Advice on skating and playing hockey

[bob_sauve28]

I'm at the ancient age of almost 58 although I tell my hockey buddies I'm 37...and some of them believe it because I look younger.  I was a street hockey only player until I was 45 and then learned how to rollerblade (it wasn't easy and I'm still learning) with the help of a coach who traded lessons for putting my progress on his website...

 

http://coachchic.com/category/skills/in-line_roller-hockey/page/20/

 

(Articles about me are listed here but PM me if you want the username/PW in order to read the whole thing)

 

Now I play roller hockey 1-2x a week. Court time is easy; you don't have to travel 50,000 miles at 3 in the morning. You can practice easily on your own in parking lots, tennis courts etc. Many ice hockey players crosstrain with roller.I'm not going to start ice at this stage but roller is a blast once you learn how to skate. I'm in pickup leagues only, play ALL YEAR LONG (every year) and look forward to it each and every time. 

 

American Indoor St. Hockey in West Seneca is Buffalo's roller hockey place but I'm sure there are others.

Mineral Springs Road? Loved that place but it's been so many years ago for me. Like twenty! I play ice hockey now and tried roller, but I don't really know how to stop on wheels.

[Marvelo]

Mineral Springs Road? Loved that place but it's been so many years ago for me. Like twenty! I play ice hockey now and tried roller, but I don't really know how to stop on wheels.

 

Yeah, you know Randy and Eric? Old pals of mine. I used to play there on Lathrop St. in Buffalo before they built the rink in West Seneca. You can also buy DVDs on rollerblading; I'm pretty sure they have tutorials on youtube also. A couple things with stopping on rollers. Use your stick. Make tiny U's or 8s on your skates. The small the U, the faster the stop. It takes practice.

[ubkev]

. Was talking to a guy who said roller blading can screw up your ice skating. Is that true. He did say there were a new type of skates, expensive, but more closely mimics ice skating... something about having a rocker built in.

Meh, subtle differences. I've been a skier ever since I could walk, I learned to ice skate shortly after that and I put on rollerblades for the first time when I was probably about 7 or 8. My stride is massive and exactly the same no matter which ones are on my feet. It takes about 4 seconds to adjust to what's on your feet.

Edited November 10, 2017 by ubkev

[North Buffalo]

I haven't heard that and plenty of guys crosstrain in the summer on wheels...I wouldn't know about screwing up your skating stride but I don't ice skate. They are different and you have to learn the differences. Stopping is one of them. Changing and cleaning wheels and rotors is another. There will be new things to learn, like what wheels to use for what body type and what skating surface. For a rocker you put two bigger wheels in the back and two smaller ones up front. I use 80mm in the back and 76mm up front. You can get a good used pair of rollerblades to start on craigslist or ebay. Mission and Bauer come to mind. Research each model.

 

I have a good pair of bauers but dont get out that much. TY for info on wheels. Definetly different.

[bob_sauve28]

Yeah, you know Randy and Eric? Old pals of mine. I used to play there on Lathrop St. in Buffalo before they built the rink in West Seneca. You can also buy DVDs on rollerblading; I'm pretty sure they have tutorials on youtube also. A couple things with stopping on rollers. Use your stick. Make tiny U's or 8s on your skates. The small the U, the faster the stop. It takes practice.

Yes, I knew them on Lathrop! That was a bad neighborhood, lol. Fun times. I use to drive out the West Seneca for late games and not get home till midnight. The good old days...

[Marvelo]

I have a good pair of bauers but dont get out that much. TY for info on wheels. Definetly different.

 

 

https://www.inlineskates.com/Buying-Guide-for-Inline-Hockey-Wheels/buying-guide-3-4-2013,default,pg.html

[North Buffalo]

Meh, subtle differences. I've been a skier ever since I could walk, I learned to ice skate shortly after that and I put on rollerblades for the first time when I was probably about 7 or 8. My stride is massive and exactly the same no matter which ones are on my feet. It takes about 4 seconds to adjust to what's on your feet.

