Completely New to Hockey

[S E P H]

Man oh man, kind of feeling discouraged about hockey.

I started playing one year ago. I play on a team of fellow beginners. We've picked up 2 players this year who do have some experience (1 has quite a lot) but they deliberately play defence and stay back, not wanting to show up the other beginner teams we play. It's been fun and we're all slowly improving.

But yesterday one of the guys on my team had an offer: a team of senior men (50+) had their opponent cancel on them. Ice time is paid for, do we want to play? So a bunch of us go for it.

This team is a bunch of 50-60 year old men. The core of them have been playing together for 20 years, and they all played hockey as kids (at least the ones I talked to). And they could treat us like absolute pylons out there. Now they were perfect sportsmen out there - not trying to show us up, were doing multiple, probably unnecessary passes before scoring, and we even just mixed up the teams half way through to make it more competitive.

But still... damn. I'm never going to be that good, no matter how hard I try. And it wasn't like these guys were some superstar team - they're just a bunch of beer-leaguers too.

As @Mr Jiggyfly said above, it really is the truth when someone says "there is always someone who's going to be better". I played hockey since I was three and played in some of the top junior levels in multiple countries. I would consider myself somewhat good, but I've ran into players who are better than me and there are players even better than those players and it goes beyond even that.

One thing I have discovered as a hockey law similar to Newtonian Physics is that playing with better players only makes you better. In a way I wouldn't feel discouraged by any stretch of the imagination making you look like pylons. It might be frustrating, but grab and steal techniques they're using which you can add to your toolbox. Picture it as a half glass full, where you have an absurd amount of potential to grow into. I remember coming across two beginners in one pick up game and in two years they got noticeably better. Now it depends on what type of person you are because there are some who are fast learners and others who are slow learners. If you're a slow learner, stick at your talent level, but join some talented drop-ins from time to time where you're the only noob on the team and just observe.

However, it should also be said that hockey and sports in general are there to get a good work out, but more importantly to have fun. Playing against loaded teams with players who know each other making others look like pylons has happened to EVERYONE...I can guarantee that. It is discouraging, but if you take the right angle where it's a good learning experience then it will allow you to grow and make you become a better player.

 

[JMCx4]

... One thing I have discovered as a hockey law similar to Newtonian Physics is that playing with better players only makes you better. ...

I have a hockey law like that, too: My body remains in a state of rest, while I watch bodies in a state of motion display equal & opposite reactions. And my mass refuses to be accelerated by any force during those periods. Just ask my wife.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Man oh man, kind of feeling discouraged about hockey.

I started playing one year ago. I play on a team of fellow beginners. We've picked up 2 players this year who do have some experience (1 has quite a lot) but they deliberately play defence and stay back, not wanting to show up the other beginner teams we play. It's been fun and we're all slowly improving.

But yesterday one of the guys on my team had an offer: a team of senior men (50+) had their opponent cancel on them. Ice time is paid for, do we want to play? So a bunch of us go for it.

This team is a bunch of 50-60 year old men. The core of them have been playing together for 20 years, and they all played hockey as kids (at least the ones I talked to). And they could treat us like absolute pylons out there. Now they were perfect sportsmen out there - not trying to show us up, were doing multiple, probably unnecessary passes before scoring, and we even just mixed up the teams half way through to make it more competitive.

But still... damn. I'm never going to be that good, no matter how hard I try. And it wasn't like these guys were some superstar team - they're just a bunch of beer-leaguers too.

It's a pretty common experience at all levels of sport. Getting toyed with by far-superior players is really not fun and kind of depressing. And embarrasing if they're less sportsmanlike than the guys you encountered.

IMO, a closely played game at any level of hockey is a lot of fun. I can watch a 5-6 beer league game and be just as entertained as watching the NHL playoffs. So from a playing standpoint, find a place where you can be "in" every game, regardless of winning or losing. That of course is easier said than done, but it's the key to having fun IMO. And as a side benefit, it means that as you improve, you find yourself more and more able to influence the outcomes which is extremely rewarding.

