Quitting Hockey

[rebel96 0]

Any one ever thought of quitting hockey for whatever reason? Injury, sick of it, moving, new job, new school.....

Are we drawn in by the prospect, however miniscule, that we'll have a really exciting game when the reality is that most of the time it'll suck?

sorry for the negative vibes....

[starsfan71 9]

Never thought about quitting for one second in my life.

[pantherfan 0]

Yeah, I get it maybe a couple times a year where it feels like I'm just going through the motions. It fades and then one day I'll just need that hit we call hockey.

[Brian Harte 1]

I "quit" in 2002 after a car accident that left me with a crappy ankle.

I started again in 2009.

So glad to be back.

[sitzlejd 0]

If you're only playing mens league once a week like I am, it's tough to even get your hockey "fix." I can see though how some more competitive players get burned out.

[RecLeagueHero 0]

I love skating and would never quit of my own accord. However, I'm about 99.99% certain that I am done with rec league hockey. I can play drop-in several times a week for a whole year, getting way more ice time, for what the winter season costs. Plus, I get to play with all of my buddies. In league it just wouldn't be cool to have novice skaters playing on an upper level team, or me playing down. With rugby in the fall I usually end up missing games, with drop in I don't have to deal with putting anyone out by missig sessions. I guess I'm just not the guy that really needs the scoreboard, the refs, the stats, or paying a guy 50k a year to make a league schedule.

[kovyperron5727 0]

I've never really thought about quitting either. I've had some moments where it would have been easy to quit but never did. I'd say I've been through a lot of adversity in hockey so far and have came back stronger every time. I haven't played in a while because of an injury but I still remain passionate about the game and still work on what i can everyday. It all comes down to a personal basis, once you lose the love for the game for a while you'll just know when your done

[Rocketking 0]

I had to stop for several years due to car accidents. The worst of them was a head-on collision with a drunk driver on the 405. That kept me away for about 7 years. I've had allot of surgeries too. Knees, shoulder, ankle from other assorted injuries. The toughest to recover from (and I never have 100%) is the Carpel Tunnel surgeries on both hands. I've had the best doc's, and have almost all of my ligaments and cartilage in my knees.

But with all of that, I still play. I still can and work pretty hard to get into the shape to play but I do because I can. I love playing and wish I could skate and play like I did but I still can well enough and do so I do.

I just went to my annual check-up and my GP says I'm in great shape for my age so there you go (I play at least 2 times a week now).

I say keep playing, when the day REALLY comes that you know you can't or shouldn't then you can at least look back and say you did your thing.

Crap, I almost got killed a few times, so while I'm around I at least want to spend my time doing what I love and want to do.

[Fletch 219]

I've thought about it many times...I'm 33 and been through so many surgeries and injuries that I feel like I can't hold up anymore. Not to mention the fact that I just don't have a lot of time anymore to play. My Son is almost 3....when he starts playing on mite teams and stuff like that I will likely stop playing in leagues and stuff like that and spend time helping out with his development by coaching or assistant coaching. Maybe a little pick-up here and there but that will be about it.

It will be 20 years of playing for me next year....not a bad run :)

[forbs02 20]

I actually quit about a year ago. I had spent the season prior playing on two teams (3 games a week) and I work for a hockey team. I never had a day where I wasn't at a rink. I decided to take a break from playing because I was just burned out and sick of it. I subbed for my team twice and played in a pond hockey tourney and that was the only hockey I played all year. It was kind of weird to not really play because I was a rink rat for so long.

It was nice to take a break. I will be playing again this season, but only on the one team. I'm looking forward to it. I really needed a break to make me want to play again. Plus, I never realized how much playing a couple of times a week helped keep my weight in control. I guess I have a little work to do to get back into playing shape.

[Clark12 0]

I quit when I was 11. In 2004 after a 6 year absence I began to play again (aged 17) and have played ever since. Quitting hockey was one of my biggest regrets as guys who were of a similar standard as me at juniors have now went on to play professional hockey and it always leaves you with that "what if" thought in the back of your mind!

[flyers10 57]

I grew up going to Flyers games and wanting to play but I didn't learn til I was 23. Have had 2 herniated discs since I was 20 and have stopped for 1-2 years at a time to rest the back and thought quitting would be best for long term health but I just can't give it up. Foolish probably but nothing beats the feeling of being out there on the ice.

