Jump to content
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble
Slate Blackcurrant Watermelon Strawberry Orange Banana Apple Emerald Chocolate Marble

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Lufria

New Roller Hockey Alliance

Recommended Posts

I like the idea of having all these big roller hockey groups work together and be under one roof. Also seeing some of the people running it gives me the impression that this thing could really help the sport grow.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

with the exception of the AIHL all the big players in roller hockey are present. Grassroots, kids programs are so widely spread that there is a gaping hole there, but there is a clear developmental path if you look at who they have already:

NAYRHL (probably a few more to this fold when it's said and done for youth programs, very similar world youth teams in Colorado following this type of format it looks like including high school aged kids)

NCRHA

PIHA (would be nice to see AIHL here too, bury the hatchet and be part of something bigger than themselves)

and then Narch, State Wars and TORHS on the pure tournament side of things and USA Clinics for additional development.

It's a good start. Phantomowner I have a feeling where your comment stems from, but we all know that even with growth of the sport as a battlecry, there's no one purely altruistic at any forefront. Some do it for ego, some do it for money and some do it for spite/justice. All that being said, this is a good thing if this is a starting point and not a closed list of groups.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think what i find the most interesting in this conversation all over the place is that it's mostly aimed at the tournament series and "what the player gets out of it." Where are the rink's when it comes to most of this stuff?

It's no suprise that a lack of a central, united governing body is what roller hockey needs. I haven't heard one person say to keep it they way it should be. Everyone wants the sport to grow.

Wouldn't the logical way of growing the sport be to set up rules and restrictions, and not guidelines within the rinks? One thing we see with Ice, in both youth and adult is a unified system in the game as well as the administration of the sport. I don't think eliminating AAU or joining forces all together changes anything for inline hockey at all. It will be at the base, the rinks, that provide the players for the tournament series and etc.

I applaud the RHA's efforts to attempt to solidify the grassroots program in order to bring more players in. I think the coaching certification is a great idea as well. Problem is, like every other movement that's happened in our sport, there's been questions about the money, and truthfully, the community has been screwed so many times that no one believe's the sport will work.

Thoughts?

And for arguments sake, I am the Director of Hockey for The Skate Zone, Rochester Hills MI.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would hope that the arguing and bickering can stay over at IHC and that there kind of attitudes (how they act), and the politics never reaches to this place. I personally like the idea and think anyone working together for a change disserves a chance. As for the common question of "what the player gets out of it?" I think we need to give them some time. The alliance was only revealed to the public a couple days ago. I know in the past that the community has suffered and players from different things, but why do so many people push this non-profit thing? People are all about the NHL and similar things for ice hockey that are not non-profit. (Probably a bad correlation) From my understanding I thought they were really going to push the grass roots. I think that by just being patient and letting them get off the ground we will get to see more and more of what they are about and what they plan to do.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

the big bright light in this for me is we finally have several of the captains of the roller hockey ship deciding which course to take together.

Imagine being on a cruise with 12 different captains for the boat and none can agree which course should be travelled, so instead of getting anywhere the boat just drifts along aimlessly, that's where all the players have been with bright blips of order along the way that fade pretty quickly.

Tim and Daryn stated pretty clearly that they are businessmen with financial objectives, but the point both made was that growing the sport from a non-profit stance helps their business, why take the $30 today and run when using those funds to grow player base turns into $300 or more annually in long term repeat business for their product?

CJ Yoder manages at the Tour Arena here in Colorado, and for all the profiteering accusations I've seen no sign that he's raking people across the coals to take their cash. Quite the opposite in fact which is why it's encouraging to see his name on this as well.

It's not going to happen without it's controversy, or hurt feelings, or dubious looks, but in the long run this is a very good thing as long as these organizations stick to it together. Fragmentation is the issue at hand, why are people bent over consolidation then?

Hoffer, I totally agree that the rinks are the very bottom foundation for all of this and nothing can succeed without as many rinks as possible getting on board. By establishing coaching and reffing guidelines as well as the tourny series coordinating to not step on each other I don't see how it's a bad thing for any rink. As a parent of a child who is starting to want to learn how to skate and play, ice looks a lot easier on my time and organizational challenges because they have it down, it's better organized from youth to adult, there are certifiable standards the coaches and refs are held to, etc.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

the rink from my area is run by a bunch of money grabbing assholes who will do anything to get your buck. the guy who runs the arena is married to a certain female ex-NHLer.

that being said, the sport is getting larger and larger in this area and there isnt any other options if you want a high level of play so they have everybody by the short curlies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Conceptually it makes a lot of sense to grow the sport. I hope it comes to fruition.... I think it is imperative to get these kids at the grass roots level to provide a consistent message.

HEAR, HEAR!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am trying to understand the real motive of RHA. I have been involved in hockey for a long time starting as a young boy playing ice hockey in Denver and moving to Canada when I was 16 years old to play Jr. hockey. I still play roller 2 or 3 times a week in San Diego:

I have played in the NHL, WHA & Team USA in ice and USARS nationals, NARCh Pro & Torhs Pro in roller.

Coached college & Tier ice hockey and roller hockey from 8u to Team USA and everything in between.

President San Diego Barracudas RHI

Hockey Director at Wayne Gretzky hockey center

Rink Owner Skate San Diego

Partner Sprung roller hockey frames

Yes I have been around the block in the hockey world, I first got involved in roller hockey with the RHI in 1995 and fell in love with the game. It has all the great things of ice hockey without the brutal violence of ice hockey.

