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Advice on skating and playing hockey


PASabreFan

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I get apologized to constantly. For everything. Light bumps, fighting for the puck, an accidental trip, if I lose an edge near someone... I think it's because I'm a lady. No one wants to be that guy who steamrolled the girl.

 

Course, the one time it happened, guy just skated off and left me lying there zonked.

 

Yeah, there's really no way around you getting that treatment. I have seen that occasional guy who goes out of his way to rough up the ladies out there and it never ends well. Players go after him and the refs let them.

 

I was actually that guy who steamrolled a woman once. I felt horrible about it but I didn't apologize. We were skating parallel following the play and we both turned into the same path. I was twice her size so I stayed on my feet and she went flying. Somehow in that process her stick came up and left a huge welt across my chest/shoulder. I didn't realize who it was until it was way to late and I was halfway up the ice. I definitely would have checked on her, but she got up and was off the ice long before I had the chance. They had two very similar looking women (twins maybe), so I wasn't sure later which one it was.

 

Oh, and I'm taller than most people out there and I'm not a twig, so when people bump into me, I don't want an apology. It annoys me because I can more than handle the contact and as long as it wasn't intentional, that's just what happens in hockey. ###### happens sometimes.

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It's pretty clean now at BGRI. A fight nets you a 3 game suspension. The second one puts you out for a season and three and you're done. There are some skirmishes but not all out fights. I've been in one fight my entire time there and I honestly wanted no part of it. Of course he dropped his gloves and did a great job of punching my cage. I left my gloves on.. because well. they are designed to block sticks and pucks on the exterior. It was short lived as I basically threw him to the ice. What a waste.. suspended because some other jerk started throwing punches at me.

 

 

 

Could be. I especially loved that we had varying nights and times. That made it extremely easy to plan. If I could recall much about my 2-3 seasons I played there I'd provide more detail but truthfully I was happy to leave so I didn't commit a lot to memory!

 

LOL What's not to like about a game on Tuesday at 10pm one week and then on Thuursday at 11:30 the next? :P

 

We stayed in their leagues for about 3 years as well, then we switched to a league at the city rink on Tacoma and had a fixed time and night (10pm Fridays) for the next several years. Much better league experience.

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Yeah, there's really no way around you getting that treatment. I have seen that occasional guy who goes out of his way to rough up the ladies out there and it never ends well. Players go after him and the refs let them.

 

I was actually that guy who steamrolled a woman once. I felt horrible about it but I didn't apologize. We were skating parallel following the play and we both turned into the same path. I was twice her size so I stayed on my feet and she went flying. Somehow in that process her stick came up and left a huge welt across my chest/shoulder. I didn't realize who it was until it was way to late and I was halfway up the ice. I definitely would have checked on her, but she got up and was off the ice long before I had the chance. They had two very similar looking women (twins maybe), so I wasn't sure later which one it was.

 

Oh, and I'm taller than most people out there and I'm not a twig, so when people bump into me, I don't want an apology. It annoys me because I can more than handle the contact and as long as it wasn't intentional, that's just what happens in hockey. ###### happens sometimes.

We have one dude who seems to enjoy checking girls. When he starts, we all start slew-footing him or any other sorta sneaky way to knock him over. I really don't mind it that much. The constant "are you okay?"'s get sorta distracting. Sends my brain into a "wait, was that worse than I thought?".

Now other girls.... sometimes they're just brutal. Sticks in the back, hair yanking... I'd rather play against all dudes any day.

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We have one dude who seems to enjoy checking girls. When he starts, we all start slew-footing him or any other sorta sneaky way to knock him over. I really don't mind it that much. The constant "are you okay?"'s get sorta distracting. Sends my brain into a "wait, was that worse than I thought?".

Now other girls.... sometimes they're just brutal. Sticks in the back, hair yanking... I'd rather play against all dudes any day.

 

Spear that guy in the groin. I hate suggesting that someone do this to a guy, but that sounds like the type of person who deserves it. He'll definitely never come near you again.

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I hate the guys that aren't very good skaters, but still try to play aggressively. They just end up slashing everyone and skating directly at the puck carrier only to clumsily hammer somebody (usually not the puck carrier) in a no-checking league.

 

They're the worst. The guy who can put the speed on but has no control. The most dangerous kind of player.

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They're the worst. The guy who can put the speed on but has no control. The most dangerous kind of player.

 

Agreed! Which is why im thankful that genetics blessed me with speed and the ability to be sturdy on my skates, and absolutely no moral compass at all! I will ever so graciously put that guy on his ass simply by turning up ice and steppin in front. Most of the time they get the hint to control themselves after the first one.