[junior 1]

each game i have is exciting. I'm not the professional i dreamed about being, but I would never quit. I regret the 7 years i stopped because I was too intimidated to play in a mens league. Now that I'm back, i'm playing every chance I get, and a bad game is better than no game.

[Surf_bum_nz 0]

Im only talking about inline hockey that's all we could play where I lived.

But i stopped playing 4 years ago and miss it still!

And trying to get into a team is a nightmare!

I've contacted teams and organisers of leagues and they just aren't interested they seem elitist and don't like to welcome new comers to an area

But hey sometimes you need a break and generally you come back and are fresh and eager(sometimes better) than before

[phunky_monkey 6]

I stopped playing for 6 years when I was 18 due to an injured back, and have just come back as of this season and loving every minute of it! Hockey is one of those sports where you have a finite life in it to play at a level you want, so make the most of it. I don't necessarily regret taking the time off as it gave me time to do things I needed to do at that age as well as heal my back, but I am dissapointed it took me about 3 years too long to come back.

[Chadd 916]

I was on the road a lot this spring and the team folded a month before the end of the season. I've only been on the ice three times since the start of May and two were in DC for the MSH game. A few years ago I never would have believed that I could go a month without being on the ice, now I have no problem seeing myself not playing at all somewhere down the road. The psychos that play in the local league and the rink that allows them to continue playing as well as the teams that sandbag in order to win have taken a lot of the fun out of the game for me. As long as we keep the group pf guys that we have, I will continue playing. If this team folds entirely, I can't say for sure.

[mrruin 0]

I "wasted" nearly 29 years of my life without playing hockey. Absolutely love the sport now and try to get on the ice every chance I can. However where I live that means 2-3 times a week with a forced break of 4 months from April to August (no ice). I reckon that those breaks help with keeping the game of hockey fresh for me and hope it will stay that way for a long time.

However we have some girls on the team that also play on the women's team as well and they have times when they are quite frustrated from drama and traveling that they are really hard to motivate to play for our team. So I can see where you are coming from.

[Chadd 916]

In the last two years I've had two broken noses a concussion and three other head shots that were attempts to injure. That doesn't include the three or four baseball type swings, dozen+ "cup checks" or the countless "normal" hockey cheap shots. Too many guys here grew up watching the Flyers in the 70s and think that's how beer league hockey should be played.

In the last ten tears our rates have doubled, our ref fees have increased 50% and we now have to pay for USA Hockey certification out of our pocket. The local rink also refuses to schedule our games more than five weeks at a time, just in case someone might want to rent the ice and push the games later. Paying $25 a game to skate with 13-15 guys at midnight, while someone is trying to kill you because they think it might be fun gets old after a while.

[mrruin 0]

that sounds like a very bad experience. The times we had to deal with punks can fortunately be counted on one hand. Maybe its the different mentality over here or the lower skill level in beer leagues I dont know. In two years with our team there hasnt been one major injury. Sure there are crackheads and you read about them on the league page every now and then. But for the amount of games played the % of accidents with braindead players seems low where I play. From your recollections it looks like Im lucky.

[irbenaid 0]

I'm with you on this Chadd. I live north of you in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area and after taking the summer off from our league I've decided that I'm done with it to. I see more and more people around here making this decision too. While I have been lucky that I haven't experienced any injuries like you there have been a few attempts.

For me, I'm 36 years old so I'm quite sick of chasing kids around that play junior hockey in a C league game. I've also had it with the fees that are being charged and the game times. Some games start at 10:45 or 10:50, which is just crazy. The fees are also out of control. We also have to pay the USA hockey fee to register once a year. The real kicker is that over the past few years I've seen the rates steadily go up and the amount of games for the money decrease at the same rate. We used to play 4 seasons per year with playoffs (total # of games not including playoffs was 50), then it went to 3 seasons with playoffs (total # of games was 40), now the latest they want to do is combine Fall and Winter into one long 20 game season that lasts from Sept to March. This would be a 20 game season with playoffs at the end. Well, great plan considering these seasons used to be 2 separate 15 game seasons. So now we're down to 30 games total for the year, not includiing playoffs. This 20 game season is supposed to be $4500 per team. So you need at least 15 players to keep the price even at $300.