PS just got back into skiing, now that my oldest is snowboarding. new parobolics have taken a while to get used to. Have a season rental with thinner backends. Grew up on a pair of K2 intermediate racers. New ones are great on ice and pack powder. Not so great in powder imo. Too much bite and not long enough.

[Marvelo]

Meh, subtle differences. I've been a skier ever since I could walk, I learned to ice skate shortly after that and I put on rollerblades for the first time when I was probably about 7 or 8. My stride is massive and exactly the same no matter which ones are on my feet. It takes about 4 seconds to adjust to what's on your feet.

 

If you have that experience, things should be a small adjustment . But if you're going from street to skating, then it takes longer. I have weak feet and it took an extra long time to get adjusted.

[North Buffalo]

https://www.inlineskates.com/Buying-Guide-for-Inline-Hockey-Wheels/buying-guide-3-4-2013,default,pg.html

Thank You for that link, awesome info.

[ubkev]

PS just got back into skiing, now that my oldest is snowboarding. new parobolics have taken a while to get used to. Have a season rental with thinner backends. Grew up on a pair of K2 intermediate racers. New ones are great on ice and pack powder. Not so great in powder imo. Too much bite and not long enough.

I still rock ancient technology on the mountain. Turn of the century Rossi 9S slalom racing skis. And a pair of original Salomon 1080 twin tips. My racing skis are beat to hell from lots of gate damage. But my jumping skis are beautiful. Just short of mint. I'm thinking of getting a pair of skis this year. I want to play with the new tech. I also need new poles and goggles. My 1998 Oakleys have seen waaaay better days.

If you have that experience, things should be a small adjustment . But if you're going from street to skating, then it takes longer. I have weak feet and it took an extra long time to get adjusted.

Point taken.

[North Buffalo]

I still rock ancient technology on the mountain. Turn of the century Rossi 9S slalom racing skis. And a pair of original Salomon 1080 twin tips. My racing skis are beat to hell from lots of gate damage. But my jumping skis are beautiful. Just short of mint. I'm thinking of getting a pair of skis this year. I want to play with the new tech. I also need new poles and goggles. My 1998 Oakleys have seen waaaay better days.

 

Point taken.

Smith is making really nice goggles now. Suggest renting to try out different styles and lenghts. Rented 10 different pairs last year... Rossi make a pair with slightly narrower back 177s that I like, there are others but you need to try out different types and realize its not the same. PS newer skiis seem a lot heavier to me. Not sure if its the layoff or my age???

[PromoTheRobot]

I just played my first game in net wearing my Chad Johnson practice jersey I bought at the Sabres equipment sale last week. 6-3 win. So maybe some of Chad's skill came with the shirt? :P

 

I have to say it fits awesome and feels like a pro jersey. I wish I had bought some other colors. (I have blue but they also had grey, white, yellow, green and red.)

[ubkev]

Short track speed skating on NBC right now. No lie, watching this in the Olympics is how I learned to stride and be low.

 

I love seeing of I can pick the winner based only on their first 5 strides. I'm 2 fer 3 so far.

[Taro T]

. Was talking to a guy who said roller blading can screw up your ice skating. Is that true. He did say there were a new type of skates, expensive, but more closely mimics ice skating... something about having a rocker built in.

It doesn't screw up your skating, but if you aren't used to switching between the 2 it can take a while to get used to it.

 

The wheels on typical roller blades extend beyond the boot whereas the blades on hockey skates are shorter than the boot & rockered as well. So going from roller to ice, you have an extra 2-3" before your toe makes contact w/ the ice & you can make some unexpected face plants. Going the other way, you'll lose some agility & the length of your stride will adjust.

 

When you're used to swapping between the 2 regularly, it doesn't even take 2 minutes to adjust.

[darksabre]

Short track speed skating on NBC right now. No lie, watching this in the Olympics is how I learned to stride and be low.

