starting hockey as an adult

[Blizzard 0]

I’m in my thirties and just started getting into hockey a few months ago (crazy, right?). I really enjoy it and definitely want to improve.

For those of you that started hockey as an adult (I mean really started. Not someone that played for 10+ years as a kid, quit and started again as an adult), what did you do your first year to improve? How many hours a week would you practice your skating? Did you take any classes?

I’m taking a skating class (only 30min/week though) and am on a rookie league (not the worst skater in the league but definitely toward the bottom as far as skills). I also go to pick-up games from time to time, but I don’t think I learn too much since everyone else is really good.

It’s just difficult because the public skating sessions are usually packed on the weekends so I can’t practice my skating as freely as I would like, and there aren’t too many stick times during the weekends either. Also, it seems that all beginners hockey is geared toward kids and not too much is offered for adults.

Thanks for your help.

[mgd150 0]

Not exactly in the same boat, but I started at 24-25. I took a weekly skating class almost every week for a year before I even thought about playing in a league (not saying this is the route for you, I was having fun with the classes, probably the reason I was able to take them for such a long time). The class was extremely helpful, it started very basic (we didnt even use sticks), just doing single leg c-cuts, swizzles, etc. It eventually moved onto stopping and edge control. It moved very slowly, but I think it was fantastic for my progression. After about 4-6 months I moved up to a more advanced (still beginner) class, and was one of the better skaters in the group.

I guess my point is, don't overlook the basics, even if they seem boring, it will make playing much more fun. My first few group lessons ended up being about 3 people to 1 instructor, that may have helped a lot. If you can't find a small group to learn in, I'd say if possible you might want to work in a private lesson every now and then.

Most of the guys I play with didn't play in high school/college, I think its pretty common to pick it up later in life.

[akravetz 29]

Dude, I am your guy. I learned to skate at 39. Learned to skate. My son, then 4, was in skating and needed someone to go out on the ice with him. One thing led to another and well, i started playing. I have always been a fan but just never skated or played as a kid. i am from St. Louis so we had a team and my high school had a hockey program. I was a wrestler though. But enough about me.

Here's what I did. I did open skate with my son and now my daughter every week. Sometimes two or three times because they loved it. I did and well, it's cheap. When I had days off, I did whatever Stick and Puck session or DH as it is called here in Peoria that I could. I got to help coach my son's mini-mite team and under the guise of teaching kids, I got to learn along with them. In a way, the kids programs are great because it is skating at its most basic level. Lift a leg, bend your knees. And I joined a rookie league like you after about eight months of open skate, working with my son and some stick 'n puck sessions.

I got on a good team where the guys weren't tools and yell at me when I was offsides (was a lot at first) or would pass the puck in the middle as a D-man (yes, they scored) or would fail to catch the puck when it was passed because I was too busy trying to stand up. And I tried to learn the game. I used all those hours I spent watching hockey on TV or at the rink and actually tried to watch what they were doing, as crazy as that sounds. I focused on position of one guy for a few minutes and then another guy. I asked question after question. I read online, and joined a forum like this where people have been incredibly kind to point out how to do some things.

i always practiced at open skate. i would be out there a lot and just skate and skate and skate. For me, it was a pride thing. Call it the wrestler still in me, but I wasn't going to give in when my son, now 7, can do loops around me. Above all, have a sense of humor and laugh about it. We are what we are.

Enjoy hockey. It's a great sport. Just have fun.

Andy in Peoria

[Blizzard 0]

Thanks for the advice guys. Like you, my team has been very nice and encouraging, but I still have a long way to go. I joined just 3 months after starting to skate which might have been premature. Sounds like I just need to practice my skating a lot more in the beginning.

Like I said I wish they would offer more beginner programs for adults, but I guess there just isn't as much demand for them, especially here in Southern California. I’ll try attending the open skate sessions more often.

[wrangler 157]

Look around for clinic programs.

[Chadd 916]

Clinics helped quite a bit and a couple one on one sessions with an instructor made a huge difference in my shot and skating. The best way to improve is to throw caution to the wind and play with the reckless abandon of a child. Their lack of fear is why they improve so quickly compared to most adults.

[CommodoreColt 19]

The best way to improve is to throw caution to the wind and play with the reckless abandon of a child. Their lack of fear is why they improve so quickly compared to most adults.

