JMS Hockey

Is there anyway we can get a LLCS or Level 3 skate in Blaine (Fogerty)? The Level 3 at Maple Grove is wildly popular to the point its sometimes hard to get a spot if you don't sign up a couple days ahead. The LLCS at Roseville was also very popular and hard to get a spot. In talking to the guys that skated at both, there should be plenty of interest. The games at Northeast Arena never really caught on as well, I think because the rink is not as well liked. Seems like the eligible games for a level 3 skater in the North Metro are slim pickens. Would be great if we could try it for a month or so. With gas around $4 buck/gal, the south Metro gets to be expensive. I know there are some community (ULCS and ALCS) games at Fogerty, but its nice to skate once in a while with similar skill levels (2 thru 4) that can't pick your pocket at will. Thanks for listening.

I agree. I don't mind driving to play but it is 25 miles for me to get to a level 2 or 3 game on a Friday night. I would love some closer games to me up north.

Hi Kevin, I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to respond to your support ticket with this same text -- it arrived yesterday afternoon and I had more pressing JMS matters to attend to. But, I will answer here so all who have become part of the discussion will know. We used to have a Level 3 game at FOGERTY, but then when the better skaters improved and we moved them up to L4, they complained that they couldn't play at Fogerty anymore. So we made that game an ULCS. But then the Level 3s complained that "their" game was now too fast for them. So we booked ice at MAPLE GROVE (and now have a bunch of Level 4s who keep trying to get into THAT game... it's a ton of fun the be the JMS admin, lemme tell ya). We used to have ice at ROSEVILLE, but that is one rink with (I believe) three youth associations; they just don't have any ice available during the hockey season. We do always have ice there every summer. My original hockey season schedule included an LLCS game at NEW HOPE, but I was shocked to discover that when the rink manager there retired, he had neglected to schedule us past December 31. All that ice that I thought was ours he had sold to other groups. It was a punch in the gut, but there is nothing we could do--the ice was gone. As for NORTHEAST not catching on because it's not well-liked, all I can say is how frustrated I am--sorry if ya don't like the rink, folks, it's either Northeast or nothing, or Northeast or starts after 10.00 at night. The only thing I've learned is that no matter what we choose, someone will let us know they don't like it. My boyfriend says, "If you gave away a pound of gold at every game, someone would complain that it was too heavy." Sad but true. I understand you didn't start this topic to complain, and it's certainly appreciated over the "I demand a Level X skate in the North Metro, why don't you do it now Barb is evil and awful" sort of post we see from time to time. If you have a line on some cheap ice that starts before 10.00, by all means, let me know. I have been in talks with BRECK, and I hope to goodness that rink is "well-liked" enough that the six-month and several-thousand-dollar contract we sign with them won't be for a bunch of ice people say they want and then don't use. If you can't get early start times unless you book in advance, but booking in advance is a huge financial gamble that depends on having enough skaters sign up months from now to pay for the ice, what is the right answer?

I'd be ok with some north easy metro ( Roseville , whitebear ) lower level games as well. Because that's where I live haha. I think driving to WAK won't be too bad though. I'm not trying to make any demands just thought I would throw in a post to show interest.

Vadnais has a great sheet of ice and is open to all levels on Mondays evenings. Great group of guys/gals have been skating it. Everybody is more than welcome to sign up and give it a shot. North Metro...check Good group...check Open to everybody....check. See you there!

Thanks for staying positive, guys! I am talking to all the rinks now that the hockey season crunch is over!!

First Tuesday I don't work I'll be at the vadnais game. Just can't play that late with work the next am. :(. I live probably less than 5 miles from it.

Out of curiosity I wonder if there is an effective way to survey JMS users on potential game locations to get a feel for interest in a given area before plunking down the big bucks. Seems like a pretty big community I general and I would imagine a fair indication could be garnered via some sort of survey type email to the various level groups. I of course have no IDE how man skaters it actually takes to pull off regular interest in a particular skate but I can't help but think there is a way to find out ahead of time to an extent what is a reasonable expectation for the "regular" weekly crew. I have heard at various games that a LLCS would be appreciated up north like Fogarty or schwans but just hearing isn't reality. Anyway... Just a thought.

Sorry for the spelling and typos. Love mobile typing! :)

@ Bobby: We have tried that before and just not received a useable amount of replies. Like, 33 total respondents, split almost exactly between yea and nay. It's frustrating. I don't think anyone would want to make a several-thousand-dollar commitment that 15 skaters will pay for EVERY game PLUS count on getting seven more, EVERY game. Haha, would YOU want to front the money for that experiment? :-D We are working on new ways to measure interest and frankly, I'd like to see that interest captured in a financial way. Because (not in reference to this thread) we often have skaters very eager for JMS to make these big financial gambles because the skater "is sure" we could get enough players at Level X in Location Y on Night Z. And then they get mad when we don't risk JMS money for THEIR desired outcome. I am still waiting for one of them to be so "sure" it will work that he offers to front the money for all the games! :-D But keep an eye out for the new system, it's still under development but will debut within the next six months. More details as we get it planned--it's slow but we all have real jobs so we work on it when we can!

Cool beans. Looking forward to it! :)