Value/Benefits of Inline Hockey

[Alexander]

Dear IHC readers:

I'd appreciate it very much if any of you can direct be to any printed material, including web sites, discussing or describing the benefits/value of inline hockey to ice hockey players (e.g., I did see the article this summer in the American Hockey magazine).

And of course, if you have any ideas please post them. Here's some of the things I'd list right off the top of my head:

1) conditioning
2) physiological development (large muscles in the leg) -- leads to strong skater
3) greater balance/agility
4) creativity because of the open nature of the game
5) improvements in stickhandling/puck control
6) improvements in passing (e.g., more opportunities to attempt long passes)
7) quicker reaction time (the game moves faster than ice so you're gonna get left behind if you don't try and keep up!)
8) improvement in executing "one timers"
9) less pressure -- more enjoyment of the game of hockey

What do you think?

Thanks very much in advance for any assistance you can offer. Greatly appreciated.

Marty

[DannyG]

Marty:

Excellent list...

-however-

Please allow me to approach the question this way: Everything you pointed out on your list has a counterpart component benefit from the ice side of the house...

my contention is that the benefits lists of the two versions of the sport can be placed side by side and they would be identical...in other words, a player can receive the same quality sports experience from either ice or inline...

to be sure, there are varying degrees of benefits...checking produces a different kind of physiological benefit to the athlete than does the more wide open, inline game. No doubt the openess of the inline game produces more chances for creativity...neither of these comparisons by degree means that inline isn't physical, and that ice has no room for creative success...

I think this is what ice players who denegrate inline miss out on...everything they personally enjoy about the ice version of hockey, they could also be enjoying on the inline side of the house, and it would give them the added benefit of "cross-trining," change-of-pace fun and enjoyment as well.

it has always been my contention that they are both hockey,and it is some irrational fear that causes ice players to put down the inline game (the not-real-hockey syndrome)...

We all applaud your looking at this with a truly analytical eye...keep up the good work.

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

[Alexander]

Thanks for your response Danny. Greatly appreciated. Couldn't agree with you more on all your points. As you can probably appreciate though, I'm attempting to build a case to attract ice hockey players over to inline after the ice hockey season as opposed to going to other sports including summer hockey.

Marty

[DannyG]

Every December, after the ice season has opened, we have several new ice parents inquire of some of their teammates, "Your son is very skilled, how'd he get so good?" The response is that these kids play 25-50 games on ice per season...those kids that play year 'round, play an additional 250 games of inline...and our inline program costs only $110 per year, and includes the USAHIL annual memebrship, plus they get inline tournament team opportunties at no additional charge...

Especially if you really want to become a skilled player, which would you rather play: 30 games a year, or 300 games per year...if hockey is the sport that you give a darn about, then you are a fool to limit yourself to playing only ice, eh???

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

[Alexander]

Danny:

Again, I agree with you completely. But as you well know there aren't any inline players making $10MM a year for a living (at least not at the moment).

Thanks for you comments -- they are valuable and will be useful.

Marty