Camaraderie in beer league hockey

[drivesrf 0]

A few years ago a friend and I joined our first beer league team (or any hockey team for that matter). I was REALLY looking forward to the real beer league experience: good friends, BBQs, or even just beers in the locker room after the game. Got none of that! The locker room time was just fighting about how much our team sucked (D league). That season left a bad taste in my mouth, haven't played on a team since (other reasons too). But I want to... Anyway, what are your beer league team/experiences like?

[Swlabr11 69]

Sorry you had a bad experience. When I started playing I did not know a single person in the league. Today my teammates are my best friends in the world. We hang out several times a week outside the rink. I can't imagine my life without them.

[IPv6Freely 2082]

First team I ever played on we were in the parking lot having beers after every game, but thats about it.

Second team I played on there was beer in the locker room and they were all buddies that know each other so I didn't really fit in too well.

Third team I played on did a lot of things together as well, again I was an outsider so I wasn't invited to much of it. I did get to play with them when they went to Staples or Honda center to play before a Kings or Ducks game. We also had cookouts in the parking lot once or twice a season.

Fourth team I didn't really like so I was generally out of there as quickly as possible.

Fifth team we did more of the cookout in the parking lot thing, but didn't hang out together at all otherwise.

The team I'm on now, we don't even have beer in the room after the game. It's actually a great atmosphere with lots of conversation and laughing, we just don't really hang out. Honestly I think this has been my favorite experience out of all the teams I've played on. I liked these guys from the first day I subbed in goal for them last season. Letting me design the new jerseys didn't hurt, either ;)

And yes, lots of teams. Pretty much every year I've been on a new team. Usually because they moved up a division. This year it was because I wanted to start playing goal full-time and my team already had a goalie. I'm hoping to be with this new team for a long time.

[YesLanges 126]

Our 50+ division has about 70 or so total guys of whom about 64 play every cycle. It seemed a little weird to me that so many of them have played with and against one another for two seasons every year for many years (coming up through the 40+ division together) but some of them barely knew one another's names. In the first cycle that I played, there didn't seem to be that much fraternization between the teams until the handshake line. On the other hand, guys get asked to sub pretty often whenever teams are short. In my second cycle, I couldn't help crossing over in warm-ups to talk to the guys who'd just been on my team the previous cycle and I noticed some weird looks from the guys I hadn't yet played with. The first time I lined up against an ex-teammate with a game face, I laughed and tapped his shin guards and asked him "What's with the game face, Bro?" and he laughed.

It's my 3rd cycle playoffs now and my wife says there's been a very noticeable difference in the amount of socialization between the teams during warm-ups compared to our first season. Some of that might also have to do with the fact that I always send links to the game videos to the other captains too. After games, there's usually some tailgating when it's warm, but in the winter, the whole place usually clears out in minutes. I don't drink beer so my contribution has been to have pizza delivered to both locker rooms (and the rink staff) after the championship game that both of my first two teams played in and that seemed to be appreciated. Not sure if anybody else will continue that if my team gets bumped earlier this cycle.

[ibeck 38]

The last 2 years I've played are really what beer league is all about. Sure we discuss our games after but usually that lasts 5-15 minutes. A lot of the boys stay to drink and shoot the breeze.

We even hang out outside if hockey, we've gone for drinks, post game meals among other things. Beer league is all about having fun, winning is secondary.

[badger_14 601]

Most of the teams I've been on or groups I've played with haven't been tremendously social off-ice, but those that are, I don't usually feel comfortable joining in. Partly it's that I'm shy, partly it's that I look seventeen and everyone sees me as a kid. The GLBT tournaments I've skated in are full of camaraderie and people gel very quickly with a certain common ground. (same with the softball league I play in) The group I skate with now (not a team, per se) mostly know each other from their respective universities and working in the same field on the same research, and a lot of them hang out off ice or work together in the same lab during the week, but they're all very welcoming and I chat with one of them during the week.

