Can anybody in the UK help?

[gilson22 0]

Howdy,

I don't know if this is the right place to post this, but here goes. I'm 18 and live in the UK and I noticed that a few people on here started hockey at a 'late' age aswell. I started to learn the basics at 16 and now I'm a pretty strong skater and can handle myself with a ball/puck. Anyway, I've been to two inline clubs and have trained with them a few times, but everytime I feel out of place as all of the guys on their team have been playing with eachother for years.

Plus I always wanted to play ice, as I hate how everyone at inline dangles and never seems to pass to me.

Anyway, I've done some research but can't find a lot to do with training new players in the UK. Does anybody know of any places that take players who don't have a lot of experience and teach them more stuff? I would love to learn more and hopefully play for a team one day, but right now I just want to learn more to do with ice-hockey. I do have a local rink with a few teams, but I won't be able to play for them as they also have a team of guys who have played for years.

I hope someone can give me a hand as hockey is a huge passion of mine and I would love to learn more and one day play for a team, even if it is a rec team. Thanks.

[Quintin 16]

First off, don't be shy from joining a local team because you feel you're inexperienced and won't be able to keep up. If you have the right attitude (ie. commitment, not whining about ice time, how the team is run, taking it too seriously etc), guys on the teams will help you out.

We had a guy last year, 18 and beginner, wanting to learn to play goalie. He'd bought all the equipment and never had any experience. However he wanted to learn and was a great team guy, never moaning about being a backup or how many goals he'd let in so we all felt glad to help him out. In a year's time, he's playing like someone that has been playing for years.

Whereabouts in the UK are you?

In Sheffield, they have a team called "Stix". Primarily aimed for beginners and have played with a couple of players from there.

There's always the "Best of British" camps around the UK. There's an adult camp in early August at the rink in Sheffield but I'm not sure if they'll be taking anymore players right now. Probably best to give them a call and ask.

Also a few years ago, a couple of beginners from my team went to a camp in Nottingham aimed for beginners and had a great time. You could tell they enjoyed it at how much better they got. Not sure if it's the "Best of British" though.

If you're a student, there are a lot of university teams that compete in Division 3 (Edinburgh, Sheffield, Nottingham, Oxford, Cambridge, Cardiff, Newcastle, Southampton, Manchester, Birmingham, Hull, Bristol, Imperial, Warwick, Northumbria). Division 3 caters for the beginner and I imagine their practices to be aimed at the fundamentals. If there's one near where you are, contact them and ask if you could go for a practice with the team.

[gilson22 0]

First off, don't be shy from joining a local team because you feel you're inexperienced and won't be able to keep up. If you have the right attitude (ie. commitment, not whining about ice time, how the team is run, taking it too seriously etc), guys on the teams will help you out.

We had a guy last year, 18 and beginner, wanting to learn to play goalie. He'd bought all the equipment and never had any experience. However he wanted to learn and was a great team guy, never moaning about being a backup or how many goals he'd let in so we all felt glad to help him out. In a year's time, he's playing like someone that has been playing for years.

Whereabouts in the UK are you?

In Sheffield, they have a team called "Stix". Primarily aimed for beginners and have played with a couple of players from there.

There's always the "Best of British" camps around the UK. There's an adult camp in early August at the rink in Sheffield but I'm not sure if they'll be taking anymore players right now. Probably best to give them a call and ask.

Also a few years ago, a couple of beginners from my team went to a camp in Nottingham aimed for beginners and had a great time. You could tell they enjoyed it at how much better they got. Not sure if it's the "Best of British" though.

If you're a student, there are a lot of university teams that compete in Division 3 (Edinburgh, Sheffield, Nottingham, Oxford, Cambridge, Cardiff, Newcastle, Southampton, Manchester, Birmingham, Hull, Bristol, Imperial, Warwick, Northumbria). Division 3 caters for the beginner and I imagine their practices to be aimed at the fundamentals. If there's one near where you are, contact them and ask if you could go for a practice with the team.

Thank you so much for the reply, I really appreciate your help on this subject. I've heard about that 'Best of British' adult camp somewhere but couldn't remember the name, so thank you for shedding some light on that, I'm going to do some searching around to see if I can maybe go next year or something.

I definitely have commitment to the sport, I'm really enthusiastic about playing, I just really didn't enjoy the atmosphere at the inline teams I trained at, but I'm still willing to go play with those guys.

I live in Essex by the way, we have a few teams around this area. I didn't know Cambridge had a team though, so thanks for telling me that! I will try to get in contact with them and see what their situation is with beginners like me.

Again, thanks for all the info. I'm going to be looking around for all the stuff you have mentioned and hopefully see if I will be able to train with an ice team!

