How soon from starting, could you expect to play beginner hockey

[Allsmokenopancake]

OK, so I am skating about twice a week, for about an hour and a half. I am just past beginner I would say, but not much. I can skate, turn, stop, but am not good with crossovers or backward skating.

I want to play beginner adult hockey (HNA most likely), but don't want to be the dead weight on the team.

How long or what skills on the skates would you recommend before starting to play hockey.

I don't want teamates looking at me like I could cost them the game because of my skating each night

Cheers

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[phillyphan]

Just play now. The best way to get better is to play in games. Nobody is great when the first start and no matter when you start your going to make mistakes. Sorry. It's about having fun.

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

I know its about having fun, but its also about having fun for the others on the team too, and if they are not having fun because I am constantly messing up, I would feel bad (the old irish catholic guilt I suppose that our mothers program into us).

I will see how I fare at stick and puck I suppose and will get an idea from that.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Icer]

You can skate? Wow! That makes you better than half the people who sign up for the HNA beginner hockey school. We had one guy who fell every time he let go of the side boards.

That's the whole point of HNA, to teach adults who never had a chance to play hockey growing up. The first thing they do is show you how to skate. You won't even touch a puck until week 2 and you don't play another team until week 9.

 

[FLYLine27*]

You can skate? Wow! That makes you better than half the people who sign up for the HNA beginner hockey school. We had one guy who fell every time he let go of the side boards.

That's the whole point of HNA, to teach adults who never had a chance to play hockey growing up. The first thing they do is show you how to skate. You won't even touch a puck until week 2 and you don't play another team until week 9.

He tells the truth.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

I know its about having fun, but its also about having fun for the others on the team too, and if they are not having fun because I am constantly messing up, I would feel bad (the old irish catholic guilt I suppose that our mothers program into us).

I will see how I fare at stick and puck I suppose and will get an idea from that.

Thanks for the advice

I tend to agree- just play. Of course, if your league is very skilled and competitive, that might not be the best idea. If you're playing with other novice players or an intermediate skill/experience level, I say go for it. It is the best way you'll learn the game.

 

[barfy2000]

Just play now. The best way to get better is to play in games. Nobody is great when the first start and no matter when you start your going to make mistakes. Sorry. It's about having fun.

this poster is exactly right. get out there into game situations so you can start getting better through experience. even if the people are better than you to begin with thats ok, because playing against them is gonna force you to raise your game and bring your best every night. each game, you are going to get more and more experience and youll get better and better because of it.

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

Thanks for the advice. If I could just get the crossovers down, maybe I would chance it

 

[Injektilo]

Just go to one of the games for a team you'd wanna play for, at the beginner-most level. Watch the players on both teams, and judge your own skills against theirs. See where you stack up, you might discover that you'd actually be an average player on the team, or you might discover that you need some more work...

I can understand where you're coming from if you don't wanna be a dead weight on your team. It's no fun when everyone else is miles ahead of you and you only touch the puck to back it away from your net before someone steals it from you.

 

[HSHS]

Smoke... just do it! I went from being all over the ice in my first drop-in (with A & B players, talk about embarrassing) to being one of the better novice players in about 3 months.

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

Smoke... just do it! I went from being all over the ice in my first drop-in (with A & B players, talk about embarrassing) to being one of the better novice players in about 3 months.

OK, I have ordered my skates (my current ones are very tight, so ordered wider ones).
I think I will have to jump in, and go, as they say...balls to the wall and hope I don't die.

Cheers for the advice folks.

Heshootshescores, I see your location is VA, if you get knocked over by some 6'3" idiot with an irish accent in Mount vernon ice rink, or skatequest reston, you have my apologies

 

[phillyphan]

this poster is exactly right. get out there into game situations so you can start getting better through experience. even if the people are better than you to begin with thats ok, because playing against them is gonna force you to raise your game and bring your best every night. each game, you are going to get more and more experience and youll get better and better because of it.

i start off like you. A 14 year old in an 18 and older league. i made many mistakes my first two seasons. Now at age 18 I just recently finished a season in which I was second in points and won the defensive MVP award. Because of my experiance I am now a top 3 player in the league. I know i sound cocky...sorry.

 

[HSHS]

OK, I have ordered my skates (my current ones are very tight, so ordered wider ones).
I think I will have to jump in, and go, as they say...balls to the wall and hope I don't die.

Cheers for the advice folks.

Heshootshescores, I see your location is VA, if you get knocked over by some 6'3" idiot with an irish accent in Mount vernon ice rink, or skatequest reston, you have my apologies

No problem... I play at Fairfax, Herndon, and Ashburn. I heard Mt Vernon is cool though. I hear they teach power skating there. I may sign up next year. You should try after you played for a few months.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Thanks for the advice. If I could just get the crossovers down, maybe I would chance it

You should learn how to do European crossovers. It will make your skating much more explosive.