I think there's a lot of variance - some teams just come together, skate, and then disperse. Teams that are randomly assorted in large leagues are less about the social aspect than teams that have been together (or a core group) for a long time, or teams that are formed in a small league from a small pool of players. I never especially thought of off-ice socializing as being integral to beer-league, but YMMV. Like I noted above, the softball league I play in organizes many events even in the off-season, and the teams in general have been together a long time, and tend to stay in their divisions (usually no more than 8 teams), and with double-headers twice a weekend, you have a lot of time to make new friends. Hockey, maybe it's a bit different - there's not many spaces at the rinks here to 'hang out' and many of them (particularly school or college rinks) forbid alcohol, and who wants to hang out drinking in the parking lot in January at 11:30 at night? So you arrive, dress, play, dress, disperse.

[Ashtasticness 89]

There are definitely assholes thay always wanna complain. I'm in my second season and it's getting better. The more people you know the better it is. Not just making friends on your own team but on all of them.

[x-axis 44]

I've moved around a lot after undergrad and the best way to find out what team works for you is to sub until you find the right team as opposed to playing for an entire season and committing financially.

If not, have at least an entire line of just your friends. Normally with at least 3 or 4 solid friends, the whole experience becomes better, even if you're whole team isn't on the same page.

[Whiteheat145 3]

(FIRST POST!!)

I typically do a lot for our league as far as organizing, helping out, and being one of the captains in the league- So I typically preach-preach-preach comaraderie for not only the teams, but the league itself. We do a mid year(Christmas) party with beer/pizza after the games too for all the teams together. One thing I like to do for my team, that helps with the comaraderie of making everyone feel included, is putting together a beer schedule. Even if you are the guy that only stays for one or two, you are still required once every 11th game to bring your case of beer. It not only guarantees you beer every game, it also helps everyone feel included. I also try and include my team into watching the other games before and after our game(drinking beer of course) and throw the occasional chirp out to the other teams(everyone at least knows someone on another team). Also, don't forget to chirp your own boys. Get's the locker room vibe fun.

[drivesrf 0]

That's awesome whitey! Also glad my thread had your first post

[EJB 488]

Both teams I play on are a bunch of good guys, can't remember the last time someone bitched about something. 'Bout half the guys will have a quick beer after the game, never done anything outside the LR, though I know some will occasionally grab a beer/bite to eat after, that has never worked for me time wise.

It's about perfect for me, as I don't want to drive with more than 2 beers on board.

I tend to hang out before/after longer at the private drop in I go to in the late Spring/Summer/early Fall. Maybe because my son is there and I can drink a few more beers....?

[Labrat198 7]

I first started playing beer league hockey a little less than a year ago. It goes year round with four 3 month "seasons" where after each season the teams are shuffled with the goal being everyone will have played on the same team eventually. Its been great! All games are back to back so you can hang out with the team your playing against before/after your game and have a few beers while watching the other teams play.

[Travislicious 22]

My team is quite social with each other, as we've maintained the same core for a couple years. Like many others we sometimes will get pre or post game beers. We try and get out to outdoor rinks for a bit of fun, and we have done a few outings each year. We have toured a local brewery, had a scotch and BBQ dinner, and got a box at an Oilers game.

It's really worked out well!

[Zylos45 118]

I find that more beer is consumed at pickup hours than in league games for me over the years.

last year, I found myself driving home every Sunday night (or morning) at 1 or 2 AM. Had to nip that in the bud this year because I get up at 5 AM to get ready for work

[Whiteheat145 3]

My league is fairly competitive too. We have a couple lower level guys but we have as high up as a retired ECHL player, some low to mid level college experience, and majority of high school/Midget A-AAA experience in total. Majority are all friends too... I would say of 70 players, maybe 5 don't get along and it's probably within the same group of 5. People even drop the gloves every now and again... Rule is you have to share a beer after(and a two game suspension). Sounds like the answer is BEER

[IPv6Freely 2082]

I find that more beer is consumed at pickup hours than in league games for me over the years.

last year, I found myself driving home every Sunday night (or morning) at 1 or 2 AM. Had to nip that in the bud this year because I get up at 5 AM to get ready for work

Definitely more beer at pick-up than at games for me, too. I wonder if it's because everything is so much more chill after games. There's not anywhere near the same level of adrenaline you have from a game, win or lose.

