Beer league do's and don't's

[Hope Bringer]

Really?

Do other people find this to be true also? Obviously, no jumping on the glass, yelling etc, but a smile and a little fist pump after a nice goal doesn't seem like too much to me.

Unless you score the winning goal in the championship game, I'd generally stay away from cellying. Some fist bumps with the boys will suffice

 

[Jisatsu]

Don't take beer league too seriously.

Do remember its a game.

Remember you pay to play, not the other way around.

Smile. Have fun.

Don't be a goon.

Don't rush a goalie or lacross swing at him.

Listen to your team mates and the refs.

Enjoy the post game beer win or lose.

 

[rh71]

how-to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KoaMBvw9q8

this is what to expect:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1eDw1Qa4sY

 

[BackhandToeyJoey]

Win or lose, you drink the booze.

Make that huge save and sell the **** out of it.

Don't be slashing guys.

Always pay the ref whatever change you have. (I'm not sure if this happens everywhere, but where I play, we always do.)

If ladies are present, she's usually the last pass in the o-zone for that easy tap-in, unless she can hold her own then whatever lol.

This ones depends on where you play, but usually no slapshots. Most of the guys aren't wearing shoulder pads.

 

[Hyzer]

Must do: Chirp the other team

 

[haveandare]

To me a fist pump is only appropriate if its an important goal to the game

Agree with you. Fist pump ok. Jumping into the glass like Ovie, not OK.

Unless you score the winning goal in the championship game, I'd generally stay away from cellying. Some fist bumps with the boys will suffice

Very interesting. Thanks for throwing in your two cents everyone. You very likely saved me from making an ass of myself.

 

[DMR]

Just keep it chill. Play hard, play your position, involve your teammates, and most importantly......have fun. Don't be that guy who takes it way too seriously. The guy that coaches from the bench and condescends his teammates. The guy who runs his mouth about how tough he is and is always looking to start a fight over a beer league game. The guy who chirps the refs.

Adhere to that and your experience will be perfectly enjoyable. You'll have bad games, you'll have good games. Just keep it in perspective. It's all about getting in some healthy competition, exercise, and fun.

 

[ColePens]

What I hate about beer-league.... you cannot have a competitive game w/o drama. It's like the majority of players, even in top tier leagues, never played the game at a highly competitive level. Then fights break out and it gets childish.

I'd love if there were a few leagues where just competitive hard/fast paced games occur w/o drama.

 

[Terry Yake]

What I hate about beer-league.... you cannot have a competitive game w/o drama. It's like the majority of players, even in top tier leagues, never played the game at a highly competitive level. Then fights break out and it gets childish.

I'd love if there were a few leagues where just competitive hard/fast paced games occur w/o drama.

this doesn't seem to be a problem in my league

aside from some chirping and getting on the ref about a bad call, there's basically no fighting. in 16 games this season i think we had a post whistle scrum maybe a handful of times and a few incidents of two guys getting in each others face

 

[Reilly]

I've been playing beer league for about 6 months. Great advice above. My advice to a new player joining the team would be:

Do:
1. Short shifts.
2. Keep moving. On a breakout the D-men are looking for someone to pass to. Don't be standing still watching the game.
3. If you are offside, skate hard to get back onside.
4. Try to shift change when there's a stoppage in play. But be quick about it.
5. If you're up next, make sure to be ready and watching for someone coming off the ice.

I'm sure I violated #2 and #5 several times but hope I've gotten better with experience. I plead innocence on the others.

 

[PlayoffBeard365]

This ones depends on where you play, but usually no slapshots. Most of the guys aren't wearing shoulder pads.

This is strange to me on both levels. 1. Why would you not wear pads? 2. Why would you want to take slapshots out of a game?

Is it a flow of game thing? If it's a tough guy thing then why are they worried about splappys. A few guys in my rec games don't wear pads. They really are not that cumbersome. Regardless, we always take slappers (well not me cuz I'm just plain awful at it).

 

[ArGarBarGar]

This is strange to me on both levels. 1. Why would you not wear pads? 2. Why would you want to take slapshots out of a game?

Is it a flow of game thing? If it's a tough guy thing then why are they worried about splappys. A few guys in my rec games don't wear pads. They really are not that cumbersome. Regardless, we always take slappers (well not me cuz I'm just plain awful at it).

Mainly because most people in beer leagues can't control their clapper, which can prove to be very dangerous for others. Even I send one high every so often.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

The biggest thing for me is to respect your opponent -- bumping and grinding down low is fine, but don't nail him from behind in the boards, slash him in the ankles or the back of the legs, or bring your stick up in the face area. Everyone has work/school in the morning, and surely many of the guys will have families. Someone shouldn't lose an eye or break a leg playing rec hockey. Shake hands at the end of the game and NEVER carry anything into the dressing room/parking lot area.

One thing I never understood is when people say that so and so player is trying TOO hard. I don't get it...how can one not want to try as hard as they can? How can that be contained? I don't care if you're playing AAA or Tier 7 hockey -- if there are refs involved, scores/stats/standings are being kept, and there is a championship at the end of the season, you should want to win. If others want you to passively play, tell them to go play pick up.

