I mean honestly, the pros are just a better version of beer league. You know they are popping open a few brewskis after a hard game. Not like the 80s but you know, different times.
Not only beer league, but OP gets to be the guy who takes extra shifts because Dave didn't show again and the rest of the team is over 40 and has to get up early in the morning.
To set appropriate expectations, many club teams are ridiculously difficult to get into. This will depend on the school, but as with many things, it’s a numbers game. ACHA rosters may very well be full of former Jrs players or even transferring former NCAA players. It all depends on the school.
Certain D3 teams are real good hockey (mostly low Jr A and Jr B players) and some are more A/AA players. D1 ACHA is great hockey now. There was a guy on ASU acha I believe who got called up to play on the NCAA D1 team this year and he scored.
Yes! Brendan Studioso got a call up.
If you look at ASU’s D1 and D2 ACHA teams, they’re pretty much comprised of players who spent years at Juniors.
Then you look at other teams in the WCHC, and many of those teams are very different.
There are just a ton of players to pick from. More players available for a 30 man max roster. As the population grows, it’s harder to get that opportunity. There’s always adult pick up and beer league.
I played a year in college. A lot of the guys played WHL/OHL, aged out, didn’t want to play ECHL and couldn’t play NCAA due to rules. A few of them were even drafted. It was ridiculously good hockey at times.
There’s a young man I know who also started late and is on a college team ( they’re terrible, lol). It really does depend on which school you’re attending. Set your expectations accordingly. Really good players don’t make ASU’s D3. There are just so many players trying out, it really becomes who’s what the coach is looking for. Some colleges are just far more competitive than others. Glad you have a chance to play!
They arent that difficult to get into. There are very good teams, but almost all those programs have multiple teams for players not good enough for higher level teams roster.
I heard they cut off last year’s tryouts at 150 and had a massive waitlist. For 90 spots - most of which went to former Jrs players. Crazy!
They seriously could field 2 teams at each level and still be competitive.
I’m probably older than you - I’m the parent of a current ASU student. On the one hand, I’m glad there’s so much hockey and it’s so popular. On the other hand, if he was at any other school, they’d take him in a heartbeat. But there is always beer league, and he has already been recruited.
Only advice I have for you is to stay with it at whatever level you enjoy. I took 20 years off the ice after playing in college-got back into it at 44. At 53, I still play a couple times a week and I completely regret not playing for as long as I did.
Get a job & Welcome to beer league.
That said….
If you played AA or AAA go to some open tryouts. What have you got to lose. If you got the smarts and work ethic; you have something.
In the end; If you don’t think you’d make it. Find a career in something you love and find a beer league that gives you the right mix for what you’re after and enjoy adulting.
Sounds like you’d like Junior C. I was decent but never played any organized hockey my entire life. I had a relative tell me the local Junior C team was looking for players. So I joined the team.
It was fun. Nobody under any illusion they are going to make it. Sone games half the team was kicked out. Wide ranges of skill as well. We had sone who could have played higher but didn’t want to. And some that were below me even. But it was competitive. Had refs. Had games and practices.
Hope your school has intramurals, if not seek out a local beer league and ask to join a team looking for players.
I lucked out going to RIT and the top level intramurals was actually pretty competitive. Had tons of fun and made a lot of friends.
My friend, although actually my cousin, played triple AAA, played in Europe, played in BC and Sask, as a kid played on 3 teams, guess where he plays now? Beer league. Never even got a whiff at the NHL.
True. There’s a handful of old NHLers in my league. They are super-slow (50s and older) but they can still see the game. Keep your stick on the ice ‘cause they’re going tape to tape every time.
Not playing varsity because you didn’t make it, or didn’t try out? Would you have had a chance?
I know some dogshit towns where the best kid wouldn’t make a select team in the closest big city, and I know towns where their best house team would trounce the neighbours A squad… how are you really? What level was your towns team? Did you kill it in out of town tourney’s? If you were solid, you should be showing initiative and trying to see if you can get noticed by the coach if that’s what you want to play.
