At pickup hockey, everyone plays, and the goal is fun

The cold hits my face the second I step on the ice. It’s a rush – a mix of freezing air and adrenaline.

Outside it’s 11 degrees, but inside the IBP ice center, it’s much warmer. But I’m still cold. My thumbs feel numb in my bulky hockey gloves.

About a dozen men in their 20s, 30s and 40s practice slapshots and passing as they prepare for the weekly pickup hockey game.
As the puck drops, our teams, divided by random dark and light jerseys, scatter for the puck and the game begins. Here comes the adrenaline.

I get the puck and quickly pass it to a teammate who is a yard ahead of me and 20 foot across ice. It hits his boot and an opponent snags it, passing it up ice to a teammate waiting at the blue line. They are stopped by a defenseman who forces the puck to the corner and steals possession. A long pass back down ice hits Logan, a forward, cutting across ice toward the red line. He breaks away and it’s just him and the goalie, a friend who he is determined to outsmart. He fakes right, cuts left and pops the puck up high, dinging off the top post and into the net.

“Good goal,” I holler. He gets a high five from Roger, who dished him the puck.

No one keeps score, there is no clock, and no one is here to cheer us on. It’s a mostly no-contact game, with the occasional slow speed run-in in front of the net.

Already most of the men here are winded. For half those on the ice, this may be their only weekly exercise. It doesn’t matter to most – we just love the excitement of the game, the rush of air on our face, the chance to relive the thrill of our youth.

Within a couple minutes, the action slows down as everyone adjusts to a more relaxed pace. I take a seat and Bobby, who was waiting on the bench, joins our team on the ice.

I suck down a swig of water. Already I’m sweating and winded. Regardless, it’s one of my favorite hours every week.

What makes it fun is that the teams are never the same, and new players show up each week. If you’re on a losing team one week, you might have the best team the next. Few are here to show off, and teamwork is held in high regard.

Skill levels vary, too. Most players skated on teams in high school – many for the Sioux City Metros – and there are a few guys who took up the sport as adults. Others logged time on college and semi-pro teams. There are construction workers, doctors, small business owners, waiters, college kids, you name it. There are no minimum requirements to play – just show up and pay the $7 entry fee.

Because this is about fun, everyone gets even playing time. That is until you get worn out, then some take longer breaks. With just four or five players per team, no one gets much rest, and really, everyone is OK with that. By the end of the hour, action has slowed down. A lot.

We take a quick break, then burn off any final energy in a match to see who can score 3 goals first. The competition heats up again.

By the time this final faceoff takes place, I’ve long since forgotten about my thumbs, and the cold is an afterthought.

As the puck slides my way, I scan the ice for any teammates on the move. I skate forward, then stop fast along the boards and land a long pass to Corey. He beats two defenders and then swings fast. The goalie goes down hard. The puck rolls out from the net and we tally the win.

We leave the ice, our legs like jelly. “Nice work out there today,” hollers one of the guys as we head to the locker room. Nice work indeed.

About the Author

Thomas Ritchie I love food, cycling, family, music, social media and especially Sioux City. Got an idea for a story - shoot me a note at siouxcitynow1@gmail.com.