That does sound like a lot of fun. Unfortunately I haven't skated in 20 years. I used to enjoy casual hockey as kid. Although I never remember being invited to skate at the Mini Met Center in your backyard. Not sure why I was good enough to play football and baseball with you, but never got to skate? Maybe the memory of that rejection is so painful I've completely repressed it.
Anyway assuming I buy some skates and relearn the skill it would definitely be something I would aim for for next winter.

This brings back the memories. After I left Duluth, I attended the Church of the Holy Broomball for several decades, mostly with former Duluthians. We'd meet at a local ice rink every Sunday at 10am and play for a couple of hours. The first game of the season was always the most brutal, particularly the aches and pains felt the following day. However, it was the only church I attended where the entire congregation walked on water. And I never did more praying than when I was on my knees in front of the nets as some 230 lbs bruiser charged my way with the ball.

Chris, I never quite figured out why my family needed its own skating rink in the backyard back in roughly 1983. I mean, there was an actual hockey rink six blocks away.

I think it was my brother's idea, but I must have at least lobbied for it. I can't believe my dad let us waste that much water.

I think there were only one or two actual full-fledged games on that rink, so you shouldn't feel like you missed out on much. I think the main function of the rink was to create a convenient place for my brother to beat me up with a stick.

Anyway, come on out to Irving. I went on about a 10-year hockey hiatus and didn't have too much trouble reintegrating. The most important thing is to not be bothered by how much you suck.

Xpat isn't kidding about those first game aches and pains, though.

as a youth, my brother and i tried to flood our backyard one winter, but it didn't turn out very well. because the lawn wasn't completely level we built up the snow on one side and that made the edges a little thin in some places where your skates would sink into the snow below.

but i do have fun memories of my parents taking over maintenance of the rink at the local elementary school one year. at the end of the night, when everyone left we would stay up well past my bedtime skating around under the cold clear sky while they flooded the rink. by that point you were in this weird mental state brought on by a sugar buzz from the ingestion of licorice and nachos from the stand in the warming shack fighting with exhaustion from skating for about hours 5 or 6 hours. something about looking up at the stars. and the crispness of the freshly frozen ice. it was great.

oh, and finding blood on the ice was memorable too.

Paul,
I would love to join your cult of hockey hacks. However you said that you need to keep the puck on the ice. How am I going to hit you in the nutz at that level?

Paul,
I would love to join your cult of hockey hacks. However you said that you need to keep the puck on the ice. How am I going to hit you in the nutz at that level?

Hey Skills, my nuts are usually on the ice within a half hour.