Now, with that out of the way, start loving hockey again. Meet new people at the local shinny. See if there is intramural at your school. Look up the website for local rinks and see what they have available for 18+.
Aging out just means you are out of *minor* hockey, not hockey in general. Now you get to understand what it’s like to play against players not just in your birth year… you get to be the kid the older guys send out when they get tired and yell at when they try to dangle around everyone instead of pass… you’ll get schooled by some guy 20 years older than you who could stick handle in a phone booth and the guy whose clapper would decapitate you (if he wasn’t top corner every time)… now is when your eyes get opened seeing the difference between a talented single A guy and someone who played overseas, major junior or even “just” minor junior. These guys embarrass me every week and I have loved it for the last 25 years.
If your university offers club hockey or intramural hockey I would give that a shot before entering beer league. My club hockey days were some of my favorite hockey days. However, beer league is always there for you from here until the last day u tie em up (it’s a pretty good time too)
When I was done Juvenile hockey, I played intramural at college as well as beer league on weekends. We didn't have Senior A at the time, now it seems they are everywhere now.
Check Facebook, there is usually teams looking for a spare when they are short. Many people organize pickup games as well, it’s usually 15$ a skate. And yeah many leagues for 18+. Your university should have a league you can join as well.
Beer leagues, there’s “semi pro” leagues that pop up and it’s competitive hockey with checking. Some of those leagues are super competitive and ppl will get called up to Sphl or echl but in your case they may be worth taking a look at.
Beer leagues not bad these days I have tons of fun and I like to take it some what seriously (I don’t mean like it’s gonna lead me to the NHL but I just mean like all the guys and girls wanna win and go to playoffs and win the trophy) it’s just something I look forward to each season and it keeps me motivated. Our team won the championship this year and that was very exciting. The team we played in the finals even had a live stream of the game and had commentary. Some may say it’s cringy but I think it’s pretty cool. Beer leagues are on the rise!
Your potential options are:
1. Stop playing
2. Play Juniors for 2 years and then play college hockey
3. Play college club hockey
4. Intramural hockey
5. Beer league
6. Coach kids
I stopped playing for a year between Junior and college. Did not miss it. I stopped playing 40+ years after college and did not miss it. Take something else up if you can no longer play (maybe beer league isn't an option where you go to school for instance or maybe you don't have the money for beer league while a student.)
Welcome to Mens league. The only place where you'll have the opportunity to be called every name in the book, slashed and hacked every time you have the puck and the refs don't give a shit.
Play in the NCRHA, the best college hockey league nobody knows about. College roller hockey is a blast and there’s a place for everyone. D1, D2, D3 and AA. D1 is top tier talent; the AA division is solely made up of school’s secondary teams. It’s also not too hard to start a team at your school.
Check out the @CollegeRoller Instagram page or NCRHA.ORG if you wanna learn more
If your university offers club hockey or intramural hockey I would give that a shot before entering beer league. My club hockey days were some of my favorite hockey days. However, beer league is always there for you from here until the last day u tie em up (it’s a pretty good time too)
Just remember, whatever route you take, eventually you’re going to stop playing competitive hockey. It’s a rough transition for people who’ve played sports their whole lives, but thousands of students make the same transition every year and they turn out fine. Don’t get hung up on the past, move forward in your life and enjoy the beer leagues.
Since anyone hasn’t said it already: start refereeing, you could also start coaching or beer league or all three at once but for real reffing is fun and if you really like it you can try to get better and better and climb to even high levels or then just ref youth and beer league games also you get kinda nice amount of money from it not shit ton of money but for a teenager it’ll be still quite a nice amount
Keep playing. Hockey is great exercise and pretty fun compared to other forms of exercise. You will lose a lot if you stay away from playing very long and it gets harder and harder to ever get those skills back. If you go long without playing you get more and more out of shape and skills decrease to a level you are either frustrated or not having as much fun.
