Adult League Ready!

Well its 11:38 Pm and what better things to do on a Friday night, than get the C & D league schedules/rosters loaded.

I have sent out an email stating that the schedules & rosters are posted and I look forward to a great season. I wanted to take an opportunity to share some quick thoughts...

• No unrostered players will be allowed to play - refs will enforce
• If players are on payment plans, payments must be made on time
• Play hard, but fair. Refs are being instructed to call tight games
• No reason to slash, check, or act out maliciously. Just like we teach our kids..use your words first.
• Its a long season, don't hold grudges, look for revenge, etc. You will miss games & money you spent to have fun
• Play the league for what it is...a rec league to have fun & make friends
• Remember we all have jobs the next day, get paid the same amount to play ($0.00) and win the same thing at the end (nothing).

I look forward to playing with and against most of you during this next session, helping the D league develop their skills and enjoy some great hockey.

As Brian Wierson would say..."See you at the rink."

August 30th Is A Busy Hockey Day

Its 102 degrees outside, but hockey is right around the corner. We new that many Fall/Winter hockey activities were coming up soon, but today it hit me how quickly it will be here.

On Thursday Aug 30th, many important hockey activities occur.

- The Adult Novice League Draft is scheduled to occur at 11 AM at Cup O' Kryptonite Coffee Shop. At that time, 3 Championship hungry captains will evaluate, negotiate & bargain for this season's Novice Adult prospects. The season starts on Sept 6th and newcomers are still welcome to join.

- At 6:00 PM, at the KGGO Arena (Bucs Arena), the last session of the Bucs Youth Camp will occur. Come out and see the Bucs coaching staff "prospect" for new talent among the 5-12 year olds as they prepare for their upcoming season.

- At 6:30 PM at the Metro Ice Sports Facility, a mandatory meeting for parents who have children trying out for travel hockey will take place. Many rumors, stories & ideas have been floating around, so this will clarify much information as to the course of travel hockey this season.

- At 7:45 PM at the Metro Ice Sports Facility, the D League Championship Game will take place. This sold out, standing room only event will pit the calm & organized Green Team against the fiery & offensive Blue Team. Who will win the 2nd Annual Trainer's Cup and take all the glory?

- At 8:00 PM at the Metro Ice Sports Facility, the Women's Hockey Team (Iowa Storm) will have a meeting to discuss the direction of this upcoming season. If you are interested in playing on this all women team, stop by for more info.

So there you have it. A busy Thursday to get us prepared for the coming season....

Can I Get Hurt Playing Hockey?

I was motivated to write this as I was at the hospital emergency room last night. No, nothing happened to me and everyone is ok but it made me think about injuries.

Although hockey is a sport where you wear protective equipment head to toe, while propelling yourself on a sheet of ice while standing on 2 thin steel blades may on the surface seem dangerous, it is no more dangerous than the next sport.

I've broken my finger (twice) playing softball. Recently, I broke my wrist in a collision playing hockey. This accident was just that...an accident. A weird collision between 2 players.

I've also seen several others get injured as well. Sticks to the face (see what happens when you don't wear a mask), broken legs, sore tailbones, etc. I believe most athletes know what they are getting into when playing a sport. Again, these are not limited to hockey, but occur in every sport or activity. Natalia even hurt herself just walking from a rink to our van.

With kids, the decision is always to keep them safe and to protect them. There needs to be a balance with this as well. Kids will be kids and can get hurt playing in their own backyard. Playing sports do have greater risks, but with the right training, equipment, coaching, etc. these can be minimized. Even with the injuries I have had, we still do not use these instances to restrict our son (Antonio) to play hockey. He gets his size from his dad, so seeing him out there with the big kids could look intimidating, but as long as he loves to play, we'll keep taking him.

So as I waited in the ER for the doctor to come in last night and give me the words regarding my other son, Nicholas, I didn't want to hear..."Yes Mr. Bafia ..it's broken", I realized that even his chosen sport, FLAG FOOTBALL could cause injury. He broke his arm yesterday at practice on a routine practice play where he collided with another kid. Even after the tears & pain, he still asked, "when will I play again?"

B League Registration Available

If you are interested in joing the Sunday B League, the registrations are now available.

You can find the registration form by following this link:
B League Registration Form

Information about the leagues, dates, fees, etc. is all on the registration form. Drop your form off at our store today to register!

