Pickup is a blast and league play sucks. How come?

[jds 20]

After a couple of years of just playing in various regular pickup games, I decided to join a rec league team for some "real" hockey. My team is pretty weak and we have been destroyed in our first two games and I noticed I wasn't enjoying it much. Now I have been on the white team when the black team was destroying us in pickup and vice versa numerous times and I still have a blast. I couldn't care less about how many times I get beat playing d or get stopped on a breakaway. I love just being out there playing. What is it about the organized game that doesn't see this sheer fun carry over? Is it the stats and standings? Is it the fact I am playing against guys I don't talk to in the dressing room prior to the game? I can't wrap my head around it. Anyone else find the same thing? Pickup is a blast and league play sucks.

[Chadd 916]

Playing with friends makes a big difference. The guys on my league team have become my friends over the years and I have more fun playing with them than I do at pickup sessions. Add in the "pressure" of "real" hockey where the games "mean something" and that may explain some of it.

[Law Goalie 147]

Different teammates? That makes an enormous difference for me. A lot of guys take league play with a grim seriousness that I find alternately charming and absurd.

Part of it, psychologically, is likely the stop-start nature of even faintly refereed league play as opposed to free-flowing, loosey-goosey pickup. Every time you miss an outlet pass, or go offside, or give up a goal, everything stops -- and the mistake gets implicitly emphasised. In a pickup game, you'd just wheel around and take the play the other way.

You might find that focussing on your faceoff play - even something as small as getting good position off the hop every time - helps to bring continuity to those 'dead' moments. (This probably isn't helpful, but as a goalie, I always like to 'rehearse' the one that just went in to figure out how to close the gap next time.)

[Captain Sane 2]

I'm the opposite, actually, I've been playing in a rec league for almost 2 years and I like it a lot better than drop-in or pickup games. I guess it depends on what you want to get out of playing and just comes down to personal preference. I like having a season where there's a goal at the end and you get to play with the same guys and against different people. I like the organization of a league, too.

But there are times where people playing in a league (myself included sometimes) have a tendency to take it way too seriously, which makes it a lot less fun.

[fatwabbit 93]

I used to play in another city before moving to this one, and back there both league and pickup were fun. I got to know a lot of the hockey community there, and some were on my team during the league, and the rest were spread out over 4-5 other teams... everything was really fun.

However, the current city's dropin is really more a boy's club, or who-knows-who kinda session. Most of the top tier players just puck hog or pass to people they know, rather than play as a team... I went to 3 dropins, and it was all the same... eventually I just kept playing in the league alone.

[jds 20]

Might be because I suck and it has more dire consequences when points are being tallied :) Plus, I think I might be trying to not let these new guys down whereas the guys I play pickup with know what I'm not capable of. Either way, I need to find a way to enjoy it and to hell with the score etc. Duncan's advice of working on something to redirect my focus is a good idea. Next game, I plan to focus on not getting undressed every time I play D Work in progress.

[farhanshak 1]

i had this same issue, i enjoyed playing pick up alot more. i started to approach league games like pickup games (in essence, go out there, play well, and have fun).

the most important thing that changed it for me, was the having fun part, i was taking games too seriously and actually playing worse. When i started having fun "again", it all changed for me, and league games were just as fun as pick up games.

hope this helps, and as some posters above said, get along with the guys that are on your team. I am a pretty friendly person, and make friends pretty easily, so I was always able to get along with anyone i played on the same team as, and even against oddly enough.

[wrangler 157]

I have more fun at pickup because I like the guys better, the level of play is better (especially the hockey sense), and the score doesn't matter -- each play stands on its own.

[Capt.Hook 23]

I kind of feel the same way most of the time. For me, at pickup most of the guys realize that we are all out there for fun. Even though a few of us play physical out there, even that is all done in the idea of a good time. I come out and have a good time, have laughs with the guys and enjoy it regardless of how many I scored or how many times I got undressed or plowed by some buddy.

During league play, guys treat our games like it's game 7. Most of the guys on my team are good most of the time and that makes it fun to play with them. However, you can't control the other teams and it can just get ridiculous. Especially considering the low level of our overall league. I try to remind guys that we are PAYING for this and to enjoy it.

I love to win but have had good times and lots of laughs getting blown out too. I have had a much greater number of frustrating league games than drop ins. Bottom line is that at some point in life you need to realize that we are out there for exercise, recreation, and a little competition and to keep it all in perspective. When you can do that, league play is a good time too.

[gxc999 7]

The idiots who take league games really seriously ruin it for everyone else. They're the same guys who will cause serious injuries with dirty plays and generally do anything to win. That rarely if ever exists in pick up though and it's simply a better experience to me as a result.

[fatwabbit 93]

Its funny when guys treat league games like its game 7... sometimes in my frustration at being hacked and slashed that many times during the game (and refs not calling it), i just tell the guys on the other team that we're playing for a plastic medal, and that we all have jobs to go to the next day. Sometimes it doesnt work, especially against the younger teams who are more than likely working at the Maccas.

[tareatingrat 4]

The idiots who take league games really seriously ruin it for everyone else. They're the same guys who will cause serious injuries with dirty plays and generally do anything to win. That rarely if ever exists in pick up though and it's simply a better experience to me as a result.

Yup.

After playing in a league for five years, I've come to realize that you're better off in either the very bottom or the very top. Most of the guys in the middle divisions are trying to re-live past glory. I like the competitiveness of league games, but I'm getting to the point where vigilante justice seems like a good idea for the douchebags who like to take liberties for an ASHL jacket. Once I start thinking that way, I'm not having fun anymore and I need to take a break.

Pickup all depends on who you play with. There's a good group of guys I play with now, and I really look forward to those games.

