Worst Inline in North America

[Rook]

Last night I went to play some pick-up outdoor inline in Vancouver. It's a great parking lot rink on the beach of the English Bay. There were already a handful of guys there and we introduced ourselves. They informed us they played three on three, team to get scored on switches off, sounded great to us. So we threw on the blades and headed out there.
I quickly knew this wasn't going to be what we were looking for, fun. Now before I go any further, I want to make the point of my story clear. It wasn't the skill level (or lack there of in this case) we had a problem with, we're just there to goof around. I've played some decent hockey, everything from Narch to league inline and some AAA ice stuff, but im no NHLer. I don't care at all if the people have never played before, gotta learn somehow. The problem was the attitudes these guys carried. Sort of that over testosterone, kinda "got something to prove" thing.
So we step on the court and line up, right away this guy in a tank top says with a grin "we play with no rules". We looked at each other, not quite sure what to make of this, shrug and away we went. Within five minutes, we realized this wasn't worth the price of the puck. My buddy goes into the boards with tank top gorilla hot on his heels. With about five feet to go, gorilla full on boards him. My buddy manages somehow to stay up, luckily with no real harm done. We don't want to make a skuff, but we ask him what the hell is going on. His response as he is skating away, "this is how we play." Great.........super. I figure, maybe if we score and get the next group on, maybe it'll improve. Maybe just one bad apple.
The next group is on, i'm on a one on one and the defender flails his stick and just BARELY, (and I mean close) mises my eye. Feel the tape close. Right then and there we skated off, collected our things and made or way down the beach. These are only a few examples of about 25-45 minutes of the worst inline hockey (nay, any hockey)i've ever been involved with.
I just dont get it. Someone please explain how this is a fun way to enjoy the sport. I mean do these people have nothing else in there lives to be careful for? Is it really worth going into the boards with no gear to nail someone? Is a goal in pickup hockey really worth someones vision?
You know what my biggest problem with this whole thing is? The rough stuff is just stupid, but it was even their attitudes towards each other. Not once did someone say "Hey right on man, nice goal!" or anything fun at all. No jokes (except about drinking), no screwing around and taking it lighlty, nada. All the stuff I love about pick up with buddies.
What do these burnouts think? Wayne's gonna stroll on by and draft himself the world worst Coyote? I mean we're talking all guys in there 20s and 30s. Guys who should've grown out of these petty acts in bantam (if they made it that far).
I know what I want from the sport. I wanna enjoy the skills i've accumulated over the 15 years. It is great to sit back and enjoy the game from a more mature perspective. Don't get me wrong, under the right circumstances, I still want to be competitive. But I also want to go home to my fiance at night.

Dont be a wanker.
End of rant.

[RichardGraham]

Hey Rook,

Interesting post.

The attitudes of some of the players at the beach parking lots in Santa Monica don't approach the level of the guys you met, but some certainly were arrogant and selfish enough to make playing there lose its luster. I know I'm not the only guy who quit playing there because of that atmosphere. (It's much like the elite vs. grassroots situation you have in our sport in general -- when all the focus is on the elite player, you lose your grassroots base... and badly damage a once-vibrant sport.)

The parking lots were big enough that you could have two full-length games going on side by side. But these guys would only play on the side closest to the beach, because it was smoother. No problem there. But instead of playing on the "B" court, 10 guys would skate on the "A" court, and another 20 guys would sit around and wait rather than play on the "B" court. It was ridiculous. I'd try to get nine guys to join me and play on the "B" court, but they would rather wait an hour for the "A" court.

The scene in Santa Monica used to be the best outdoor pickup inline hockey I'd ever seen. Unfortunately, a few jerks spoiled it for everyone else. I haven't been back up there in a couple of years, but I've heard it's still the same. What a shame.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[eagle1]

Just wondering if there would be any games going on in NY or Boston during the second half of next January next year. I'm going to be travelling through there and would love to get a game. I'm by no means a great player but love to get out and enjoy the sport. Also if anyone could recomend some top quality games that I could go to watch during this time it would be greatly appreciated as I am coaching the junior teams at my club and would like to take the opportunity to 'borrow' some well planed plays.

Froth #22

[RichardGraham]

Hi Eagle1,

I suggest you start a new thread if you want to find GOOD places to play! This thread is for complainin'. /wtimages/icons/wink.gif

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[DannyG]

This is the most fascinating post I have seen in several months...

of all the places where you can put two goals at the ends of some horizontal skating surface, there must be one where the ideas of "the spirit of the game," "the challenge of play," and "simple sportsmanship" are all foreign concepts. You see these guys (individually) around everywhere from time to time...statistical odds dictate that somewhere, somehow, there is an entire group of them all in the same place..I guess you found it.

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

[sactosaxons]

The phrase "monkey see, monkey do" comes to mind... Looks like you found the zoo!!!