That's right. Don't forget the "play" part of "playing hockey". If you can find a regular pickup session with good-humored, good-natured people you can learn through play (in the "childish exploration for fun" sense of the word, not the act of taking part in a match) in seriously significant ways and with surprising brevity.

There's a good reason youth sports programs increasingly emphasize and encourage unstructured play both in and out of practice to develop individual skills and game instincts; we have finally got it through our heads that humans learn through play very effectively and very quickly. Properly balancing this with some structured learning and some disciplined practice will take anyone, even full-slate grown adults, very far in gaining enough skill and fitness to enjoy the game and get what they want out of playing it.

[jds 20]

I learned to skate at 43. I went to public skate as many times as I could, sometimes with my kids, sometimes alone. Went on my lunch hour, went on weekends. Sometimes four or five times every week. Then I took an adult power skating class in full equipment which was way better since the survival instinct is less pronounced when you know it won't hurt when you fall and you can really test your edges etc. I went on YouTube and watched the Laura Stamm skating instructions. Bought power skating DVD's and really studied technique. I was fortunate enough to have a beginner league for adults in my area and I started playing there about a year after my first foray on skates. I just kept at it. My goal was to get to the point that I could go to a pickup game and have fun like so many others do. Playing with better players makes you work harder and get better. As long as they are not dicks about your ability it is fun, but I have to say I never encountered any of that when I played even when I was in pickup games with Major Junior kids. The beauty of learning at an older age is you are old enough to not give a shit if you look stupid.Keep at it.

[Stewie 721]

its not exactly the same, but you can also do more roller blading to kinda help work on the muscles and motions a little. also find hockey specific exercises to do online.

to work on your puck handling more, get a green biscuit and stick handle in your basement or other, relatively flat surface.

make sure you look into proper pre game and post game nutrition. when your learning to skate, recovery is key.

a lot of rinks have adult only pickup games in the morning or afternoon, and some times they dont get that many skaters. your going to deal with lots of different skill levels with these, but attend a few before you skate to get an idea if its something you want to get into.

if you really have some extra cash to burn, they make those fake ice tiles , you can turn your basement into a winter wonderland!

Essentially, there is a lot you can do when your not even on ice. A lot of my hockey camps when i was a kid had as much off ice instruction as they did on ice. just dont think that getting to skating sessions is your only chance to improve.

[akravetz 29]

Videos are great. There are a few Web sites and blogs that can teach you about gear, what to get and even (gasp) how to put it on. I remember my first game when I showed up, I kinda watched what order to put stuff on as well, I didn't know. Kinda weird, I admit but if you don't know, you don't know. Seriously, all the advice here is good and varations of what I did. A good thing for stick handling that is working for my son is the TV.

Stand in front of the TV, use a plastic puck or something and watch TV as you move the puck back and forth. It will make you look down through your eyes, not your head and also develop a feel for the puck.

Andy in Peoria

[mcawesome 1]

I had never ice skated before I was 19 years old. I had played roller hockey for about 5 years before that, so I thought the transfer to ice would be easy. Well, in short, it wasn't. Also, being in the army at Fort Knox, KY, it was hard for me to find a place to skate (there were two rinks in Louisville about an hour from my place. bleh) I managed to talk my squad leader into letting me play hockey at night when there were pickup games for my PT and literally skated 4 times or more a week for about 3 months. I started playing right away, rather than go to open skate, because the stick helped me with my balance.

My advice would be to just get out there as much as possible. The more you acquaint yourself to the ice, the easier it will be to learn to do those more difficult things, you know, like being able to stop! Before you know it, skating will be second nature. Then you can focus on the actual game, your positioning, and the things you need to do away from the puck. Good luck bro!

[MC6694 2]

I am 24 and just really started playing last year. I had skated a few times as a kid with the family but never played hockey on team or anything. I did already know how to stop although only in one direction. Over the past year I have improved imensely. I play with several friends that are excellent players and have been playing since they were kids. The level of competition they present makes me play harder and in turn increases the rate at which I improve. I went from being decent at backwards skating to being able to do crossovers in both directions while going backwards. I still stuggle a bit stopping to my left but I am working on that. I wear full pads everytime we skate cause I know I am going to go hard and probably wreck a few times. It pays off though trust me. I also got a pair of bauer roller blades and use them in the driveway. It actually helped me a lot. It is quite different than ice skating and took some getting used to but my first backwards crossovers were done last year with the roller blades and I was able to transfer them to the ice. Good luck and get out there often and most of all have fun!