[Leb_CRX 0]

I favor pickup as well, depends on the group thats at the pickup session, but overall it's no contest

I find games people feel they have something to prove, pickup it's for fun and messing around

[gxc999 7]

Yup.

After playing in a league for five years, I've come to realize that you're better off in either the very bottom or the very top. Most of the guys in the middle divisions are trying to re-live past glory. I like the competitiveness of league games, but I'm getting to the point where vigilante justice seems like a good idea for the douchebags who like to take liberties for an ASHL jacket. Once I start thinking that way, I'm not having fun anymore and I need to take a break.

Pickup all depends on who you play with. There's a good group of guys I play with now, and I really look forward to those games.

I agree completely. The A+ leagues, which are comprised of guys who played seriously but couldn't quite make it past Major Junior, H.S., ECHL or whatever are way less conflict filled in my experience. The better the player, the less they care about meaningless, crap league games.

[splitbtw 2]

Add another for the difference being the guys on your team. Over the last 2+ years I started playing ice, I have made a lot of really good friends from my team. We have a lot of continuity and make personnel desicions based on fit with the culture as much as we do with skill. The same core has stuck around and we have built something pretty good with team outings and our first Vegas tourney. I love league games because they count. I am held accountable as much as the next guy and we all realize and play harder for it.

I really enjoy pickup but I have found I like it because my mistakes don't hold any water. I can try things without consequence to get better. If I am lucky, guys from my team show up and I can play against them which is right up there with playing with them bc they have grown to be good friends.

It's all about the team and the mentality. Pickup weeds out a lot of the competition aspect and it is more good plays at the highest and feed me breakways at the lowest.

Pickup was a little 'eh' for a while before I switched to defense during a team need so now it's great to play for the weaker team as I get more practice playing 2v1s and 1v1s. Each time I work on something new that doesn't necessarily require me to have the puck which has helped make it more fun.

[Chadd 916]

Pickup was a little 'eh' for a while before I switched to defense during a team need so now it's great to play for the weaker team as I get more practice playing 2v1s and 1v1s. Each time I work on something new that doesn't necessarily require me to have the puck which has helped make it more fun.

The one thing I like about defense is that I tend to have the puck on my stick more than when I play on the wing. It's not because I like to skate with it, I just like making plays and setting up the other guys and I get to do that a lot more on defense. I don't really like playing actual defense in our own zone, that's much less rewarding to me.

[Stoop 1]

I like the league games more. Pickup is a blast, but it's a different animal. In pickup, even though the level of skill is higher, there's more room to move and make fun plays. And there are more odd man rushes.

That's all fun and great practice, but there's something about a game where the teams are evenly matched and everyone on the ice is actually trying. And where you're on a team that's been together for a while. Nothing like scoring a goal in a tight game like that.

[badger_14 601]

+1 for it being perhaps more stressful because the game 'matters' in some legitimate framework. I find organized games fluster me until I get used to the stops, starts, and actual scores being kept. Even if it's just a beer league (or beer tournament) game, I wind up feeling more on-edge about messing up and ticking off my teammates (however rational or irrational that is). Once I get used to it, I enjoy organized play (hey, I wouldn't mind winning even a plastic medal at some point, I like a bit of tangible evidence I did something right), but I also enjoy the weekly hour+ of pickup. Just on a different level. And new situations are always a little nerve-wracking - a new team, a new rink, a new group at pickup - because one hasn't settled into the pattern, one needs time to adapt like 'ok, this is the routine here, this is how the league/team/etc operates and this is how I fit into this system, good to go'.

[Joonas #6 3]

League all the way, because of this

I like having a season where there's a goal at the end and you get to play with the same guys and against different people.

and this...

That's all fun and great practice, but there's something about a game where the teams are evenly matched and everyone on the ice is actually trying. And where you're on a team that's been together for a while. Nothing like scoring a goal in a tight game like that.

[jds 20]

I get all that but what about when you are not having success? My issue is that I have fun no matter what the outcome in pickup but seem to have less fun when my team loses in league play. The result of the game becomes a huge factor. ???

[Chadd 916]

I get all that but what about when you are not having success? My issue is that I have fun no matter what the outcome in pickup but seem to have less fun when my team loses in league play. The result of the game becomes a huge factor. ???

If you're going to keep score, I want to win, but I would rather lose with friends than win with assholes. We drink beer and cook something in the parking lot after every game so, the score is less of an issue for us. Rarely do new teams win right away, it takes some time to get to know each other and chemistry is a huge issue if you're playing teams with a similar talent level.

[jds 20]

I don't expect to win and besides we are playing in the bottom division against teams that will likely get moved up. Chadd, you may have hit on something about the friends-my team mates are all new to me. The guys I play pickup with I know better. Maybe that is it. Still hate the fact that I am apparently a sore loser ;)

[Chadd 916]

I don't expect to win and besides we are playing in the bottom division against teams that will likely get moved up. Chadd, you may have hit on something about the friends-my team mates are all new to me. The guys I play pickup with I know better. Maybe that is it. Still hate the fact that I am apparently a sore loser ;)

I hate losing more than anyone I know, I just hate excess "drama" even more.

[Law Goalie 147]

It's definitely how well you know them, then -- at least in large part. And being a sore loser is fine -- as long as you blame yourself as wittily as possible and drown your sorrows in beer. I always find a way to take the blame for every goal that goes in.

[chippa13 1844]

"You lost today, kid, but you don't have to like it."

Don't think of hating losing as a bad thing. Hating losing makes you stronger on your stick in front of the net. Hating losing makes you dig on the back check even though you're gassed. There is a difference between being a sore loser and not being happy losing. Being a sore loser means you grouse about why you didn't win this time but hating losing makes you think about what will make you win next time.