Best Rollerhockey Cities

[spunkingguppy]

I just heard about the Sporting News Best Sports Cities release and it got me to thinking about asking if this list could be produced for Rollerhockey alone? What is the best area for rollerhockey? And what is your criteria for ranking cities in this fashion?

Let me know what you think.

[-venom-]

dunno, but eastern PA/NJ HAS to be right up there...

[33]

i think you could include central pa.

[DannyG]

This would be a really good survey for IHC to undertake on a regular basis, even make it a new feature of the IHC site...(Richard has little else to do with his life, as we all know)...

I will think about this and propose some standard criteria for evaluation in a couple of days. I think that establishment of some standard-form of evaluation categories and scales would be the key...

I am also highly in favor of a rating system, rather than a ranking system...if there are a number of areas that all have a variety of levels of play for different players, are relatively fair-priced, and have good tournament opportunities, and they all would rate a 5-star rating, for example, then they all should receive a 5-star rating, rather than being ranked number 1 through number 100, or whatever...

<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[TheRageHeadCoach]

We might be in the best area for roller hockey (Eastern pa, west nj), but it doesnt seem like it here.

There are 3 roller rinks in the area, then 2 or 3 more within 30 minutes. You have to go down to marple arena to find a sportcourt facility.

So central eastern pa, really not the place.

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net

[columbus_RHstar]

An excellent idea Danny. An idea:

Compile a list of as many rinks as possible. Gather information, pictures, what people say about the rink, etc. from each rink. Have a panel of IHC readers (and its owner, of course) come up with a rating 0-5 stars for each rink. Obviously this would take a while, but I think it would be worth it to have a rating system for inline rinks.

[MDE3]

Actually Pottstown - straight down 26 (about 20 minutes for you guys) and then there is Extremes in Bridgewater - about 45 minutes away, and of course Feisterville in North Philly, the Racquet Club, and then Iceline in Chester - plus the two Skateaways in ABE area, the one in Reading and the rink on route 100 - so it is a pretty active area.

[NLane]

Same type of deal here in Va Beach/ Norfolk/ Chesapeake/ Hampton/ Newport News VA. Have many good/great players with nowhere (sport court) to play. Nearest is Williamsburg, then Fredericksburg. If rinks qualify then we don't, if level of play qualifies then we do.

[TheRageHeadCoach]

Don't know where you got those times.

The pottstown rink is a 50 minute drive, and the bridgewater rink is a hour, and change drive.

The ones in the ABE area, are all wood floors.

It's an active area for hockey i don't contradict that. But there aren't any sportcourt facilities within 1 hour (pottstown about 50 minutes).

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net

[TheRageHeadCoach]

Know how you feel. There's a few rinks here, but very expensive, or don't have any time slots, such is the case at rt 100, and skateaway.

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net

[MDE3]

I drive to Pottstown from Stroudsburg via route 33 to I78 to SR 26 then to 422, takes me 1 hour 5 minutes - 1 hour 25 minutes depending on the time of day and traffic. It is 45 minutes to SR 26 from here, so the balance of 20 - 40 minutes is from the junction of SR 26 and I 78. Understood you do not live at that junction lol, but it is closer than Marple. The time to Extremes is based on leaving junction of Route 33 and route I78.

Marple takes us 1 hour 30 minutes from Stroudsburg

[MDE3]

I agree that it is really surprising that ABE metro area (almost 1,000,000 people) does not have a single full size sport court rink available - that should smack of opportunity to someone. There have been rumpours for years about a new combination facility to be built in the old Beth Steel complex, including an arena for a UHL team.

But still the region itself is pretty strong overall when compared to the rest of the country (North and Central New Jersey and Eastern/Central Pa. (Harrisburg/York/Carlisle have 3 good facilities).

I suspect the ingrained Ice Hockey establishment has something to do with all this in the ABE area. It was pretty common for ice hockey coaches to denigrate inline hockey as a "weak sister" and "harmfull" to the development of a good "elite" player when I was coaching in that area a few years ago. This was of course not unique to the area at the time - but a pretty standard ice hockey philosophy. So when new facilities were built in the last 10 years - they were ice oriented. Actually as foggy as the old Ice Palace is - it might make sense for it to be converted to Inline. The problem is they still make ice in the back room - which is where the fog comes from lol.

There were some great inline players out of the ABE region back when - most of whom are scattered about in Prep schools right now playing ice hockey.

[TheRageHeadCoach]

ABE metro area basically the lehigh valley is actually over a million now (your post made me go check it out).

It does seem pretty stupid, but oh well. I've been talking with Allentown's parks director for a while now, and he too would like to see something put up.

But even if they do decide to do something, we're a good 3-4 years away.

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net

[MDE3]

Convert the old Easton municipal outdoor(now has a roof I understand) ice rink to "ice court"(like sport court but perforated so you can flood and drain while leaving the tiles in place)for summmer use.

[TheRageHeadCoach]

Who knows, i'm up for anything thats quick.

Joshua Brown
Head Coach / Manager
Rage Roller Hockey
www.ragehockey.net

[dude10k]

i say pa. and nj have the best talent in roller hockey

[MDE3]

I would say it depends on the age group. If you look at the Narch summer Nationals results - 17 and under All Stars went to the East everything under that age went to the West....There's a lot of talent emerging in a lot of different places.

[Cosbyscoop]

It seems that there is feast or famine. Williamsport is on the Feast side. We have more floor than hockey. Constantly looking for more teams to play here. One of the best sport court floors and facilities in Central PA and not enough players. A real shame and a waste of great facility.

[MDE3]

How many can the stands seat? Bill Peare (ECHO) told me it was a great facility. Do you have high school hockey up there?

[MDE3]

Maybe contact some people from Allentown - Skateaway for some men's games and I just heard that the men's league in Big Wheel - Stroudsburg might be looking to have some travel fun. I can dig up some numbers if you like - maybe a round robin tournament series - also strong mens' play in Harrisburg at Susquehanna Sports Complex. Maybe get a little "travel circuit" going over the winter.

[gpersch]

You can' count Iceline. They only have roller in the summer. Most people don't know but there is a beautiful rink in Downingtown PA. check it out at
www.go2ustc.com

[MDE3]

Thanks for the info

[herrin]

Rich actually has something that might work for this. In his link system off of the front page, create a new category, have people submit areas and all of the IHC users can rate them... Might be an easy solution without any new tech on Rich's part...

[RatmVSi]

The midwest and the west coast can smoke east cost teams all day long.