Take a power skating course and specifically ask your instructor to teach you how to do a European crossover.

 

[HSHS]

Thanks for the advice. If I could just get the crossovers down, maybe I would chance it

I don't know about European crossovers... perhaps someone with more technical skillset can tell you.

But to learn crossovers the easiest, you need to learn to balance on one skate on the outside and inside edges while turning, bend your knees correctly and leave the other leg in a stable position. The easiest to start should be the inside edge C-cut (ie right leg inside edge turning left, and vice-versa). The opposite leg should be just off the ice with you inside ankle slightly touching the heel of your "skating" skate.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

To do crossovers you need to know how to turn.

Do you know how to turn properly, are you bending into the turn and dipping your inside shoulder?

You will need to know what your "power" foot is.

Everyone has a power foot, including the pros. This is the foot you turn faster/better with, stop on more easily, etc.

Say your power foot is your left foot, then practice your crossovers turning to the left.

Build up some speed, go into your turn, dip your inside shoulder down, and pick up your back skate and slowly cross it over the lead foot (your left skate).

You have to trust yourself to do this. I know many new skaters are afraid of falling when they try crossovers, but remember your inertia will keep you up.

As for backwards crossovers, you have to start by going forward and picking up speed, then go into your transition.

Once you are moving backwards try to learn how to go backwards with your feet in a line (one in front of the other), instead of parallel to each other.

This is the base from which you will learn to crossover.

Once you are comfortable going backwards this way, you can start trying to do crossovers.

The best way to learn is to go to a local rink and watch the best skaters and just try to imitate what they do.

Take mental notes, then go and try what you see.

Don't be afraid to push yourself or fall down. It WILL happen.

I am a good skater and have been doing it for many years, and I still bail. I don't even feel anything anymore whe I fall, because I am conditioned to it. This will happen to you over time as well.

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

Thanks for the tips, I don't mind falling, I am used to it. I surfed for years back in Ireland, and getting wiped out on a heavy lip with a shallow reef can leave you stinging too.

I am sure I have a power foot, I just need to figure it out properly.

Great advice from all, cheers again

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

OK, Sorry to drag up an old thread, but my skates came in on monday, I have been wearing them about an hour or two each night at home, and will be on the ice with them tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone for the tips with the crossovers and the likes, and hopefully I can start playing hockey soon

 

[technophile]

Do you know how to turn properly, are you bending into the turn and dipping your inside shoulder?

Dipping your inside shoulder is a great way to lose your edge and land on your hip/glute. You should be keeping your upper body upright and your shoulders as level as possible.

 

[devilnjersey]

What is the NHA?

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

What is the NHA?

Its HNA, it stands for hockey north america. Its an organized adult rec league, which has different leagues from Beginner adult to top level (beer league stuff).

Their site is www.hna.com

I think they are somewhat expensive compared to other house leagues, but they are apparently well organized

 

[Jack Canuck]

OK, Sorry to drag up an old thread, but my skates came in on monday, I have been wearing them about an hour or two each night at home, and will be on the ice with them tomorrow.

Thanks again everyone for the tips with the crossovers and the likes, and hopefully I can start playing hockey soon

I was in your situation a while ago. All I could do was skate straight forward. I didn't even know how to stop. However, I just started playing and the guys were great. they helped me and gave lots of encouragement. Of course when games got tight I sat a little, but it has been a great experience and I have improved a lot.

 

[LordHelmet]

If you're able to stop and are working on crossovers, you're in good shape - if not ahead of the game - for most beginner programs IMO..

And you're taking rec hockey way, way too seriously if you're worried about making a mistake and costing your team a game. It's rec league. There's nothing at stake. The important thing is that you get out there, try your best, work to improve your game, and have a good time.

 

[Allsmokenopancake]

If you're able to stop and are working on crossovers, you're in good shape - if not ahead of the game - for most beginner programs IMO..

And you're taking rec hockey way, way too seriously if you're worried about making a mistake and costing your team a game. It's rec league. There's nothing at stake. The important thing is that you get out there, try your best, work to improve your game, and have a good time.

Its not the making mistake and costing the game I am worried about, its the fact that if I am a constant weak link, it will lessen the fun for the others on the team.

But I am feeling a lot more confident since I got the new skates, the E instead of D, and another couple of months at the rink practicing and I will be ready to go

 

[Hank19]

Don't let anyone make you feel bad about 'being the weak link'. I started hockey late so when I started playing house league I was easily the worst player in the league. I could barely stand on the ice. And despite some moans and complaints from my teammates I stuck to it.
I played as much shinny and pickup hockey as I could and I really tried to work on things during that time (like you are).
By my third year, in bantam, I was outscoring some of those same guys that were complaining about me three years earlier.

It's a corny saying but hockey is for fun. Don't let anyone take that away from you.