 

[Yukon Joe]

It's a pretty common experience at all levels of sport. Getting toyed with by far-superior players is really not fun and kind of depressing. And embarrasing if they're less sportsmanlike than the guys you encountered.

So my other sport is curling. That I did grow up playing. I've played against and with people who went to the Brier (Canada's men's championship). I could "hang" with those people, and always felt that if I got really serious about curling, that I could take a run at going to the Brier myself (note: this was more likely when I lived in the Yukon).

No matter how hard I try, I'll never be any kind of good at hockey.

 

[tarheelhockey]

No matter how hard I try, I'll never be any kind of good at hockey.

I'm right there with ya!

For guys like us, it really is about the love of the game and just having fun out there.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

So my other sport is curling. That I did grow up playing. I've played against and with people who went to the Brier (Canada's men's championship). I could "hang" with those people, and always felt that if I got really serious about curling, that I could take a run at going to the Brier myself (note: this was more likely when I lived in the Yukon).

No matter how hard I try, I'll never be any kind of good at hockey.

I’ll never be as good as an NHLer, but that doesn’t stop me from having fun when I play.

Been playing all my life and there is always something I can improve on or a trick I can learn... never stops being fun mastering something I couldn’t do before.

Ie I’m currently trying to learn how to pick up the puck lacrosse style on the backhand and it’s annoying because I see 10 year olds doing it, but whatever...

Eventually I’ll get it down and it will feel rewarding as hell, even though I’ll never really use it for anything except messing around.

That’s the point though, no matter what level we are all at with hockey, there is always something new to learn and the feeling of accomplishment when we do it.

 

[ss53mech]

Don't get discouraged.

My first time lacing up a set of skates was when I was 32 years old. I was complete garbage. But I stuck with it, mostly for the exercise if nothing else. I hate running and needed the cardio so it was easy to convince myself to keep going. I'm only a roller hockey player as there isn't ice available reasonably close to me but it suits me. My progression was slow at first but it picks up as you get more "involved" in the game. I kind of had a mantra of apologizing every time I touched the puck and the play died on my stick, but luckily I played with a really supportive group of players who kept me involved in plays I had no business being involved in. One guys we played was a semi pro player and I made it a point to chase him around and make his life a little more difficult. Not because I didn't like him, he was a great guy, I just wanted the challenge of trying to play up to his level. He could "turn it on" at any time and make me look like a fool, and occasionally did. He also encouraged me to keep doing it. He felt as thought the "tighter checking" made him work harder to make plays and kept his skill level a little higher.

I decided I was going to define myself as a player by just working hard every shift and try not to let the team down by blowing my assignment. (Side note, I've been told by players who don't normally play with us that as a group we play more serious defense in pickup games than most do in league games) Over time I became more accustomed to thinking the game a bit faster and more competent at basic skills.

Fast forward a year and a half and I'm sitting on the bench apologizing to my team mates for not making something happen when we had the puck in the offensive zone for like 90 seconds. One of the older guys who's been playing since Moses was sharpening skates, tells me "you kidding?, the other team is exhausted chasing you around, keep doing exactly that". I start overhearing other teams talking about how much they hate playing against me because I fore check pretty hard (non-contact league) and don't give people time to make plays.

So, 6 years later, I've kind of defined myself as a puck hound rover. Mostly start on D and rove as play develops. I still don't hardly ever score but I set up a lot of breakouts from my zone and chase guys in to mistakes that lead to great chances for my team. I'm never going to dangle anyone with any consistency but you won't outwork me on any given shift. The best players in our group always seem to want me on their team, and I feel like I'm generally respected as a player (meaning I'm not ignored/left uncovered) and people are wary of my transition speed.