It's much more fun playing games with friends during private rentals.

[Hooah4 12]

In the last two years I've had two broken noses a concussion and three other head shots that were attempts to injure. That doesn't include the three or four baseball type swings, dozen+ "cup checks" or the countless "normal" hockey cheap shots. Too many guys here grew up watching the Flyers in the 70s and think that's how beer league hockey should be played.

In the last ten tears our rates have doubled, our ref fees have increased 50% and we now have to pay for USA Hockey certification out of our pocket. The local rink also refuses to schedule our games more than five weeks at a time, just in case someone might want to rent the ice and push the games later. Paying $25 a game to skate with 13-15 guys at midnight, while someone is trying to kill you because they think it might be fun gets old after a while.

Same here. That's why I quit the men's league and went to the 35+ league here. Unfortunately there are still meatheads everywhere. I don't play spring league because I promised my wife to only play in the winter. My kids and family have to come first and hockey second. I'm seeing more guys getting divorced due to them putting beer league first and their family second. I could never do that. Kids are only young once.

[eric42434224 1]

Getting divorced because of a Beer League? Dont think so.

That marriage was assuredly beyond repair for a long time.

I quit hockey for 23 years. Didnt play, didnt even watch it.

Now I am playing again for 1-1/2 years now, and I cant get enough.

I'm playing on two adult league teams, and I love it.

And my wife is very supportive. Maybe it is because I have lost, as of today, 47 lbs.

[Hooah4 12]

Getting divorced because of a Beer League? Dont think so.

That marriage was assuredly beyond repair for a long time.I quit hockey for 23 years. Didnt play, didnt even watch it.

Now I am playing again for 1-1/2 years now, and I cant get enough.

I'm playing on two adult league teams, and I love it.

And my wife is very supportive. Maybe it is because I have lost, as of today, 47 lbs.

I'll give you that one but some of these guys are playing 3-4 nights a week. I'd love to do that myself if I didn't have the commitments at home. Priorities, priorities......

OT but congrats on the weight loss btw. I went on WW and have lost 26 since last year's superbowl.

[Chadd 916]

Getting divorced because of a Beer League? Dont think so.

A few years ago I was on the ice every day as a player, ref or coach. My wife told me that I had to cut back on hockey and I did. Had she not been willing to confront me or had I been unable to recognize the damage my actions were causing, I would have been in that boat. I've also seen at least two couples I know split up because one of them slept with someone else on the team. Obviously hockey wasn't the only reason, but it was a big part of it.

[eric42434224 1]

Getting divorced because of a Beer League? Dont think so.

A few years ago I was on the ice every day as a player, ref or coach. My wife told me that I had to cut back on hockey and I did. Had she not been willing to confront me or had I been unable to recognize the damage my actions were causing, I would have been in that boat. I've also seen at least two couples I know split up because one of them slept with someone else on the team. Obviously hockey wasn't the only reason, but it was a big part of it.

That was kind of my point. The couples didnt get divorced because one was playing in a beer league. It was only a contributing factor at most, and likely just a symptom of much larger and serious issues.

The examples show pretty clearly what some of the real reasons were. There was marital discord. Too much time at Beer league is just where the guy spent his time. The reason he spent his time there was why the marriage was in trouble. Disinterest in his spouse. Commitment issues with being a family man. Just being generally selfish. Lack of communication, intimacy issues, or infidelity. Beer league was likely the symptom, not the disease.

And the example of the two people sleeping with teammates? Dont see how hockey is even relevant here. It was merely the place where they met, and continued to meet. That would be like laying some blame on the fact he spent time at his job if he met the other woman at the office.

And for your example, it illustrates my point exactly. IF you had poor communication skills, and her resentment built up, and she never told you of her issue....you may have headed in that direction. But you didnt. You have a good marriage. Good marriages dont split up because the guy plays a lot of hockey. Bad marriages end for real reasons, and use red herrings like too much time at hockey as excuses. You could insert any activity in your scenario and it would be the same. "My wife told me I had to cut back on playing Bingo at the Senior Center all the time". It isnt the Bingo.

It isnt that you spend too much time at Hockey....it is WHY you spend too much time at Hockey, and what are the negative ramifications.

But I think we basically agree here.