[Quintin 16]

Happy to help. I know the feeling of being on a team that doesn't pass to you simply because you're not up to their standard, especially at rec level. Hope you find a team soon and have some fun

[deej 19]

If you're near Chelmsford, pop along on a Saturday night for the Chargers Rec team. I'm about to start up again after a 20 year break and there are some beginners there. They are a very friendly lot.

[gilson22 0]

If you're near Chelmsford, pop along on a Saturday night for the Chargers Rec team. I'm about to start up again after a 20 year break and there are some beginners there. They are a very friendly lot.

Funnily enough I am from Chelmsford, I've heard of the Chargers and I believe one of my friends tried to get in contact with them about training but had no such luck. I would love to go along one day, do you know if they have any age requirements?

[deej 19]

Funnily enough I am from Chelmsford, I've heard of the Chargers and I believe one of my friends tried to get in contact with them about training but had no such luck. I would love to go along one day, do you know if they have any age requirements?

Well, they say no under 19's but I'm meeting one of the team tonight so I'll ask if 18's are ok.

[gilson22 0]

Well, they say no under 19's but I'm meeting one of the team tonight so I'll ask if 18's are ok.

Thank you, I really appreciate that. If not I'll probably ask around the rink and see if there are any other training sessions for any other teams. I swear they have another rec team called the Nighthawks or something.

[deej 19]

Thank you, I really appreciate that. If not I'll probably ask around the rink and see if there are any other training sessions for any other teams. I swear they have another rec team called the Nighthawks or something.

My guy wasn't there tonight, but I will get hold of him. Yes there is another rec team called the nighthawks, who seem to me to be a more competative/higher level team.

I'm back at the rink on Sunday, so I'll ask which one they recommend for you.

[gilson22 0]

My guy wasn't there tonight, but I will get hold of him. Yes there is another rec team called the nighthawks, who seem to me to be a more competative/higher level team.

I'm back at the rink on Sunday, so I'll ask which one they recommend for you.

Ok mate, thank you for this I really appreciate it.

[deej 19]

After chatting to a couple of people, it seems the Chargers are the best bet. The "no under 19s" was just put up to get people to ask first as there are a couple of younger guys playing. You will need full kit which is why I'm not on the ice yet as I'm waiting for Demon to get a couple of things in for me.

Give Russel a ring using the details on the website, or pop along before they go on at 22:15 on Saturday and have a chat. It'll still be a couple of weeks before I'm on the ice, but I hope to see you there.

[gilson22 0]

Awesome news! Thankfully I have full kit, I just need to sort myself out a new pair of skates as I can't seem to skate in Grafs at all. Thanks for all the help, I will deinitely give him a ring and see if I can tag along to a few sessions. Thanks again mate!

[Sav25 1]

Hi

I play for the Basildon & Southend Alstarz, we train in Southend, in Essex.

We have a Senior B team that would be perfect for a developing player - our 'motto' is just to have a laugh with it and learn/develop as much as possible - winning is just a bonus.

I know what you're facing though - there's a bit of a bad scene over here - developed teams are 'clicky' and don't really welcome new players, unless they're good players that can score them new goals. I'm afraid the attitude seems to be WIN WIN WIN, noone is willing to help a guy out and give constructive feedback.

If you're near Southend, send me a PM and i'll let you know when we're training - the B team are a friendly bunch, with most of the team being Junior level playing up to senior just to get a head of their peers.

Rich

[gilson22 0]

Hi

I play for the Basildon & Southend Alstarz, we train in Southend, in Essex.

We have a Senior B team that would be perfect for a developing player - our 'motto' is just to have a laugh with it and learn/develop as much as possible - winning is just a bonus.

I know what you're facing though - there's a bit of a bad scene over here - developed teams are 'clicky' and don't really welcome new players, unless they're good players that can score them new goals. I'm afraid the attitude seems to be WIN WIN WIN, noone is willing to help a guy out and give constructive feedback.

If you're near Southend, send me a PM and i'll let you know when we're training - the B team are a friendly bunch, with most of the team being Junior level playing up to senior just to get a head of their peers.

Rich

Hey, it sounds like I would probably enjoy myself and learn a lot from playing in Southend. Because I live in Chelmsford, it's about a half an hour drive, which I don't mind at all.

I'm sorting out another pair of skates at the moment, which I will definitely have before the end of the month, so when I've sorted those out I'll give you a PM, I'm really looking forward to hitting the ice with any team that's willing to let me. Like I said, I'm not awful at hockey, I've just never had the chance to play on ice (which is what I want to play). Thanks for the info, I will be sure to PM you when I've sorted myself out with a pair of skates!