In everything there is politics and yes it is in roller hockey.

FIRS Federation of International Roller Sports is the organization that will get roller hockey into the Olympics

USARS United States of America Roller Sports – this organization has been appointed by the US Olympic committee as the National Governing Body of inline roller hockey in the US (USA ice hockey has been appointed by the US Olympic committee as the NGB of ice hockey and their international federation is the IIHF

AAU has been appointed by USARS to conduct its national grassroots development program for inline hockey in conjunction with its own Junior Olympic Hockey activities. Both of these national tournaments are getting better every year, the level of competition is fantastic and the National team has a great record in World Competitions.

AAU has been a great help to me as a rink owner, they provide excellent player and rink insurance along with the opportunity to have my club fall under their 501C status. Yes, this has benefited me financially. AAU recognized that if the rinks don’t make it financially, then manufactures can’t make it and then inline hockey players will have fewer places to play and a poorer choice of equipment.

USARS and AAU have initiated an inline hockey coaching program for which. I have put on many coaching seminars along with Rob Chornamud. Rob has coached many USARS world championship gold medal teams, in addition to many national championship teams.

Jeff Prime originated this Coaching Program and his credentials include many World Championship gold and silver medals for the USA Woman’ Teams, as well as many national championship victories.

Also involved in this program of USARS and AAU are Ben Frank who has played with both Team USA and Team Canada and coached many national teams; and Ken Murchison, who as a rink owner has had one of the strongest clubs in the country with the Bulldogs and Jr. Ducks. This is a very qualified and dedicated group and yes there is great reluctance in the roller hockey coaching & referee community to become CERTIFIED. Yes it is needed as a bona fide credential and for the legal protection of parties concerned, including coaches and refs. And yes, it will take lots of time to get implemented by everyone.

USARS/AAU is putting into effect its referee certification program. If you take out checking and fighting (which have no place in roller hockey in my opinion) all the rules are almost identical whether it is USARS, AAU, USAHIL, NARCh, Torhs, State Wars etc. That is because the roots of the inline hockey game were formulated decades ago when the roller hockey game was originated on quad skates by USARS.

Every rink owner in the country knows that one of the best ways to get new grass roots players into the sport is by distributing flyers throughout the schools in their area. In most cases you need the 501C affiliation with which USARS/AAU has been a great help in gaining us access.

So my question to RHA is what are you doing? You all put on great tournaments and charge a lot for them. Last year I grossed only $220,000 at my rink for which I pay rent, insurance, employees, etc.etc.and I am usually there 5 or 6 days a week. The Winternationals coming up with 125 teams at $750-800 each is almost $100,000 over a couple of weeks, also with expenses.

I have talked with officials of USARS, the NGB of Roller Hockey, and they have assured me there are no current conversations or negotiations ongoing between USARS and the RHA. The RHA has received a response from the president of USARS relating to Daryn Goodwin’s unacceptable proposal, the essence of which sought to have the Inline Hockey NGB status of USA Roller Sports be de facto transferred to RHA. This proposition was rejected, and no further conversations along these lines are deemed by USARS to be either appropriate or necessary.

If everyone with RHA truly wants to create unity and education in the sport why don’t they all sanction their events with AAU understanding that most likely they will not be able to provide any better insurance for the player than AAU does now and the players will truly only need one insurance card. RHA could be a great help with ongoing development and implementation of the coaching and referee certification along with the grassroots and Team USA efforts that are in place.

I do believe that true unity in our sport would give us a much better chance of getting roller hockey into the Olympics, which is my goal and that to me is the goal we should all be shooting for.

It seems like a simple solution to me, so please tell me what I as a rink owner, manufacture, player and coach I am missing?

Joe Noris

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
the rink from my area is run by a bunch of money grabbing assholes who will do anything to get your buck. the guy who runs the arena is married to a certain female ex-NHLer.

Judging by the fact that she lives in Michigan and last time I saw her, she was pregnant (last year around this time), I'd say no.

Oh, hey, Joe. :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It wouldn’t be hard to be improve... Last year at nationals they didn’t even have the full schedule out for the whole tournament and the tournament had already started. You can only get better from there.

AAU has been appointed by USARS to conduct its national grassroots development program for inline hockey in conjunction with its own Junior Olympic Hockey activities. Both of these national tournaments are getting better every year, the level of competition is fantastic and the National team has a great record in World Competitions.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It wouldn’t be hard to be improve... Last year at nationals they didn’t even have the full schedule out for the whole tournament and the tournament had already started. You can only get better from there.
AAU has been appointed by USARS to conduct its national grassroots development program for inline hockey in conjunction with its own Junior Olympic Hockey activities. Both of these national tournaments are getting better every year, the level of competition is fantastic and the National team has a great record in World Competitions.

Having a son involved with last year's tournament I felt as though it was somewhat un-organized and hectic. I understand from a scheduling prospective that it is tough to coordinate all those teams in multiple facilities. I realize it is a logistically nightmare but they could have done a better job. I also agree with Hoffer that posting the schedule before the tournament(simple thing) and making it available on-line would be a start.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
the rink from my area is run by a bunch of money grabbing assholes who will do anything to get your buck. the guy who runs the arena is married to a certain female ex-NHLer.

Judging by the fact that she lives in Michigan and last time I saw her, she was pregnant (last year around this time), I'd say no.

Oh, hey, Joe. :)

ok, well, I don't keep tabs on his relationship status.. he's left it off of his facebook...

;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...