[x-axis 44]

Where in SoCal are you? I know of at least 6 adult clinics in the LA area? You just have to know where to look and take the time to call different rinks. FYI, there is a lot of adult hockey here, 3x as much as the Bay Area where I moved from.

[badger_14 601]

I had the good fortune, when I started to play/learn to skate, to be at a college with free, nearly deserted public skate during weekday afternoons (to the point that while it wasn't official, no one minded if a couple of people brought a stick and puck to mess around with as well). I got a chance to go over fairly often and practice, and had the occasional assistance/pity of more experienced skaters. I found taking a basic skating class (at the time, through the college, but lots of places offer beginner ice skating for adults) helped immensely, as did swallowing my pride and attending a powerskating camp attended primarily by children 1/3 my age and half my size. Just being on the ice is the best thing - a little instruction and remembering the major points can go a long way if you can get on the ice a couple times a week. I never liked most weekend public skates because they're so crowded and some of the peewee age hockey players around here like to zoom around and harass less-skilled skaters and try and get them to fall.

[rayuelo 1]

I started pretty late as an adult at age 47 with lots of self-learning via the abundance of Youtube videos, websites, books. First lots of skating, and then beginner pickup hockey and adult beginner hockey schools and clinics. Ten months later, I'm playing in a league, and playing pickup 2-3 times per week and loving it.

I think I've averaged about 3-4 hours per week on ice since I started, but also spent countless hours "studying" the game and techiques off-ice.

Not sure if this is possible where you are, but I took advantage of outdoor rinks outside of peak hours, and since I had ton of vacation days I had to use up, I took days off for skating during the day when indoor and outdoor times were virtually empty.

As long as you have protective enough equipment for falls, and the desire to have fun first and foremost, I'd say the progress will come. Enjoy!

[Blizzard 0]

Where in SoCal are you? I know of at least 6 adult clinics in the LA area? You just have to know where to look and take the time to call different rinks. FYI, there is a lot of adult hockey here, 3x as much as the Bay Area where I moved from.

I'm in Orange County. The problem is I don't get off work until a little after 6pm and most of the stick times & clinics are during the afternoons. KHS has some stick times on the weekends, which I try to attend when I can. My skating class is at Anaheim Ice, but it's only 30min. I just need to practice my skating more at public sessions like everyone suggested.

On a positive note, I scored my first goal in my rookie league this weekend.

[Quasitd 1]

I started a year and a half ago myself and just turned 30 this past summer so I feel your pain. It sounds like you've done a lot of things right though. Hopefully something in my experience below can be helpful:

So to preface, I rollerbladed all the time as a kid. Others had bikes, I had rollerblades, then I grew up got a car and stopped having that fun. At 28, I took an Adult learn to play class 3 times(they were 8 or 6 week sessions depending on the time of year) 3 times. Started going to the public skates I could. After the classes ended I wanted to join a league, but it was in the middle of their fall session, so I spent 2 months waiting and just tried to do a stick and shoot or pickup at least once a week. This past January, almost a year after I decided to learn to play I joined a local men's league... And learned that I was nowhere near passable let alone good. But a lot of the guys I played with had their own strengths and weaknesses and were pretty willing to help.

The few things I can say quickly(or not if I get wordy): If you see a pickup game going, don't be afraid to step out there with them even if it's intimidating. Maybe others viewed me oddly, but if you walk into most locker rooms and chat with the guys here, tell them you are new to the game. Most of them will overwhelmingly be happy to help you.

It does mean swallowing your pride when you realize on ice you get kid-gloves for how hard they play you, but the advantage of learning to play even with that mild bit of pressure is huge. All the practice at home doesn't compare, not that I'm advocating against messing with a puck or ball on the floor of your home. I just found that for me the best practice was to be out there and skate.

We have a guy on our team this season that literally never held a hockey stick until a week before his first game, and had barely skated a dozen times in his life before stepping onto the ice. I saw that while a few of the "superstars" get grumbly, 90% of the players stop and work with him as often as they can and give him what advice they can. He in return has dealt with permanently bruised pride in great fashion and has improved drastically in the 5 or 6 games he's played.

