Am I on the right team?

[pbhockey4 0]

I am 21 playing in a league in Marlboro Ma. I am a B/C player on a D level team. I am put on defense since I can really hustle to the puck and make good passes and make sure the offense from the other team doesnt score. I have played with this team last year and they werent that bad. But last night I kept making good passes and most of our turn overs were in the neutral zone. Should I go to a C level team or stay with my team?

Thanks

[ibeck 38]

-Are you with friends on this team/on the c team you would switch to?

-Are you just so much better then everyone else that you wouldnt be able to stand their mistakes and not have fun this year?

-What level did you and your teammates play growing up?

[Chadd 916]

Everyone has a bad night every now and then, but it really sucks when they all pick the same night. If you think you belong at a higher level, you probably do.

[gerbe3:16 19]

I am 21 playing in a league in Marlboro Ma. I am a B/C player on a D level team. I am put on defense since I can really hustle to the puck and make good passes and make sure the offense from the other team doesnt score. I have played with this team last year and they werent that bad. But last night I kept making good passes and most of our turn overs were in the neutral zone. Should I go to a C level team or stay with my team?

Thanks

Ahhhhhhh. I may have an opening on my team in Marlboro... C2. Looking for a forward. Tuesday nights (with the rare Wed game here and there).

If you're interested let me know.

[pbhockey4 0]

To ibeck these guys arent really my friends but I played with them last year. Well their usually making those "Cmon man" mistakes on the ice. I dont think they played a lot of hockey growing up since they cant do the basics of passing and scoring.

To Chadd your probably right but it would be cool to be the star of the team but sucks most of the time whenever I am off the ice they get scored on.

To Gerbe thanks for the offer but I have work ususally on Tuesday nights.

[krwwc6 0]

It sounds like you need to move up to a higher division. Being the star of a team because you're in the wrong skill level is usually called a ringer.

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I was in a lower division skating around a bunch of guys, making great passes with no one catching them, guys always out of position. I moved up a couple of divisions and now I'm skating with guys that can catch a majority of passes (bad or good), are always covering their lanes, and actually pass it back to you. And the best thing is that they know how to break the puck out of their defensive end.

There is no way I'm the star of the team, but I never really wanted that anyways, and it's a hell of a lot more fun playing more competitive hockey.

[raganblink 82]

Conversely, if you are terrible, please move down a division! Its frustrating to everyone on your team that you can't catch a pass, or play your position, or do anything correctly. I know we're out there to have fun, but, if you're the reason the team is losing games, or are the person no one wants to go out there with, please do everyone a favor & drop a division. It definitely goes both ways.

[Chadd 916]

To Chadd your probably right but it would be cool to be the star of the team but sucks most of the time whenever I am off the ice they get scored on.

I've played on teams like that before and the ego boost was never equal to the level of frustration.

[pbhockey4 0]

They have nice jerseys but I feel like I can be playing for a C team. I wanna give them another shot since we were low on subs last game, we had 3 forward subs and 1 defense sub. It was just frustrated how many times the forwards coughed up the puck in the neutral zone. I play in an open league in the summer when I am home from college, but I am feeling I am not getting challeneged enough. I take one or 2 shots a game because thats my luck when my team can get into the attacking team's zone. Ugh its just frustrating, I wanna play hockey but I feel like I am too experienced for this team I am on.

Conversely, if you are terrible, please move down a division! Its frustrating to everyone on your team that you can't catch a pass, or play your position, or do anything correctly. I know we're out there to have fun, but, if you're the reason the team is losing games, or are the person no one wants to go out there with, please do everyone a favor & drop a division. It definitely goes both ways.

I am not terrible, I am good enough to be a B/C player but the team I am playing on seems like they havent played at all when they were kids. I have been playing since I was 5.

[Kevin 5]

I would move up. There are a lot of C and B teams out there, but you need to switch now while rosters are still fluid. If you are really B/C, you should not play D. One level difference is the most that works.

[JR97 2]

I've played on teams like that before and the ego boost was never equal to the level of frustration.

indeed. plus, the amount of laziness, sloppiness, and other bad habits I acquire from not having to try hard ruin my game at higher skill levels.

[Scoobersti 0]

I would probably move up. I play defense and I played one season a level or two below because I was getting back into hockey after not playing for about 6 years. It was fine at first since I was just getting back into it, after a while though I felt bored because stopping the other forwards wasn't very challenging.

[chk hrd 164]

I would rather skate at a higher level where I had to bust my hump than skate down a level and coast

[pbhockey4 0]

My team had a good game yesterday. I am still one of the best players on the team but I just feel I am getting challenged enough to stay with the team but not for long.

[ibeck 38]

To ibeck these guys arent really my friends but I played with them last year. Well their usually making those "Cmon man" mistakes on the ice. I dont think they played a lot of hockey growing up since they cant do the basics of passing and scoring.

Sounds like you'll be saying "cmon man" during the whole season and may end up getting frustrated. If you really aren't tight with these guys try moving up.

[JoeyJ0506 192]

When it comes down to it, it is really up to you to decide if you need to change teams. If you enjoy playing with this group of guys and do not mind taking on a teaching role to help make all the other less skilled players on the team better, then maybe you should stick with them. You will have to get over the fact that they will flub a pass, or not score when they should every once in a while, but if you can enjoy just playing and teaching them to play the game the right way then maybe you could stick with them.

But, if you are going to be continually frustrated by their play, and feel like you need a more competitive game that is on par with your skill level then you need to move up a level or two and find that game. In this situation you are not doing yourself any good by being frustrated with the team you are playing on. Also, believe me when I tell you that the guys you are playing with probably do not appreciate you getting frustrated with them especially when they are trying their hardest. Some areas only have leagues that go down so far in skill level. That bottom tier is the lowest they can play at and sometimes it is still too advanced. But, they are probably happy just to get a weekly game with their buddies, get away from reality for a night, and overall just enjoy playing hockey. In this case win or lose they probably do not care that much, they just want to play and enjoy it. If this is not something you are interested in being a part of, you need to get into another skill level.