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Inline
To Ice: Making The Transition
By:
Tim Hannen
RMHS Instructor
After playing
varsity hockey for 4 years and graduating from RPI, Tim played
professional ice and inline hockey before serving as the Director
of Hockey at Big Bear Ice Arena in Denver, CO for 4 years. Currently,
Tim is the Athletic Director for South Kent Prep in CT.
Both games are great to play and one
will certainly enhance the performance of the other…
Are you currently playing in the Silver
League or youth program at your local inline hockey rink and are
looking to the ice as your next challenge? Although you are bringing
a certain skill level to the new sport, you might not be the budding
superstar you envision. Don't get me wrong, you have an advantage
over the beginner in terms of skating and puck control skills, but
it is still a different game. Add one more player to the ice per
team, a larger playing surface, a heavier puck (50% heavier!), and
add ice skating to the mix, and oh boy, it IS a different game!
Equipment
The two biggest differences between ice hockey and inline hockey
equipment are ventilation and the amount of protection offered
and needed. Inline equipment uses more mesh like material and lighter
weight padding both for added ventilation and because it serves
to reason that a lighter puck will not hurt quite as much. Ice
hockey gear is usually made with layered leather or hard plastic
covered by leather. Plus, there is little need for ventilation
given the environment in which the game is played.
Extra man
Many people say inline is more of a players game than ice hockey
because a player may get as scoring opportunities in one shift
of inline as they might in an entire game of ice hockey. Those
same people may same that ice hockey is more of a spectators game
because of the pinball like action that is created when an extra
player is added to the ice surface. The fact is both games are
great to play and one will without a doubt enhance the performance
in the other. Regardless of how you look at it, the wide open style
on inline helps develop a players creativeness and goal scoring
ability, while the more structure ice game will help teach the
players how to play within a disciplined system that includes much
more defensive play than its inline brethren. In general, the development
of the offense in ice hockey is much quicker and less deliberate
than inline hockey. It is not unthinkable to have 100 total shots
on goal in an inline game, with about 50 total in an ice game.
Skating
By far, the biggest difference between the two games is a players
mobility on the playing surface. The ability to stop or change
direction in an instant is one of the first lessons learned in
ice hokey while stopping on inline skates is a skill mastered
by the extremely talented only. The fundamental difference between
ice skating and inline skating is the skaters balance points
and the ability to alter a players traction on either surface.
Inline players initiate most of their turning and stopping moves
with the weight centered just in front of their heels (this is
why the back wheels wear out first), while ice hockey skaters
initiate all skating moves with their weight centered squarely
on the balls of their feet. Inline players may improve traction
on whichever surface they are playing by decreasing the durometer
(hardness) of their wheels. The down side to reducing the durometer
is that the wheels will rotate slower because they are softer.
Inline players are constantly fighting the dichotomy between
hard/fast vs. soft/grippy wheels while ice hockey players enjoy
a much broader scope of choices. Ice hockey players may change
the hollow of their sharpened skate blade to increase traction
without sacrificing the ability to generate speed.
If the bug has bitten you and your move to the world of ice hockey
is eminent I recommend you check with your local ice arena to determine
which programs suit your level of interest and ability. Experiment
with a Skate-n-Shoot, or a drop-In session and do not hesitate to
ask the better players at these sessions any question that comes
to mind. Most players are very helpful, and those that don't are
probably not secure enough to tell you they have no clue.
Good Luck!!
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