 

The refs in my league are also very good at seeing that nothing gets out of control. We havent had anything but a staged just joking kind of fight in at least 4 years.

 

 

We have one dude who seems to enjoy checking girls.

 

Seriously? Must be the only action he can get.

 

We have i think 3 girls in our league. 2 of whom played big time college hockey and one who is just getting exercise. I dont think ive ever seen them get hit. Its not a pity party or anything because they can actually play, i think it may be a latent chivalry thing coming to the surface.

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I get apologized to constantly. For everything. Light bumps, fighting for the puck, an accidental trip, if I lose an edge near someone... I think it's because I'm a lady. No one wants to be that guy who steamrolled the girl.

 

Course, the one time it happened, guy just skated off and left me lying there zonked.

 

I've steamrolled a female on the ice. Not because it was a female but because she was the opposing player standing the place that I needed to be at that time (I also had the puck). I don't take sex into account when playing. It's true that guys on the opposing team are somewhat overprotective of such things. The one time I needed to turn up ice and the defender (female) was standing in front of me I just began pushing her up the ice to get her out of my way. They really didn't like that. I never knocked her over though. It was more like a bulldozer move until she decided to get out of my way.

 

Of course these are all things I do to any player on the ice when I have to.

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I've steamrolled a female on the ice. Not because it was a female but because she was the opposing player standing the place that I needed to be at that time (I also had the puck). I don't take sex into account when playing. It's true that guys on the opposing team are somewhat overprotective of such things. The one time I needed to turn up ice and the defender (female) was standing in front of me I just began pushing her up the ice to get her out of my way. They really didn't like that. I never knocked her over though. It was more like a bulldozer move until she decided to get out of my way.

 

Of course these are all things I do to any player on the ice when I have to.

 

You see I wouldn't even consider doing anything like that. I do my best to avoid body contact of any kind with female players because I know that the sheer weight difference between myself and them would not be in their favor. Plus I don't like intimidating people. The league Josie plays in already calls me Chara so I do my best to be a good sport.

 

I don't have a problem standing a female player up if I'm defending a zone entry or something. But I will avoid physical contact pretty much at all costs. I have to. Because there's no way I can even lightly take the body and not look like an a**hole.

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You see I wouldn't even consider doing anything like that. I do my best to avoid body contact of any kind with female players because I know that the sheer weight difference between myself and them would not be in their favor. Plus I don't like intimidating people. The league Josie plays in already calls me Chara so I do my best to be a good sport.

 

I don't have a problem standing a female player up if I'm defending a zone entry or something. But I will avoid physical contact pretty much at all costs. I have to. Because there's no way I can even lightly take the body and not look like an a**hole.

 

We're not playing in the NHL. I feel like the guys who go out there and rough up women saying "they're just like anyone else out here" are those same guys who I described earlier as thinking they still have a shot at the NHL. If some people want to be ######, that's fine, but like you, I have no desire to be that guy. It's only going to lead to trouble.

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We're not playing in the NHL. I feel like the guys who go out there and rough up women saying "they're just like anyone else out here" are those same guys who I described earlier as thinking they still have a shot at the NHL. If some people want to be ######, that's fine, but like you, I have no desire to be that guy. It's only going to lead to trouble.

 

Thus guy's onto somethin here....

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How many female players change with the guys. We have 5 women in the league I play in and they all do. Guys try to keep things modest but they also don't let their presence stop them from using the shower, etc. (The women don't shower.) IMO being in the locker room helps team bonding. I recall teams where the female players changed separately. They would just show up on the bench at game time. They never really became part of the team.

 

Most of the guys feel that we aren't there to get dates, we're there to play hockey. (Although I know one case where a female player got married to a male teammate.) The women are treated like any other player. Being able to talk about the game before, then relax with a beer after is an important part of why we play hockey, and when female players join in that they are more accepted as part of the team.

 

PTR

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How many female players change with the guys. We have 5 women in the league I play in and they all do. Guys try to keep things modest but they also don't let their presence stop them from using the shower, etc. (The women don't shower.) IMO being in the locker room helps team bonding. I recall teams where the female players changed separately. They would just show up on the bench at game time. They never really became part of the team.

 

Most of the guys feel that we aren't there to get dates, we're there to play hockey. (Although I know one case where a female player got married to a male teammate.) The women are treated like any other player. Being able to talk about the game before, then relax with a beer after is an important part of why we play hockey, and when female players join in that they are more accepted as part of the team.

 

PTR

 

I've very rarely had women in the locker room. Most places seem to make sure women aren't made uncomfortable by the sight of hairy old men.