Monday Stick & Puck

The weekly schedule has been updated and there is a Monday Stick & Puck at 11:30 - 1:00 PM today.

Last Chance Bucs Camp (kids)

August 27, 28 & 30th is a camp put on for youth players.

Great coaching, great practice, great price ($99)...last chance to get in.

Call Bucs Arena or Alien Hockey for details or to register.

Last Call C & D Adult League

I have just sent out an email to my distribution list regarding Adult League sign ups. In case someone reads these, but not their emails, please spread the word that we are fast approaching our deadline.

There are still MANY that have not yet registered. Get your forms & payments in asap.

We are looking forward to a great season and need everyones help to spread the word.

Thanks

Skate Sharpening Info

The skate is probably the most important part of a hockey player's equipment. Not only is the model & fit important, but the skate sharpen is even more critical.

On a regular basis, we will ask players what type of sharpen they would like on their skates, and many do not know there are different ways to sharpen. Some even say they have never been asked this question before.

Over the last 1 1/2 years of our business, we have put out many articles and information regarding skate sharpening. You can view our past newsletters online by following this link http://www.alienhockey.com/NewsEvents.htm

Also, there was a show done on Discovery regarding the science of skate sharpening. It talks about profile, radius of hollow & levelness. Watch this video by following this link.
http://www.alienhockey.com/video.htm

Lastly, we created a "Guide to Determining Your Hollow". Although this is not an exact science, it helps you understand the factors that go into a skate hollow.
http://www.alienhockey.com/HollowGuide.pdf

Our most frequent answer for just about every question we are asked is "Its a personal preference." There is no right or wrong in equipment brand, skate model or skate hollow. Look at this article to see how even the pros are different in their preferences.
http://www.blademaster.ca/Skate_Sharpening_Tips.pdf
You have guys like Mark Messier skating on a 1" hollow and still are able to hold an edge.

Take time to educate yourself with all the information available and more importantly, try a variety of hollows. You won't know what you like unless you can compare different types.

I asked Chris Conner of the Iowa Stars what size hollow he uses at the Stars Development Camp. He is one of the smallest players in the AHL, yet probably the fastest in the entire league. He uses a 3/4 hollow. Too often we hear players wanting that "deep" bite or edge. This bite or edge can come from grinding a deeper hollow, but can also come from a shallow hollow and rolling the ankle more and really digging in your edge. Keep in mind that although a deep hollow will automatically "bite" more, it also causes more friction and requires more work to get going which can cause you to get tired faster.

Many factors to consider when sharpening your skates. Stop by and ask us if you would like some more guidance as to what to try.

Hockey Players with Class

I watch & play in my fair share of adult league games and have done my best to help promote fair play among the varying skill levels. I have seen games played where a C league game may have A & B level players taking control of a game and teams not being equal or fair. As commissioner of the D league, I also field concerns about players that are "too good" or uneven teams. I take these all in stride and attempt to make any necessary adjustments to make things fair.

Last Thursday at a D league game, I saw something that really made me think about fairness & class among hockey players.

I watched as Team Alien took on Cup O Kryptonite for the the last game. It was a game where Alien came out of the gates with a big lead, and Cup O Kryptonite slowly caught up to make for a tight game. Its not the score that caught my attention, but rather certain individual plays that stood out. During one play, Natalia had the puck in the offensive zone and a player from the opposition who was near her...stopped. He did not make a play, steal the puck or get in her way. She was allowed to make a pass uncontested. My first thought was "what's he doing?", but then I flashed back.....

I rented some ice time awhile back and invited some players of varying skill levels. Most were very beginner. I remember a player coming at me with the puck that I knew I could take it from, but skated backwards until they were able to get a shot on goal. This went on the entire game as those who were better skaters, allowed others an opportunity to control the puck, make a pass or shoot instead of trying to steal every time. What benefit would it be to be the dominating player and not let others develop?

Now back to the D league game. Here was a player significantly better than Natalia and he was going to give her a chance to "develop"...but wait, I then thought, this is a league game and their team is down. There is a score, standings, pride, etc on the line. Sure, I allow players to get better at a recreational time, but not in a league game. This is a time for no mercy. Maybe this was just a fluke occurence and the player had a brief mental lapse and thought that he was at a "Stick & Puck" where this was expected. Just as I finished that thought, Julie Miller was going the other way. A player from Alien was fast approaching as I watched from the stands thinking "steal that puck and go for the breakaway!" Again, something strange happened....nothing. The Alien player stopped and allowed her to swing her stick not once, but twice to make contact.

