Winter rec league or just practice sessions

[flyers10 57]

I'm your average older C level beer league player. My skating could be better, especially backwards, and same with my stickhandling and shooting. I want to improve but I only can play 1x week due to back problems. Due to that I need to decide soon whether to pay for the winter league season ($500) or just use that money and try to go to stick time sessions and a few private lessons to improve my overall skill and wait til next April for league.

[furlanitalia 1]

Depends what you feel will be more beneficial to you. Is the team your prospecting with over competitive, and is there a chance they wouldn't play you with your skill? If that's the case I'd put the money to drop in skates or private lessons. While you'll miss the comradery, you'll most likely have more fun on your return with greater skill. If you're just wanting to get out for some ice time, then perhaps joining a team is the way to go.

[Jarick 5]

I would talk to a physical therapist about your back, maybe it needs strengthening, spend the winter working out, get some skating lessons, hit the ice a few times, and recover. If it's possible to take a year off now to play an extra five years, that'd be worth it to me.

[farhanshak 1]

i am with Jarick. i would take the time and money, to get your back fixed and just do stick times...

you might always be able to join a team midway through a season if that is okay with you once your back fixes up. i had to do that 2 seasons ago (school).

hope you get well soon and good luck. :D