From my conversations with parents and players alike, there are certain �ice hockey purists� in the Midwest and East who have no idea how �big� roller hockey is. When you tell them your son has been playing roller hockey the last few years, they picture a ball in a school parking lot�not players in full gear in a state-of-the-art rink with 400 other players in the league.

***

I�ve played goalie in ice hockey on and off for 20 years, and I�ve been playing �out� in roller hockey for about five. But for some reason I�m chicken to play goalie in roller hockey. There�s just something about it that turns me off. Like its too hot or the floor is too hard. It�s totally psychological, but nonetheless, I still refuse to play goalie in roller hockey.

***

It�s easier to teach breakouts, passing and positioning to novices and kids in roller hockey because the puck does not move as fast. I�ve co-coached a house roller team in California and helped out on a house ice team hear in Michigan, and I�m still amazed at the level of sophistication of the plays we were able to create on the roller hockey team.

***

If you�re one of those crossover players still wearing the old, ski-boot style inline skate to play parking lot hockey, it�s time to upgrade to a hockey style boot. The difference is amazing. While you can blow up to $500 for a pro skate, (which you wouldn�t want to use in a parking lot), the quality of the lower-priced skates for the casual player is improving year after year.

***

Roller hockey gear odor is much worse than ice hockey gear odor.

***

I don�t care what anyone says, for the average player, playing inline screws up your ice game. When I cross over back to ice, it take me weeks to get rid of the tell-tale dragging of the toe and the sprinting across the blueline as if there were none. Very embarrassing.

***