FIRS and USARS, Usually Less Than Mediocre

[johnny2suede]

The current FIRS World's and USARS tournaments are good examples of how these organizations will never present the sport in the manner it deserves.

FIRS, now running their World's in France, has a terrible website. I have crashed many times going there. Their scores updating is abysmal.

Compare FIRS to what NARCH does with its Nationals. The NARCH site updates scores very regularly, they post tons of photos, videos and interviews. And they have even broadcast live web TV. They do an outstanding job.

FIRS, a worldwide organization, with a large staff and money given to it by the IOC, does nothing and their website for this World's looks like something from 1997, outdated and boring.

I will always remember the photo from the last Pan Am games that made its way on to the internet. It was a shot of the rink that FIRS put up to play. The size was around 120 by 60, no glass on the boards and square corners.

USARS, hard to believe, with money given to it by the USOC, does an even worse job that FIRS.

I hear a lot of subjective cheerleading for USARS but when it comes to real, actual performace, they always come up short every time.

[psfye]

I can tell you about the web site of FIRS World. It has been made by a young french guy entirely for free. And it is updated by this same guy. I can tell you he did not received any money or any help of any kind by FIRS for putting together and update this website.
Knowing that, the web site is not that bad.
Then you can't compare Narch and and this World champs. People are professionals paid to do a good job at Narch and teams are paying an expensive fee to have a decent structure and organisation. The help of FIRS for putting together the worlds in France is ridiculus and 90% of the 150 people working at this event are doing this for free.
Finaly I'd rather have a 1'000 places arena packed than a 15'000 arena looking sadly empty. Wait for the finals next saturday: they will be played in a great hudge facility.

[nummer55]

You must be kidding... if you find narch.com a good website you are really joking. Sites like statewarshockey.com or proinlinehockey.com are good. Clear overview of the teams, stats, standings, etc. I can't even look up what players play in what teams on narch.com. The FIRS WC 2005 site is quite good, it's only slow sometimes. It does contain all important info and that's what it's all about. And there are tons of pictures too!

[taiwanhockey]

If FIRS wants to represent inline hockey for all of us on an international scale, they must be professional about it before parties will give the sport any recognition.
Having someone do their website for free is not an excuse for a lack of professionalism. Their old website was not very good but their new one is better. - although after viewing it I get the feeling that inline hockey is not the most important issue on their agenda.

"Then you can't compare Narch and and this World champs. People are professionals paid to do a good job at Narch and teams are paying an expensive fee to have a decent structure and organisation. The help of FIRS for putting together the worlds in France is ridiculus and 90% of the 150 people working at this event are doing this for free."

This is not an excuse for them not being able to have a tournament just as good as NARCH or even better. The people at FIRS should be the most professional because they have the opportunity to get the sport into the Olympics. They are not some community organization. They are the IOC recognized representative of roller sports. If FIRS does not have the most professional people working with them, the sport is doomed. - And great tournaments always have a lot of volunteers.

Everyone and every group needs to work hard in cooperation - not competition -all over the world if we want to see inline hockey become a major sporting event.

[wolves89]

the Firs site was awful, this is the World Championships?? my college club ice hockey team has a better website and we do it ourselves for free... not very professoinal looking at all...

i'm not slow, i'm patient

[NJwerewolves12]

LMAO

Do the Sing Sing

[DannyG]

At the risk of inciting controversey...

FIRS currently enjoys (along with its national affiliates-USARS/AAU in this country) the status of an operating organization for the World Games and the Pan American Games...largely because of the european influence of people within the hierarchy of both the IOC and FIRS.

The above designation was established, not by comparison of international organizations under competitive standards and criteria, but rather because somebody was a buddy of somebody else...period.

When and if the IOC should ever get serious about roller hockey, or inline hockey should ever get serious about itself, the IIHF (International Inline Hockey Federation) will get the chance to show what it can do worldwide, and FIRS (Federation Internationale de Roller Sports) won't even be in the picture.

Just an opinion, but an opinion based on following this since 1987...

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

[NLane]

Why does the IIHF use ice players in the inline worlds?

[johnny2suede]

I would guess because many ice players can cross over pretty quickly and play well. Remember RHI did not recruit from top roller players but rather from the ice minor leagues.

Talking about quads in another post, anyone remember the first year of RHI, there were a handful of guys who wore quads, one even on the LA Blades.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Johnny2Suede,

I remember a player on the Utah Rollerbees who played on quads during RHI's first season. What was the name of the Los Angeles Blades player who wore them? I've forgotten.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[johnny2suede]

I would never be able to recall his name but I've sent out a few emails and hopefully someone remembers.

I also remember a guy who played for Connecticut, may have been one or two more quad guys.

[johnny2suede]

After a little research and help from hockeydb I think the following is accurate:

Larry Sybil was the LA Blades quad player although his name doesn't show in hockeydb. But a few guys remember he played a few games.

Jimmy Vivona played on quads for Connecticut and Ken Downey and Rich Pospiech played on quads for the Utah Rollerbees. There could have been a few more.

[Hystyk28]

I'll take a team made up of mainly "true" roller players any day for inline. Just look at the "national" teams records when they have the best roller guys skating.

Using pro ice guys for the RHI just helped in marketing. It also was a result of minor league coaches, etc, getting thier boys a decent paycheck for the off season.

[johnny2suede]

One of the many problems with the "roller" guys back in the RHI days, especially the early days, was that many lacked size and the ability to play a checking game well. Many were intimated. In world competition, there is no body checking, so perhaps roller guys fit better.

Additionally, as far as RHI was concerned, the minor ice players were much better conditioned athletes than the roller guys trying to play. They had all come from an 80 game season. Those playing for the first time on rollers always looked bad the first two weeks or so, but after that, I'll take them any day.

I saw Team Finland at the World's (IIHF) at Bradenton in 2001 and they were all ice guys and by far the best inline team I've ever seen. In truth, Team USA shouldn't have even been on the same floor with them.

[dcdawgs]

I agree that FIRS has done a terrible job with their website, and have had a history of this. I actually had emailed the guy who organized this year's event in France, about doing their website for this year's world championships. He informed me that they have no money, and they had to find an intern who would do it for free. The IOC doesn't give a lot of money to FIRS, and FIRS doesn't give a lot of money to the sport of inline hockey, as they have other sports that seem to grab more international attention.

The IIHF Inline World's website was also not that great. However, I found that being able to follow games in real-time was good. However, its upsetting that they decided not to post more pictures of the games, particularly of the bronze medal game between the USA-Czech Republic.

Both organizations don't seem to really have a passion for inline hockey. The IIHF doesn't even really have people inside their organization who work strictly with inline hockey. That department is made up of a couple of countries inline directors (i.e. Gary Del Vecchio from USA Hockey Inline), and they run the program.

I do agree that the sport needs to be marketed better to get more international competition, and to get the sport into the Olympics.

Josh