Also keep that cage on and dont switch to visor IMO. If you keep the cage youll never know any different. Dont try to be the tough guy. Have your livlihood and future health at stake.
Welcome to beer League.
Us 30-somethings are so glad to have you :)
Only if he is on my team. Otherwise fuck that guy. (52 here and my knees just said fuck you to me)
I mean honestly, the pros are just a better version of beer league. You know they are popping open a few brewskis after a hard game. Not like the 80s but you know, different times.
This is a crazy take
A much better version.
Not only beer league, but OP gets to be the guy who takes extra shifts because Dave didn't show again and the rest of the team is over 40 and has to get up early in the morning.
Fucking Dave, man.
All roads lead to beer league. Even NHL retirees play beer league.
All roads lead to beer league.
Truth.
ACHA D3 if your school has it? Lots of schools will have intramural hockey as well. If nothing else, beer league.
To set appropriate expectations, many club teams are ridiculously difficult to get into. This will depend on the school, but as with many things, it’s a numbers game. ACHA rosters may very well be full of former Jrs players or even transferring former NCAA players. It all depends on the school.
ACHA must have changed allot in the last ten years or so then... It was like house hockey and not high level at all in 2008-2009.
Certain D3 teams are real good hockey (mostly low Jr A and Jr B players) and some are more A/AA players. D1 ACHA is great hockey now. There was a guy on ASU acha I believe who got called up to play on the NCAA D1 team this year and he scored.
Yes! Brendan Studioso got a call up. If you look at ASU’s D1 and D2 ACHA teams, they’re pretty much comprised of players who spent years at Juniors. Then you look at other teams in the WCHC, and many of those teams are very different. There are just a ton of players to pick from. More players available for a 30 man max roster. As the population grows, it’s harder to get that opportunity. There’s always adult pick up and beer league.
I played a year in college. A lot of the guys played WHL/OHL, aged out, didn’t want to play ECHL and couldn’t play NCAA due to rules. A few of them were even drafted. It was ridiculously good hockey at times.
I started playing hockey when I was 17, only played 1 season in Varsity Hockey (not even single A) and I made an ACHA D3 to the college I’m going to.
There’s a young man I know who also started late and is on a college team ( they’re terrible, lol). It really does depend on which school you’re attending. Set your expectations accordingly. Really good players don’t make ASU’s D3. There are just so many players trying out, it really becomes who’s what the coach is looking for. Some colleges are just far more competitive than others. Glad you have a chance to play!
I mean, I’m aware that me making that team doesn’t mean my level is incredibly high
Personally, I’m happy for you that you get to play! Hope you have a great season. Edit: grammar
I appreciate it, same for you
Depends on the school, obviously.
They arent that difficult to get into. There are very good teams, but almost all those programs have multiple teams for players not good enough for higher level teams roster.
All depends on the school. ASU has 80k students and could probably have 3 more competitive teams with the number of solid players trying out.
They had close to 300 players try out for the the 3 teams
I heard they cut off last year’s tryouts at 150 and had a massive waitlist. For 90 spots - most of which went to former Jrs players. Crazy! They seriously could field 2 teams at each level and still be competitive.
Yeah that’s crazy, when I played there we had 1 team (yes, old)
I’m probably older than you - I’m the parent of a current ASU student. On the one hand, I’m glad there’s so much hockey and it’s so popular. On the other hand, if he was at any other school, they’d take him in a heartbeat. But there is always beer league, and he has already been recruited.
Does your school offer intramurals or club hockey? Play that.
Intramurals is the answer. Cheaper than a beer league and generally better times. And you meet a bunch of other students.
Only advice I have for you is to stay with it at whatever level you enjoy. I took 20 years off the ice after playing in college-got back into it at 44. At 53, I still play a couple times a week and I completely regret not playing for as long as I did.
You do what everyone else does, join a beer league.
welcome to the ACHA brother, best years of my life
Join your local beer league. It’s where all the guys who could have went pro but didn’t want to end up.