After a year and a half of practice and a solid diet of humble pie during that time, I am now a passable hockey player. I'm not nearly as skilled as many people, nor will I ever be probably. Damned if I won't do my best to have as much or more fun than them on the ice.

[x-axis 44]

I'm in Orange County. The problem is I don't get off work until a little after 6pm and most of the stick times & clinics are during the afternoons.

Negative.

Glacial Gardens Clinic Mondays 830-940p

Lake Forest Clinic Tuesdays 830-930 p

Pickwick Clinic/Scrimmage Wednesdays 10p -12a

etc., etc. there's one pretty much every day at a different rink...

[Blizzard 0]

Negative.

Glacial Gardens Clinic Mondays 830-940p

Lake Forest Clinic Tuesdays 830-930 p

Pickwick Clinic/Scrimmage Wednesdays 10p -12a

etc., etc. there's one pretty much every day at a different rink...

Lake Forest only offers that clinic during the summer unfortunately. I'll check out the one in Glacial Gardens, athough it's a bit far. Thanks.

[tareatingrat 4]

Going to echo what everybody else is saying: Just get out there.

I "played" as a kid, in terms of going to the outdoor rink with my friends, but I never played any level of organized hockey* until I was around 25-26 or so.

I was lucky that I was always a relatively strong skater and always have had amazing balance, and I used to rollerblade a lot to help keep in shape, so that helped me transition. The worst part of my game was stopping to the left and reverse crossovers. Basically, once I was armored up in equipment, I just went and played as much as I could and went full-bore trying to score every night. If you just get out there and try to do what you want to do, it will come a lot quicker than deliberately thinking through each step. I find that sometimes I'd just be forced to stop left or I'd lose the puck or my check. Or skate backwards as I was the only guy back. It's amazing how much you can do when you stop thinking about what you can't do or how to do it.

I have a buddy who had basically never skated until maybe two years ago. He got significantly better when he took a skating class, then the intermediate hockey skills class after that one. However, he doesn't get out on the ice nearly as much as he needs to in order to improve.

I understand it's hard to get better when it seems as if everyone is better than you, but if you get out on the ice whenever you can, and just stickhandle with a ball or puck in the basement or something when you've got free time, you will improve. You'll never get better overnight, so you may feel as if you're not improving, but trust me, you WILL get better. Just get your ass out there. Once a week will not cut it. You really have to love the game.

I've been able to play four-five times per week, different teams, different skill levels, open skates, public skates with the girlfriend, outdoor shinny, etc., in the past. That's how you get better. That said, I have no kids and a really understanding girlfriend :).

*I played ball hockey for a few years, which did help considerably when I stepped on the ice.

[SirJW 207]

When Robby Glantz or Lara Stamm come to your area I recommend taking the session. It's a bit pricey but worth every penny. Mostly kids do it but they usually have an adult section. Everyone needs to skate better so all are out of their comfort zones. Don't feel like you will be holding back the group, they cater each session to the skill levels taking it.

http://www.robbyglantz.com/

http://www.laurastamm.com/

[center23 0]

I myself started in late high school, on inline skates. I moved on to ice hockey after getting some skates and giving it a try. I've always wondered how much better of a skater or skill player if I had learned as a youth, but hey, we can't go back in time, right?

Some ways to improve outside of the rink that I've found useful are:

1) inline skate as a cross-training exercise. Stopping and turning are different, but general skating is pretty close. repeat skills like crossovers until they are more natural

2) get a skills ball/puck and practice moves/handling while watching tv or something where you're not looking straight at the ball/puck

3) shoot in the garage at a taped up simulation of a net or get an actual net(with or without a slider/shooting board)

4) pass around with a friend with a ball/puck on or off the ice

Once the repetition gets more natural, and you know where you want to be during your games, you can better execute and not over-think the actions.

A big thing I felt like I missed from not learning as a youth, was good coaching for strategy. When I started, I didn't quite know where to line up on face-offs or what a basic break-out was.

I agree that skills clinics like what SirJW mentioned can be helpful. Another resource which should help your growth as a player is finding a beginners coached team or attending some camps focused on more fundamental hockey strategies. Having coaches that can give you decent feedback on positioning and suggested plays can be priceless.