Sorry for the long post, the simple version is this. I'm a non-athletic middle aged dude who doesn't eat right, or take very good care of himself. I carved out a role where I actually feel like I add value to the team with some pretty good players by simply trying every time I'm on the rink. Most (and I feel like this is more true in hockey than most sports) good players will do things to keep lesser players involved and help them along. Just keep plugging away and it will come, slowly but it will come.

Good luck, keep your head up.

 

[Primary Assist]

Don't get discouraged.

My first time lacing up a set of skates was when I was 32 years old....

This is exactly what makes hockey such a special sport. Even if you're not going to get that moment in the sunshine, having your teammates carrying you on their shoulders off the field, a consistent 100% effort like this allows you to make an impact on the game and define yourself as a player. Hustle is huge in every game, but for some reason it really is its own unique skill in hockey.

 

[Sean Garrity]

Don't get discouraged.

My first time lacing up a set of skates was when I was 32 years old. I was complete garbage. But I stuck with it, mostly for the exercise if nothing else. I hate running and needed the cardio so it was easy to convince myself to keep going. I'm only a roller hockey player as there isn't ice available reasonably close to me but it suits me. My progression was slow at first but it picks up as you get more "involved" in the game. I kind of had a mantra of apologizing every time I touched the puck and the play died on my stick, but luckily I played with a really supportive group of players who kept me involved in plays I had no business being involved in. One guys we played was a semi pro player and I made it a point to chase him around and make his life a little more difficult. Not because I didn't like him, he was a great guy, I just wanted the challenge of trying to play up to his level. He could "turn it on" at any time and make me look like a fool, and occasionally did. He also encouraged me to keep doing it. He felt as thought the "tighter checking" made him work harder to make plays and kept his skill level a little higher.

I decided I was going to define myself as a player by just working hard every shift and try not to let the team down by blowing my assignment. (Side note, I've been told by players who don't normally play with us that as a group we play more serious defense in pickup games than most do in league games) Over time I became more accustomed to thinking the game a bit faster and more competent at basic skills.

Fast forward a year and a half and I'm sitting on the bench apologizing to my team mates for not making something happen when we had the puck in the offensive zone for like 90 seconds. One of the older guys who's been playing since Moses was sharpening skates, tells me "you kidding?, the other team is exhausted chasing you around, keep doing exactly that". I start overhearing other teams talking about how much they hate playing against me because I fore check pretty hard (non-contact league) and don't give people time to make plays.

So, 6 years later, I've kind of defined myself as a puck hound rover. Mostly start on D and rove as play develops. I still don't hardly ever score but I set up a lot of breakouts from my zone and chase guys in to mistakes that lead to great chances for my team. I'm never going to dangle anyone with any consistency but you won't outwork me on any given shift. The best players in our group always seem to want me on their team, and I feel like I'm generally respected as a player (meaning I'm not ignored/left uncovered) and people are wary of my transition speed.

Sorry for the long post, the simple version is this. I'm a non-athletic middle aged dude who doesn't eat right, or take very good care of himself. I carved out a role where I actually feel like I add value to the team with some pretty good players by simply trying every time I'm on the rink. Most (and I feel like this is more true in hockey than most sports) good players will do things to keep lesser players involved and help them along. Just keep plugging away and it will come, slowly but it will come.

Good luck, keep your head up.

The apologizing thing cracks me up. I’m a better player on an mid-tier beer league roller team that has some players who should probably be in lower divisions. I make it a point to almost force feed them the puck, get them out on the rare PP, encourage them to pick their head up to make a pass instead of just hammering the puck around, tell them to pinch up in the right situations instead of being terrified of being beat, etc. Yet they still apologize to me/us after every shift just like you’re describing haha. In the playoffs things are a bit different and they want to take a reduced role in those situations because they want to win too after all. Overall though, the only way any one is going to get better is to be given the opportunity. We all want to win, but I always have more fun watching those guys’ games develop than any goal or assist that I’ve ever had.