Getting frustrated with roller hockey

[sectachrome 40]

So I played roller for probably 5 or 6 years when I was younger. I stopped playing for a couple years but have recently gotten back into it. Im 22 now. Ive been going to open hockey every week for the past couple months. Im starting to get frustrated with the way people play, and I dont know if its more of a roller hockey thing, or if its just because its pick up. Hardly anyone passes. Everyone just gets the puck and tries to take it end to end toe dragging around everyone. It doesnt seem like anyone even looks for someone open to pass to once they get possession, they just take off towards the net. When Im out there I always look to pass first. Is this just the nature of roller or is it because its pick up and no one gives a shit? It just feels more like an individual sport rather than a team sport. Would I have a better experience playing on a team in a league (would be but missed the cut off date to get a team together)? Because if its a roller thing, Im thinking about hanging the wheels up for some ice skates.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

I've played in my share of ice drop in sessions that were like that. I tend to find when you have drop in's where the group playing isn't consistant it usually devolves into everyone trying to skate end to end whenever they mange to get the the puck.

[sectachrome 40]

Another thing that sucks is that theres a group of kids that come that are all on high level teams that always play all together on the same team, so we basically get raped everytime. I know its just for fun, but its getting kind of old.

I guess this sort of ties in with the "shinny pet peeve" thread.

[Theodoras 0]

I find that in a lot of local roller players because they're not playing in a real game in a real league on a real team... it sucks, especially for me cause I'm not as good as them so they totally ignore me in the offensive zone and such. How am I supposed to get better if I never get chances? Heh. Whatever I play ice now, with cool people...

[_HSB_b345t 0]

So I played roller for probably 5 or 6 years when I was younger. I stopped playing for a couple years but have recently gotten back into it. Im 22 now. Ive been going to open hockey every week for the past couple months. Im starting to get frustrated with the way people play, and I dont know if its more of a roller hockey thing, or if its just because its pick up. Hardly anyone passes. Everyone just gets the puck and tries to take it end to end toe dragging around everyone. It doesnt seem like anyone even looks for someone open to pass to once they get possession, they just take off towards the net. When Im out there I always look to pass first. Is this just the nature of roller or is it because its pick up and no one gives a shit? It just feels more like an individual sport rather than a team sport. Would I have a better experience playing on a team in a league (would be but missed the cut off date to get a team together)? Because if its a roller thing, Im thinking about hanging the wheels up for some ice skates.

It's because it's pick-up.

I was in the same boat -- played for several years and stopped, then got back into. I went to a handful of open skates, then did a couple weeks of the Skills & Drills class, and then joined the lowest level league to get back into it. My experience here, as I'm sure has analogs everywhere beit roller or ice, is that pick-up and stick time has no organization, which it shouldn't, by design.

Join a league -- even if it's just a recreational league.

[15yearsofhistory 0]

The beauty of roller hockey is having that extra time to control the puck. Albeit a good team does pass quite often, there are still kids that have the ability to walk around any player likes it's nothing. On the other hands, since it is just drop-in, said players probably feel more obligated to just mess around and have a good time. If you want the teams to be more fair, suggest picking the teams another way like picking sticks or something.

[fatwabbit 93]

actually, the more skilled players should be looking to evening the teams out. I understand that its fun to play on the same line as your friends, but sometimes you have to mix it up so that the younger/less experienced get a chance.

We still do the picking sticks thing, then after a few minutes we see if we need to mix it up a little to even out.

[Fletch 219]

Another thing that sucks is that theres a group of kids that come that are all on high level teams that always play all together on the same team, so we basically get raped everytime. I know its just for fun, but its getting kind of old.

LOL...are you playing at 949 in Irvine? This seriously happens every single time I play pickup there.

[sectachrome 40]

Another thing that sucks is that theres a group of kids that come that are all on high level teams that always play all together on the same team, so we basically get raped everytime. I know its just for fun, but its getting kind of old.

LOL...are you playing at 949 in Irvine? This seriously happens every single time I play pickup there.

No...SkateZone in NJ.

[Nightcast 0]

It's because It's drop in. I play roller hockey every Sunday and Tuesday on 2 different teams and its not like that. I do play drop in every once in a while and it's like that sometimes. Now I do have the luck like you and get paired up against a team that just kicks our ass.

[phunky_monkey 6]

A lot may be due to it being drop in, always more hogging of the puck in a drop in game, but it's also a roller thing in general. You see it happening a lot less in Ice as you've got a lot less time on the puck.

I'm guilty of it myself in inline, but don't ever do it in Ice. Try joining a league and seeing if it's better, but I think you'll find Ice is much more of a passing game than inline is.