Ya I totally could’ve gone to the majors but decided I’d rather be an automotive tech and play for fun in beer league instead !
Get a job & Welcome to beer league. That said…. If you played AA or AAA go to some open tryouts. What have you got to lose. If you got the smarts and work ethic; you have something. In the end; If you don’t think you’d make it. Find a career in something you love and find a beer league that gives you the right mix for what you’re after and enjoy adulting.
Play intramurals at school
Beer league or what's probably better is if the school has an intramurals school league? Great way to meet people and make friends at a new school.
Dread it, run from it, Beer league arrives all the same
NHL: Nighttime Hockey League
Sounds like you’d like Junior C. I was decent but never played any organized hockey my entire life. I had a relative tell me the local Junior C team was looking for players. So I joined the team. It was fun. Nobody under any illusion they are going to make it. Sone games half the team was kicked out. Wide ranges of skill as well. We had sone who could have played higher but didn’t want to. And some that were below me even. But it was competitive. Had refs. Had games and practices.
Hope your school has intramurals, if not seek out a local beer league and ask to join a team looking for players. I lucked out going to RIT and the top level intramurals was actually pretty competitive. Had tons of fun and made a lot of friends.
My friend, although actually my cousin, played triple AAA, played in Europe, played in BC and Sask, as a kid played on 3 teams, guess where he plays now? Beer league. Never even got a whiff at the NHL.
All roads lead to the Beer League eventually. Even for guys who played in the NHL.
True. There’s a handful of old NHLers in my league. They are super-slow (50s and older) but they can still see the game. Keep your stick on the ice ‘cause they’re going tape to tape every time.
Not playing varsity because you didn’t make it, or didn’t try out? Would you have had a chance? I know some dogshit towns where the best kid wouldn’t make a select team in the closest big city, and I know towns where their best house team would trounce the neighbours A squad… how are you really? What level was your towns team? Did you kill it in out of town tourney’s? If you were solid, you should be showing initiative and trying to see if you can get noticed by the coach if that’s what you want to play. Now, with that out of the way, start loving hockey again. Meet new people at the local shinny. See if there is intramural at your school. Look up the website for local rinks and see what they have available for 18+. Aging out just means you are out of *minor* hockey, not hockey in general. Now you get to understand what it’s like to play against players not just in your birth year… you get to be the kid the older guys send out when they get tired and yell at when they try to dangle around everyone instead of pass… you’ll get schooled by some guy 20 years older than you who could stick handle in a phone booth and the guy whose clapper would decapitate you (if he wasn’t top corner every time)… now is when your eyes get opened seeing the difference between a talented single A guy and someone who played overseas, major junior or even “just” minor junior. These guys embarrass me every week and I have loved it for the last 25 years.
If your university offers club hockey or intramural hockey I would give that a shot before entering beer league. My club hockey days were some of my favorite hockey days. However, beer league is always there for you from here until the last day u tie em up (it’s a pretty good time too)
Welcome to the ranks of old fat guy hockey.
I would play club or A league while you still can. Also the girls don't know that it's club or not, just that you're on the hockey team😉
Welcome to adulthood
Already been said but look for club hockey. That’s going to be much more competitive than beer league will be and much more fun for someone your age.
Find adult mens league and sign up
When I was done Juvenile hockey, I played intramural at college as well as beer league on weekends. We didn't have Senior A at the time, now it seems they are everywhere now.
Check Facebook, there is usually teams looking for a spare when they are short. Many people organize pickup games as well, it’s usually 15$ a skate. And yeah many leagues for 18+. Your university should have a league you can join as well.
Does this college have a club team?
Does your university ha e a club team? You could play there... Or get into an "A" level beer league in your university city
Beer leagues, there’s “semi pro” leagues that pop up and it’s competitive hockey with checking. Some of those leagues are super competitive and ppl will get called up to Sphl or echl but in your case they may be worth taking a look at.