Back to the past my mind raced. I was in a game where the two teams were fairly evenly matched. I was probably the weak link in what seemed like an A league game, but I remember one play that I will never forget. My style of play in a game that speed was to deliver the puck to a better player in order to make an offensive rush. As I skated out of my defensive zone with the puck, I glanced up only to see my opponent coming fast at me. For those who know Simon Goheen, I don't need to say anymore. Here was a player who could outplay me if he had butter knives taped to his sneakers. I saw my left wing wide open on the left just ahead of me and had plenty of time to get the pass there....but of course my whiff of the puck caused it to trickle perfectly onto Simon's stick. With my head down thinking "way to go bonehead", I see him stop and lightly tap the puck back to me saying "try that one again." I'm sure he doesn't remember that specific play, because he's probably done that 100 times.

After remembering all these instances from my past, I watched the rest of the D league game noticing the courtesy of opposing players allowing players to work on their skills. No cheap shots, arguing, dominating...just classy play, pats on the back and even Matt Johnson visiting the penalty box with a smile on his face (and on his victims face as well).

I wanted to share these stories to remind everyone why we play. Everyone at some point was not the best player in their league or team. Maybe some of us have been treated with class from another player and allowed to develop. Maybe those that go out and dominate a game where they are the best on the ice (and we've all seen this player) were not treated with class by their opponents. If they were beat up, knocked down and never given a chance to make a play, they may feel thats the way the game is played. I'm not advocating giving up in a league game, or playing down to a level where the opponent is not even challenged, but there needs to be a balance.

So it was Friday morning breakfast hockey yesterday and playing against me was Toby Petersen (NHL Edmonton Oiler last year). As I skated to the puck that was against the boards, I turned to make a pass and of course put it right on Toby's stick who was a few feet from me. Once again my head down again saying "nice play bonehead", I get the puck back from Toby as he says "that was an unfair steal, do that again."

Now thats class.

Click Here to See Toby

So Many Skates...so little money.

Every day we get asked questions regarding which skates a player should purchase. We typically reply "whatever pairs we have in stock." Well, not really.

Some of the more common questions we get include:
1) What brand is the best?
2) What do we Mike & I wear?
3) Do you have to spend $500 to get a good pair?

We give the same responses each time to these questions and those who have bought skates from us will confirm our sales pitch.

Answers:
1) All brands are good. We don't just say this so nobody gets offended becuase they may have a skate we dislike. The fact is that every brand Nike/Bauer, CCM/RBK, Mission, Easton, Graf, etc. all produce many great skates. Our answer is always "whatever skate fits your foot best."

Each skate has a slightly different feel. Stiffer ankle, different weights, varying widths, features are just a few of the differences between skate brands. Almost every major brand has several models. Each has a high end ($400-$500), middle ($200-$300) and entry level ($80 - $150).
Don't get caught up with a "brand" over "feel."

2) Mike & I currently both wear Vector 10.0 skates. The main reason I chose these was because Ovechkin makes some sick moves with them (i'm kidding). These fit our feet best is what it came down to. We tried on many different pairs and as much as I loved the weight of the One90s, they just did not feel good to me. Mike on the other hand just like to copy me so he thought it would be cool to match (again, kidding). From a marketing standpoint we should have both taken different brands to show other players a variety, but we are players as well and want comfort too.

3) $500 will get you a very good, high end pair of skates that will be very comfortable if properly fitted. ...but a $200 pair of skates may serve your purpose and still allow you to have $$$ for that $170 composite stick (leaving you with change or money for rolls of tape).

So to give direction to our hockey playing friends, here is what we say...(our current skate purchasing customers will confirm this).