 

I love seeing of I can pick the winner based only on their first 5 strides. I'm 2 fer 3 so far.

I love watching speed skating. One of my favorite winter Olympic events. Edited December 16, 2017 by mörksabre

[darksabre]

Had a fun sequence during our scrimmage tonight. I'm starting to get comfortable on my skates again so I'm starting to make some plays.

 

Anyway, our goalie came wayyyy out of the net to play the puck and botched it. I saw he couldn't get back in time so I skated hard for the net and got there just in time to make a kick save on a shot from the high slot. The bench is howling. So I go after the guy with the puck in the corner, strip it, take it up the boards, chip it around the defender at the point, and then around the weak side defender at center ice who had slid over to cover up, skated in and put a shot on net. I didn't score but was pretty pleased with myself going from our net to theirs without completely screwing it up :blush:

[North Buffalo]

Had a fun sequence during our scrimmage tonight. I'm starting to get comfortable on my skates again so I'm starting to make some plays.

Anyway, our goalie came wayyyy out of the net to play the puck and botched it. I saw he couldn't get back in time so I skated hard for the net and got there just in time to make a kick save on a shot from the high slot. The bench is howling. So I go after the guy with the puck in the corner, strip it, take it up the boards, chip it around the defender at the point, and then around the weak side defender at center ice who had slid over to cover up, skated in and put a shot on net. I didn't score but was pretty pleased with myself going from our net to theirs without completely screwing it up :blush:

Noice, yep just going end to end is a big deal at my age and an accomplishment... Seriously keep skating itll happen.

 

 

Jameson in championship game tonight!! Go Red and Yellow???

[Ogre]

After my little reintroduction to skating in Boston at thanksgiving I bought myself a pair of skates. Some cheap CCM. Went to open skate at my local rink today. I did ok. 25 years ago I was 50 lbs lighter and it really showed up in my skating. After an hour crossing my feet got better. Stopping my much larger ass took some focus and practice. Most of the 50 lb weight gain is muscle and I’m used to using it balls to the wall style so relearning finesse is really something. I’m going to keep at it though. It was a lot of fun. I may make room in my life for a league next year.

[darksabre]

After my little reintroduction to skating in Boston at thanksgiving I bought myself a pair of skates. Some cheap CCM. Went to open skate at my local rink today. I did ok. 25 years ago I was 50 lbs lighter and it really showed up in my skating. After an hour crossing my feet got better. Stopping my much larger ass took some focus and practice. Most of the 50 lb weight gain is muscle and I’m used to using it balls to the wall style so relearning finesse is really something. I’m going to keep at it though. It was a lot of fun. I may make room in my life for a league next year.

:thumbsup:

[darksabre]

Instructor and I both duffed it hard at hockey tonight. I'm gonna be stiff as a board tomorrow morning.

[Stoner]

Instructor and I both duffed it hard at hockey tonight. I'm gonna be stiff as a board tomorrow morning.

Man. You skated around with your mouth open waiting to interrupt him? I'd think that would allow more oxygen into your lungs, but what do I know?

[Ogre]

Instructor and I both duffed it hard at hockey tonight. I'm gonna be stiff as a board tomorrow morning.

D’oh! I just wiped out hard at free skate. Landed on the same hip but decided to include my shoulder into the fun. I’ve had it surgically repaired so I don’t to be banging myself around like this. I’m starting a new project Monday so I need to chill the F out on the crazy. And the stupid.

I’m obviously not a very stable genius.

[darksabre]

Just bumping to see if anyone on here plays beer league in Buffalo? I'm looking for a league for the winter in addition to playing outdoors at East Aurora.

[#freejame]

Bump. 

Been seeing in quite a few threads lately talk about playing hockey and thought I’d find this thread in case some didn’t know it existed. 

[Mustache of God]

Anyone living around NYC who is interested in getting into the hockey scene is free to pick my brain. Happy to lend a hand.