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How many female players change with the guys. We have 5 women in the league I play in and they all do. Guys try to keep things modest but they also don't let their presence stop them from using the shower, etc. (The women don't shower.) IMO being in the locker room helps team bonding. I recall teams where the female players changed separately. They would just show up on the bench at game time. They never really became part of the team.

 

Most of the guys feel that we aren't there to get dates, we're there to play hockey. (Although I know one case where a female player got married to a male teammate.) The women are treated like any other player. Being able to talk about the game before, then relax with a beer after is an important part of why we play hockey, and when female players join in that they are more accepted as part of the team.

 

PTR

I've only ever had to share a locker room at special events, like a meetup at an outdoor rink or something. Most dudes were pretty modest, but there's always a couple hangin' ###### for our benefit I guess. The ribald jokes and beer flow, and since I show up wearing the basic understuff anyways, it's not a big deal. I've seen enough hairy old men in figure drawing, a few bellies and saggy bits don't phase me! I think I make them more uncomfortable by being an in shape 24 year old girl.

 

Definitely helps with the bonding, though. I've read female players' accounts on how it sucked to be the only girl on a competitive team where some rule (usually a college) wouldn't allow them to change together- changing before or after the guys, in a janitor's closet, in a small aux bathroom, the bus, and missing out on all the team feeling that exists in the locker room.

 

EDIT: wow, didn't know the word that rhymes with kong and starts with a 'd' was a censorable offense!

Edited by Josie914
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I freakin' demolished an old guy today. I was pinching and got knocked off balance by one of his teammates. I got to the puck before he did and sent it deep, but couldn't change direction and he skated right into me and went sprawling. I made Shrader proud and muttered "I'm sorry" and skated off.

 

And there are always two types of old guys: the ones you try not to step into and the ones you wish you could.

 

There's a guy in Josie's league who I'd say is mid 60s. He's awful even by old guy standards and is downright nasty. But you can't do anything about it because if you treat him like a 20 year old you might kill him.

 

I'd still like to give him what-for one of these days.

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Its like that in any sports, Used to play two games a weekend. (football that is)

The sunday morning game was me and my bro filling up the team of 30 + guys that were short a few players. But each time you had ###### who think it was ok to injure people.

Forgetting everyone has to get back to work healthy on mondays. But as 17 yr old well developped kid i never minded taking those cunts out myself, neither did my brother.

 

Usually coach went like this at half time, you two warm up, and don't retaliate, we'd come back in after 5 mins , coach was gone, injured teammates be like, take that mofo out. :D

Always was like that few games a year.

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Its like that in any sports, Used to play two games a weekend. (football that is)

The sunday morning game was me and my bro filling up the team of 30 + guys that were short a few players. But each time you had ###### who think it was ok to injure people.

Forgetting everyone has to get back to work healthy on mondays. But as 17 yr old well developped kid i never minded taking those cunts out myself, neither did my brother.

 

Usually coach went like this at half time, you two warm up, and don't retaliate, we'd come back in after 5 mins , coach was gone, injured teammates be like, take that mofo out. :D

Always was like that few games a year.

I just want to marvel that the censor catches d*o*n*g*s and d*i*c*k*s but not cunts

Edited by Josie914
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if you're a beginner my advice as a former pro and current coach (jr kings) is to buy what feels most comfortable. if you're uncomfortable, it's less fun, and then what's the point? if $100 skates are most comfortable, go with them. as your level of play increases, you'll benefit from lighter more responsive gear.... but as a beginner, that will make virtually no difference whatsoever. i wouldn't recommend used skates. they may be broken in, but they're broken in to the original owners foot... so don't waste your money. comfort is key.

 

skates.... go with bauer or graf, ignore everything else. 95% of folks will fit in either of those two brands. both are high quality and will last. I've seen countless pairs of eastons and ccm's break down after little as 2 months of regular play.... eyelets popping off, tearing, broken tongues, pressure points, etc... bauer and graf are the only skates you should ever consider. graf have slightly more of a forward lean and wider footbed. bauer runs a bit narrower but offer better arch support... so it depends on your foot shape. personally i use the bauer vapor line (last years pro-stock APX)... best skates I've ever owned.

 

i would recommend nothing but skating lessons for the first 2-3 months.... 2-3 times a week, get out to public skate and just skate skate skate. puck control and shooting can be done off-ice. when you're on the ice, ALL your attention should be on learning your edges. edge work, edge work, and more edge work. if you can afford private lessons, then that will help accelerate your development, but by no means is it necessary. there are lots of good youtube videos w/ skating drills, and usahockey.com has lots of resources as well.... but your main focus initially should be on knee bend and wide stance. when your legs tire you lose your knee bend, so the more you skate and work those muscles, the more endurance and better form you'll have.

 

http://www.usahockey.com/page/show/893676-learn-to-skate

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