1) Try on every skate we have that may fit your foot. Put a different model on each foot and walk around.
2) DO NOT LOOK AT PRICE. This is not a sales tactic to have you fall in love with the $500 pair. What we want you to do is feel the difference between brands, levels & models. Often times, a player may choose the less expensive skate because it feels better.
3) We ask questions. What is your playing style? How long do you want these to last? What is your price range? Does your heel move, is there pressure in certain spots? Does the left feel the same as the right? Are you in a hurry to purchase skates? Now we can start determining your needs.
4) Once you have it narrowed down to either 1 pair or a few, price is factored. "Wow this RBK 9K is nice.....what? $450?" Remember, each brand of skate has several models within a family of skates. Reebok has a 9K, 7K & 5K. The basic boot design is the same on each skate. You may have to give up some features (composite bottom, steel mesh outer shell, etc.) by dropping to a lower model, however the "feel" will be similar. If we don't have that model, ordering will be simpler since we now know your size in that family of skate.
5) If we don't get the feeling you like any of what we have, we'll tell you to wait, or shop around. There is no benefit to sell you a skate you do not like. We offer options of other skates that may fit your particular foot so you can have as much info as possible.

In the end, hockey players can skate in just about any skates. When shopping for new ones though, consider that your performance should improve if the skates FIT & FEEL better than ones that don't.

Here are a few funny (and not so funny) stories about some of our customers.

- A customer came in regularly (sometimes daily) over the course of 2-3 weeks and kept trying on several pairs of skates until they found the right ones.
- A customer of ours currently has 4 of the top end skates of each brand. Vapor XXX, RBK 9K, Synergy 1500 & Supreme One90s. This equates to approx. $1800-$2000. He uses them all.
- A customer was sold a pair of skates from a competitor that were a Size 10. After using them for awhile was fitted by us into a size 8.
- A customer came in prepared to spend $250 on a pair of skates and left with a pair for $100.
- We helped 2 of our customers sell their used skates to 2 other potential customers of ours.
- We've strectched numerous skates for kids (width & length) instead of selling them a new pair.
- Through some resources, we helped track down a discontinued skate model for a customer due to their specific preference.

All in all, skates are important. If we were all rich, we could have every skate model to use and try for periods of time, but in reality, we have to make a wise decision that should not be rushed in to. We are here to help make you a better player (well maybe at least feel more comfortable).

Iowa Stars & Des Moines Buccaneers Games

The season for both our local teams is just around the corner. Schedules for both teams are already out.

Iowa Stars
http://stats.theahl.com/stats/schedule.php?view=season&team_id=336&season_id=12&home_away=


Des Moines Bucs
http://www.bucshockey.com/schedule.shtml

Show your support for both teams by purchasing season tickets or attending some games this year. We will have season tickets to both this year (again) and hope to see everyone at the games!

How to Try Hockey.....AT NO COST

Ok, maybe you will have to pay $10-$15.

The Des Moines Buccaneers have been gracious enough to provide ALOT of adult sized equipment to our store. This includes pants, gloves, shoulder pads, shin guards, etc. It is used stuff, but still can work.

Instead of selling these items (we may sell eventually), we are loaning them out FREE! We know there are many players wanting to try the sport, but are worried that they will buy all this equipment and then not like it. Although I believe that never happens as hockey is very addictive, here is a chance for newcomers to try at minimal cost. They may need to rent skates & pay for a Stick & Puck session, but that should be a few bucks. The Metro has hockey rental skates, and although they may not be the "best" it will still give a player a feel for the game.

We need current players to spread this word. Have potential players contact me and I will get them geared up. They will just fill out a form stating what they took and promise to give back. (Hockey players are very honest).

Start getting the word out!

Heres a video of what you may be able to do one day. I get goosebumps every time I watch how good somebody can get.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3957094422427700341

Support A Hockey Player / Singer

The D League's very own Christina Cruse is competing for a chance to sing the National Anthem at the Iowa State Fair.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070710/VIDEO06/70710067


See her video and cast your vote...maybe she will perform it in hockey gear if she wins!

Well the Summer 2007 C League regular season has come to an end. Although we ended up losing in the season finale in a great game, and with a solid record of 2-13, we still had a blast.

What we need to say more of is the Team Camaraderie.
Definition - Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends; comradeship.

Too often, adult leagues are taken way too serious. Although competition is good, we can't forget the reason we are there. To play a great sport, play hard, get some exercise & socialize afterwords. I can speak for our team as one that truly looks forward to the "after game" activities. This is evident by our players attendance in the lobby.

I see many other teams doing the same. Telling stories of the goal they should have had or the "penalty" that was never called. This is what its all about. A group of friends having a great time win or lose.

So as Team Alien takes its "underachieving" record into the first round of the playoffs, we still know the beer will still be cold and the pizza will still be hot regardless of the final score.