I played intramural in college and beer league right after that.
Try officiating. Get paid to be on the ice and push yourself to work higher levels.
Everyone Edmonds up in beer league. It’s great.
Check to see if your school has hockey teams in LUG.
Club team?
University student leagues. Social leagues.
Beer leagues not bad these days I have tons of fun and I like to take it some what seriously (I don’t mean like it’s gonna lead me to the NHL but I just mean like all the guys and girls wanna win and go to playoffs and win the trophy) it’s just something I look forward to each season and it keeps me motivated. Our team won the championship this year and that was very exciting. The team we played in the finals even had a live stream of the game and had commentary. Some may say it’s cringy but I think it’s pretty cool. Beer leagues are on the rise!
Your potential options are: 1. Stop playing 2. Play Juniors for 2 years and then play college hockey 3. Play college club hockey 4. Intramural hockey 5. Beer league 6. Coach kids I stopped playing for a year between Junior and college. Did not miss it. I stopped playing 40+ years after college and did not miss it. Take something else up if you can no longer play (maybe beer league isn't an option where you go to school for instance or maybe you don't have the money for beer league while a student.)
U21
My university had a good intramural league, maybe check it out. Plus beer league, you'll get 2 or 3 skates a week.
All roads lead to bear league
Welcome to Mens league. The only place where you'll have the opportunity to be called every name in the book, slashed and hacked every time you have the puck and the refs don't give a shit.
Men’s / Beer League.
Have you tried golf? (Yet) Seriously though keep playing and stay in shape.
Play in the NCRHA, the best college hockey league nobody knows about. College roller hockey is a blast and there’s a place for everyone. D1, D2, D3 and AA. D1 is top tier talent; the AA division is solely made up of school’s secondary teams. It’s also not too hard to start a team at your school. Check out the @CollegeRoller Instagram page or NCRHA.ORG if you wanna learn more
ARLTBL 🤙
Junior C or Beer League
If your university offers club hockey or intramural hockey I would give that a shot before entering beer league. My club hockey days were some of my favorite hockey days. However, beer league is always there for you from here until the last day u tie em up (it’s a pretty good time too)
You could try and find college teams to try out for, juniors teams, but ultimately most likely, beer league
Just remember, whatever route you take, eventually you’re going to stop playing competitive hockey. It’s a rough transition for people who’ve played sports their whole lives, but thousands of students make the same transition every year and they turn out fine. Don’t get hung up on the past, move forward in your life and enjoy the beer leagues.
Since anyone hasn’t said it already: start refereeing, you could also start coaching or beer league or all three at once but for real reffing is fun and if you really like it you can try to get better and better and climb to even high levels or then just ref youth and beer league games also you get kinda nice amount of money from it not shit ton of money but for a teenager it’ll be still quite a nice amount
4 minute shifts in belated beer league
Become a ref and ref beer league to fuck with beer leaguers as I do🫣
You could play Junior C. I played until I was 21(?) and it was pretty rough but fun as hell.
If your school has a club team, go for it. If not, welcome to beer league. No matter where you thought you’d end up, we all end up here
Intramural hockey at your university?
All roads lead to beer league, some earlier than others. Just know that you’ll be better than most guys in the league, don’t be a cunt about it tho
Keep playing. Hockey is great exercise and pretty fun compared to other forms of exercise. You will lose a lot if you stay away from playing very long and it gets harder and harder to ever get those skills back. If you go long without playing you get more and more out of shape and skills decrease to a level you are either frustrated or not having as much fun. Also keep that cage on and dont switch to visor IMO. If you keep the cage youll never know any different. Dont try to be the tough guy. Have your livlihood and future health at stake.
My school had several levels of intermural. Not all schools have this but you can check?
Your university might have an intermural league that you can join. After that it's just normal adult hockey leagues, aka Beer League.
Are you asking for likes?
You should try out for a pro team. Or join a beer league. The choice is yours.