July 10, 2002
Inline hockey scores new site
League grows from 10 to 118 players
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
From ten kids to 118 in two summers, inline hockey is an idea whose time has come.
Lisa Hoffman of Lake Ann started an informal inline hockey program two summers ago as a way to give her two young sons a chance to play one of their favorite sports. She called up parents of their friends and the group began meeting in the parking lot at nearby Westwoods Elementary School.
Next year, the program fielded 20 kids as word spread around the neighborhood.
Then, when more than 45 young players enrolled this spring, Hoffman knew her fledgling program had arrived - and needed a home.
She approached Mark Sinclair, program director for youth and teens at the YMCA, about adding inline skating hockey to their roster this summer. Sinclair was enthusiastic and soon ten teams were formed for youth ages 7-14, plus an adult drop-in night on Thursday.
With the eight-week season just getting into swing, four nights a week the tennis courts at the Y resound with the efforts of players trying to get a small, orange ball into a hockey net. The game features two 22-minute periods and the protective equipment resembles what hockey players wear, including face mask, body padding and mouth protection.
The glaring sun, sweltering heat and rolling wheels are all clues it is not traditional ice hockey, but inline hockey is still cool summer fun for the players.
"I like it because it is smooth and I get more practice year round and it improves my skills," said Chris Jones, 11, in his second year of playing inline hockey and a winter ice hockey player.
Jones' buddy, Russell Tandy, 10, has been playing inline hockey three years, one of the original ten players Hoffman recruited. He appreciates the move this year to the YMCA facility.
"I like the court, it is so smooth and a lot better than skating in a parking lot," said Tandy, who also plays ice hockey, likes keeping his skills sharp in the off-season.
Not all players in the YMCA program participate in ice hockey in the winter. Many signed up this summer because they like to inline skate and decide to try out hockey this way.
"Ice hockey is so expensive, maybe this will get kids interested in it who otherwise might not be able to afford the program," said Craig Tandy, Russell's father. "This is like Little League baseball, a little less gear needed."
"Hockey is such a wonderful sport for kids, so fast and exciting," he noted.
First-year inline hockey coach Greg Olson of Kingsley believes the sport is up and coming. His son, Austin, 7, is playing for the first year and Olson coaches three different teams for the YMCA: one seven year-old team and two nine-and-ten year old teams.
"My son loves it, he just started out this year," said Olson, who is a veteran coach and referee of many youth sports. "It's our first year, but I'll be back every year."
As a coach, Olson gives all his players equal time in all positions, using inline hockey as a chance to instill a larger lesson in life.
"The kids get a ton of sportsmanship from this because I try to coach sportsmanship more than play," he noted. "Why that is, if you don't have sportsmanship, you're not going anywhere in life."
Hoffman is thrilled to see how her idea has taken off. From just a few phone calls to neighbors two summers ago, she now has kids of all ages from around the area enjoying inline hockey.
"It's been awesome, the whole reason for this is my kids," said Hoffman. "My sons, Mitchell and Dakota are the reason this all began and I want them to remember that when God gives you a vision, you do all you can to make that vision a reality."