There are probably others, but some teammates with a similar background to blizzard's have had good experience with this camp:

www.weekendwarriorshockey.com

None of their camps are in socal, but maybe they'll add that in the future.

good luck out there!

[Boz 0]

Just browsed through the thread and the best advice is towards the top. where a couple guys emphasize playing informally like a kid and playing with better players. Allot of us learned just that way. one Christmas you got a pair of skates and a stick and that was it go get at it. I also run a pickup game and encouraged the guys from the hockey classes to come skate with us. allot of them thought they weren't ready and they needed more classes etc... they had a blast and they are getting better, quickly and my buddies who run the classes gave me crap since their money goes to my private ice pickup and not them. main thing is enjoy it. go skating even if its crowded and push yourself and like someone said before don't be scared of getting hurt its gonna happen and its part of the process. crowded stick times are good too because probably the second most important is skating and most important is situational awareness. also don't forget the rink's hockey classes are not going to make money if you don't need it anymore...

[dicedece 1]

First of all, just wanted to say thanks to the OP for starting this thread, and to all the excellent people who have responded...it meant enough to me that I made a profile on this forum and decided to respond.

I've always loved hockey, and played street/roller as a kid, but I haven't played but a few times in my adult life. I also became very overweight starting in college, and by the end, I was pretty huge. Fortunately, I worked really hard, and about a year and a half ago (at age 24 going on 25) I decided I wanted to try something new and get into ice hockey.

So I just went with it, bought a pair of skates I found on clearance at the store (mistake, but I was just eager, and the selection was grim) (by the way, Easton SyS2 or something), and got them sharpened up, googled some arenas around me and started doing open skates. The first time out I fell alot, but got the hang of it pretty well, and by the 2nd time, I was able to skate around and stop pretty decently (still have a bit of issue, though).

Unfortunately, I have since taken a job and moved from Pittsburgh to NC (Fayetteville, about 90 min south of Raliegh), and I went from a hockey hotbed to a desert. When I try to find hockey gear at a store, I just get laughed at. No big, I shopped online and picked up a helmet so I could hit up some stick time. There is only one ice rink within 60 miles, and it's on the military base. A bit of a hassle, but I went there to skate a time or two and I hopefully will be able to get in to some stick times.

Just had a question to those above who started late: how do you "learn" to skate if you already know how? I'm sure my technique isn't perfect, especially stopping, and I can hardly skate backwards without some momentum. The Ice Rink near me has "learn to skate" classes, but it seems to be geared at people who don't know how to skate at all...fortunately (or unfortunately) for me, the actual skating part came relatively easy due to my experience with in-line. I just want to learn how to stop/skate backwards/crossover.

So I guess simply, I have a few questions.

1. If I can skate half decently, should I go to stick time, or is there bound to be a ton of errant pucks flying around from people who can't control their shot? (This was my experience when I tried to go to one back home, and I packed my stuff and left before I stepped on the ice)

2. Should I just join the basic class, and hope they teach some "hockey skating" skills instead of just how to skate?

3. Do you think my skates are really bad, and I should just pick up a decent pair of other ones (Bauer one40s, etc.)

Thanks in advanced!

[akravetz 29]

So I guess simply, I have a few questions.

1. If I can skate half decently, should I go to stick time, or is there bound to be a ton of errant pucks flying around from people who can't control their shot? (This was my experience when I tried to go to one back home, and I packed my stuff and left before I stepped on the ice)

2. Should I just join the basic class, and hope they teach some "hockey skating" skills instead of just how to skate?

3. Do you think my skates are really bad, and I should just pick up a decent pair of other ones (Bauer one40s, etc.)

Stick and puck, stick time or DH as it is called here in Peoria is always good. It never hurts to go to one of these, and watch others, practice what they do and you might even have a guy who will take pity on you and help. It worked for me. I kid but not really. What I have found is that people who are really good and who are out there playing around, will want to help you as it helps the game.

Second, skating is skating. If you can get into a class, go for it. Skating classes aren't going to teach a triple lutz but they will teach swizels or stops or cross-overs. Then go to public skates and practice, practice and practice.

As for skates, I had a pair of One20s for the longest time and they did me fine. One40s are fine for a beginner as long as they are adult skates and can support your weight. My wife got some kids' skates as she's tiny and well, they were juniors. Worthless. Anyway, that's my quick two cents.

Andy in Peoria