. No sense rubbing it in.