FOR IN-LINE SKATERS, THE HOCKEY SEASON LASTS ALL YEAR
10-YEAR-OLD CHAMPS AT HOME ON OR OFF ICE
Twice weekly, members of an in-line hockey team called the Predators glide easily over a slick plastic floor in the Roller Dome, a large inflatable structure just south of Interstate 90, west of Randall Road in Elgin.
The Predators, who won the USA In-line National Championship for the 10-year-old age group in July, practice year-round.
At practice last week, the young hockey players skillfully stick-handled orange plastic pucks. The report of slap shots bouncing off Jason Henderson’s chest protector echoed through the arena. Henderson, one of the team’s goalies, is an 11-year-old who lives in Crystal Lake.
Although the Predators’ season is ongoing, the kids on the team never seem to tire of hockey, said coach Jim Byerly, of Schaumburg. In fact, most of the Predators belong to ice hockey leagues too.
Predator John Webster can’t get enough hockey, according to his mother, Rose Webster, of Algonquin. And that includes pickup games of street hockey with kids in the neighborhood.
“I love hockey,” John Webster said. “I want to play in the NHL or the IHL when I get older.”
In-line hockey hasn’t yet caught on like its icy cousin, but it’s making progress. And there were a lot of differing opinions–even at the Predators’ practice–on which is the better sport.
Coach Byerly said in-line hockey is more exciting to watch.
“It’s more wide-open. The only things stopping play are goals, pucks leaving the playing area and penalties,” Byerly said. “It’s a very offensive game. Even defensemen are offense-minded. Teams score six or seven goals. In ice hockey, teams usually score one or two goals per game.”
John Webster said he prefers playing ice hockey.
But John’s mother offers a perspective that might appeal to most parents. She thinks John is more confident playing in-line because no contact is allowed.
“There’s no checking,” Rose Webster said. “When you don’t have to worry about getting knocked into the boards, you can concentrate more on your game.”
Also, she added, in-line hockey is less expensive than ice hockey.
“We pay around $3,000 per year for John to play in ice hockey leagues,” she said. “That includes equipment, hotels, travel and ice time. For the in-line league, we paid around $200 for used equipment and $127 for a 10-week season. That’s an advantage.”