 

[DMR]

What I hate about beer-league.... you cannot have a competitive game w/o drama. It's like the majority of players, even in top tier leagues, never played the game at a highly competitive level. Then fights break out and it gets childish.

I'd love if there were a few leagues where just competitive hard/fast paced games occur w/o drama.

I'm convinced at this point that they're basically role playing. They act like that because they think it's how hockey players are "supposed to act" on the ice whenever they take a little contact. Of course, there are legitimate hotheads too........but all this stuff coming from guys that never actually played competitive contact hockey seems almost forced when I witness it. They think to themselves "I play hockey so i'm supposed to act like a brash tough guy". These are the guys driving around with "give blood, play hockey" stickers on their car windows.

I play in a private pickup game on Saturday nights and i'm always hearing stories in the locker room about this one C league where there are fights all the time. A C league. I just can't abide that stuff. I have a family I have to provide for and i'd be highly upset if any of this stuff was threatening my ability to be healthy enough to go to work and provide for my family. The funny thing is that in many cases the guys in this league starting all the trouble are cops.

 

[damack]

I've been playing beer league for about 6 months. Great advice above. My advice to a new player joining the team would be:

Do:
1. Short shifts.
2. Keep moving. On a breakout the D-men are looking for someone to pass to. Don't be standing still watching the game.
3. If you are offside, skate hard to get back onside.
4. Try to shift change when there's a stoppage in play. But be quick about it.
5. If you're up next, make sure to be ready and watching for someone coming off the ice.

I'm sure I violated #2 and #5 several times but hope I've gotten better with experience. I plead innocence on the others.

What's considered a short shift? I just started playing (4 games in) and I basically get off whenever I'm winded and feel I couldn't jump into a play and get full speed going. Sometimes that's a minute or so, sometimes it's after a burst up the ice and then back if we turn it over, I'll get off when we gain possession again. That can be in the area of 20-30 seconds or so, but I've skated pretty hard

 

[tarheelhockey]

What's considered a short shift? I just started playing (4 games in) and I basically get off whenever I'm winded and feel I couldn't jump into a play and get full speed going. Sometimes that's a minute or so, sometimes it's after a burst up the ice and then back if we turn it over, I'll get off when we gain possession again. That can be in the area of 20-30 seconds or so, but I've skated pretty hard

Generally speaking, shifts in beer leagues should run about 60-90 seconds. When you're on the bench, go ahead and calculate the time that your next shift should be over. That way you don't have to do the math while skating. After a while you'll get a good feel for what 1 minute of hockey feels like.

Early in the game, don't wait until you're winded. That just kills you by the third period. You want to have some spring in your step as the game grinds on. 90 seconds should be enough to burn off that spring, without leaving you flat for the next shift.

What gets a lot of beginners in trouble is feeling like they need to mirror their linemates' changes. If your linemates are taking 3 minute shifts, don't worry about it. Skate your 90 seconds and get back to the bench.

 

[Sleepy]

Do:
2. Keep moving. On a breakout the D-men are looking for someone to pass to. Don't be standing still watching the game..

*while always facing the puck. Can't catch a pass with your butthole.

 

[Greeneye]

Oh, and don't be a douchenozzle, wear your shoulder pads.

why?

 

[tarheelhockey]

why?

For one thing -- insurance costs are shared in a lot of leagues. When the guy who's too cool for pads ends up with a shredded shoulder, he's driving up the costs for everyone else.

 

[Greeneye]

For one thing -- insurance costs are shared in a lot of leagues. When the guy who's too cool for pads ends up with a shredded shoulder, he's driving up the costs for everyone else.

Never heard that and I'm good friends with a guy that runs my local rink. If that was the case don't you think they'd be mandatory?

I always took it as envy when people ***** at people for not wearing shoulder pads. On every single occasion I've seen it happen it's always a lesser skilled player chirping a better player. Could just be my rink though. I'd love to hear others chime in.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Going one step further on the shoulder pad thing -- which I always wear -- do people still wear throat guards?

 

[waitin425]

Going one step further on the shoulder pad thing -- which I always wear -- do people still wear throat guards?

My league is about 60-40 for no shoulder pads and no one wears throat guards.

Im sure someone is getting hurt at some point

 

[Mikeaveli]

Legitimate question, why would you not wear shoulder pads?

 

[Greeneye]

Legitimate question, why would you not wear shoulder pads?

I don't wear them because I like the extra movement, there is little to no contact and the rink I skate in is generally warm. If I wear anything I wear a padded shirt but that is pretty rare. Honestly, I just don't think I need to wear them in beer league.

Haven't seen a neck guard in years.

 

[DMR]

I choose not to wear them because they're hot, and I feel like they limit my upper body mobility........not because I think i'm "too cool". I've tried a bunch of makes and models......modern Bauers, Sherwood "vintage" 5030's, old Jofas. The only ones I had that truly felt good were the old Jofas I got back in 1994 but my cat peed on them so that was that.

If somebody can't control their slappers and keep them low then they shouldn't be taking slappers at all. Go to stick & puck and practice. And somebody's stick shouldn't be up that high anyway.