RINK-RATTING
By coming to this page, you either know the importance of rink-ratting, or you're curious because you have no idea what it is! For those who don't know, simply put, rink-ratting is playing hockey outside of scheduled practices or games. Other names might include shinny-hockey or pickup-hockey. Whatever you call it, rink-ratting is where hockey skills are learned.
How does a child become a great bike-rider? Sure, you can teach them the basics, like how to ride without training wheels, but how do they learn to do a wheelie? Ride no-handed? Take a jump? You got it, by practicing! No structure, just cruising around town with their friends. By doing this, it becomes natural and instincts tell them what to do. It's also more fun when they learn on their own, rather than having an adult follow them around telling them what they're doing wrong, or telling them to do figure-eights around the cones!
The same holds true for hockey. Coaches can teach players the basics, but for hockey to become natural to them, they need some practice on their own. Can a player become a great stick-handler by doing a few drills during an hour of practice? Can they learn the instincts needed to deke a defenseman on a 1on1? Will they be able to pick a corner and hit it when shooting? Unless they're born with the talent, they will not. Even the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, spent countless hours rink-ratting.
Rink-ratting could be as simple as one player skating from end to end, making moves along the way, and shooting on the nets. It might also be a group of friends picking teams and having a game of 4 on 4. Many times, it will include 10 to 20 players on the ice ranging from Mini-Mites to Varsity, even adults! The older players tend to act as mentors, teaching the younger players their "moves" and setting them up, maybe helping them score a goal. The younger players look to the older players as "stars" wanting to be just like them when they grow up.
PAHA recognizes the importance of rink-ratting, so you may see more emphasis on it this season than in the past. There's an outdoor hockey rink specifically set-up for it, and a rink-rat program to encourage players to do more of it. You may also see more adult supervision at the outdoor rink this season, making it a safe place for children of all ages to go have some winter fun.
So, you have two options. One, sharpen the ol' blades on the skates you haven't used since high school and join your child in some rink-rat fun. Two, bring your child to the outdoor rink this winter and drink some hot cocoa or coffee in the heated warming shack while you watch your child. Whatever choice you make, be prepared to stay for a while, as rink-ratting can be addictive and your child may not want to go home!