[chippa13 1844]

I've had some great experiences and pretty much each time that I've landed on a new squad I was coming in blind and have brought friends in after the fact once I was established and spots opened. I've been on my latest 2 teams for 16 and 4 years and it has been good times.

[sectachrome 40]

I've been on a couple different teams but never really clicked with anyone like that. Maybe 1 or 2 guys. No desire to hang out after the game. Usually I just sign up as a free agent again the next season. No one brings beer at the rink I play at now, I do miss that. Having a beer at the rink bar isn't the same as one in the locker room just after the game.

[IPv6Freely 2082]

It's also quite a bit harder joining new teams when you automatically become the worst player on the team when you step in the room for the first time. Luckily that's not the case anymore but there was definitely at least three times that it was.

[chippa13 1844]

Nothing is stopping some of you fellas from being the first guy to bring the beer.

[marka 518]

Howdy,

I don't think either of the rinks I go to allows alcohol. Are folks bringing it in despite that, or are other rinks less concerned with beer in the locker room?

Mark

[IPv6Freely 2082]

Howdy,

I don't think either of the rinks I go to allows alcohol. Are folks bringing it in despite that, or are other rinks less concerned with beer in the locker room?

Mark

We pretty much just ignored it where I used to play. Though at the new rink I'm at they actually have a couple of those wall mounted bottle openers in the room, so I guess they don't care so much.

[fbvnyc 12]

I'm in my early 30's and it's been almost a decade since I've been in the beer league. I've been on the same team with a core group of about 7-8 guys that started the team together when a new rink opened up. We have a very tight group and over the past 3-4 years we've had less than a handful of new players. My team is pretty much a bunch of alcoholics, we usually have 108 beers after games(beer fee collected as part of fee) and one point things got out of hand where a keg was more economical to bring. When I was in college I thought that would be the height of my consumption. Fooled me. Most of my awesome experiences as an adult involve my team. Things you may be able to look forward to:

-Lots of hockey weddings, tournaments, and random trips.

-Seeing teammates a few times a week outside of hockey. Obviously to rage.

-Sharing puck bunnies

-Having some as roommates. Non-hockey roommates just don't get the concept of gear and the smell in your apt.

-Working with each other on projects/jobs

-Winging for a teammate and plowing undesirable hole

-Getting help with moving/renovations in exchange for alcohol

-Finding out that when in need, the hockey community will try and help you the best it can.

While my primary team is all 25-33 with 2 out layers, there is one very insightful thing I've taken away from the vetty players whom I skate with on occasion. For 99% of people, your life is not special or will it be significant. Being able to have friends that are 20+ years older than you gives you access to "wisdom" and "experience" that you otherwise would never have gained had it not been for hockey. Chances are you're going to end up in one of these old guy's shoes and the highlight of your life in the future will be getting on the ice and crushing beers afterwards.

You can't chose your family, but in this case you can. Beer league is an excuse to get drunk and/or other. Don't play on a team for the sake of hockey, it really is all about camaraderie. It's a lot better to lose a game with your friends than it is to win with a bunch of douches that get undressed faster than the time it takes you to get your first sip of beer down.

[EJB 488]

Howdy,

I don't think either of the rinks I go to allows alcohol. Are folks bringing it in despite that, or are other rinks less concerned with beer in the locker room?

Mark

None of ours do, but nobody gives us grief as long as you pack out your empties. Meaning nothing goes in the trash, but in your bags.

[EJB 488]

...and like Chippa said, if you're not doing it, it does wonders when someone starts the process. My first team, nobody ever brought beer. Just play, dress and leave. I was perplexed, as I kinda assumed it was a given. I started bringing a cold pack to a few games and bingo, everyone started hanging out after, shooting the chit having a beer. Others started bringing, just need to pop the cork so to speak.

There are a few times a cold beer just is a must, after mowing your lawn on a hot Summer day & a session on the ice are two of them.