Played ice hockey often in past/now?

I never played ice hockey simply because I was lousy ice skating. Where I grew up in a small Ontario city 1960's-1970's I knew no girl who played ice hockey. Closest was broomball on ice skates at our school outdoor ice rink.

But am curious who in TE forum has played ice hockey regularily or often in the past?

See here about Canadian women's Olympic hockey team..but the European teams will catch up:

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For observers of the women's game, now in its fourth Olympics, it's difficult to see a more competitively balanced field in the near future. While Sweden and Finland have inched closer to the North Americans, the rest of the world is falling further behind, stunted by factors including a chauvinistic attitude in continental Europe.
"It's not going to change until parents believe it's OK for your daughter to come to the rink and play hockey," said Andrew Podnieks, a hockey historian. "That's a much, much bigger challenge in countries that aren't as liberal. Finland and Sweden are the most open-minded. Well, guess what? They're No. 3 and No. 4."
Canadian captain Hayley Wickenheiser, who played professional men's hockey in Finland, said she encountered that attitude in Europe, although less so in Scandinavia. "You're still fighting those things," she said. "We're ahead of the curve over here, and that's what helped our game so much. Hockey Canada believes in us and stepped up to the plate."

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Full article.

I've never played, but it's on my list of things to do! (If only I could find time for yet another sport! :o)

I would occasionally join pick up games at the local lake when I was a kid, but that was skating in my figure skates. I've never played in hockey skates or with equipment outside of a hockey stick. I did love floor hockey in gym class though!

I came *this close* to signing up for an ice hockey league as an adult when we lived in FL, but I just never had enough time to commit to it. I'd still like to do it, but I just can't see how I'd ever fit it in. I think it would be great fun!

A friend of ours (who grew up in Montreal), knew a young woman at the time, who wanted to play hockey on the boy's team. At a time when girls did not play ice hockey as much as they do now. At that time, it was more ringette.

The parents took the case to court and won. (I dimly recall this court case but not sure which province.) Girl played, but broke her collar bone twice.

That was the end of playing hockey with the boys for her.

Last night we went to the Olympic ice hockey women's game, Switzerland vs. Russia. It went in overtime with a shoot-out. And Swiss won.

After seeing the women's hockey game live, I'm quite curious to see the playing style of the Olympic Canadian women's hockey team in the semi-finals.

Yeah, when I was a kid, I played soccer on the boys team. There were no girls teams. And pick-up hockey games were played with boys, not girls.

I used to love playing dodgeball in gym class. If a boy caught a ball thrown at them, one player could come back on the court. If girl caught one, the whole team could come back. I was good at catching balls so I was often the first person picked for teams (even over boys!). For a brief shinning moment...I was popular! :p

THe gold medal women's hockey game Canada vs. U.S......in 2 days

http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-schedule-results/

will get enough interest/airplay. So if you never viewd much hockey but would like to see some good playing among women, check it out.

Hockey is a super popular girl's sport in the Boston area. I had many 11-13 year old students who were on teams. I also had an assistant who played in college and left to become an asst. coach at a college down in Connecticut. She was a coach for the US Olympic team in 2002 (or the Olympics that were around then). It amazed me that she did this, but it sure earned her a lot of street cred with the boys in my class!

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Hockey is a super popular girl's sport in the Boston area. I had many 11-13 year old students who were on teams. I also had an assistant who played in college and left to become an asst. coach at a college down in Connecticut. She was a coach for the US Olympic team in 2002 (or the Olympics that were around then). It amazed me that she did this, but it sure earned her a lot of street cred with the boys in my class!

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When we waited to see a game a few days ago, there were several parents with their young daughters (8-13 yrs.) who were playing ice hockey eager to see the game. One of my nieces (will turn 9 this yr.) is enrolled in ice hockey. I think she's there because her 2 brothers are in ice hockey also.

For certain, both the Canadian and U.S. women's teams played a faster, more aggressive style of hockey.

The amount of national support the Canadian women's team that won gold was..just unbelievable tonight. It was a completely full stadium tonight. Apart from the tv, we could hear the cheering at home ...from the stadium down the street. And the foghorns by the waterfront going off in celebration.

If only women's international cycling could get that level of broad audience support and crazed enthusiasm.