JMS Hockey

Hi all, I recently moved to St. Paul from California to attend grad school and am interested in trying my hand at hockey. I am an entry level player- I am athletic, have some previous experience on skates, and have an understanding of the sport from watching NHL. I hope this JMS community can provide me with a little insight into the amazing sport of hockey.. =) -Are there programs that have relatively cheap/free hockey lessons or clinics in the Twin Cities? I'm not sure I am ready to join an official league, but would love to learn more about skating (backwards), puck handling, and shooting. (Maybe even trying out goal tending?) -How can I find other people who are also beginners and want to get together just to pass a puck around? I would also be thrilled to practice with someone that has been playing for a while.. Can I just show up at a local rink with gloves, skates, and a stick? Hoping these questions aren't too ridiculous. I'd love to hear back from you locals with some advice on how to get started. Thanks!!!

Sam, you are in the right place! JMS stands for "Just My Speed," and started 10 years ago when I moved to MN and tried to learn hockey. Everyone else was so much better than I was -- I tried open hockey, but the play was always far out of reach. I thought, "If I could only play with people who are my speed, I could start to learn the game." And so JMS began. As a new skater, you'll find the Lower Level games (levels 1, 2 and 3) a great place to start and get encouragement from other beginners. I suggest the STIA Wednesday game, the Roseville Friday game, or the Tuesday Apple Valley game. Those groups are really cohesive and supportive, but also very welcoming of newcomers. If you want a formal introduction to hockey, nobody beats Coach Rob Little. The Thursday skills clinics at Parade Ice Garden (8.15 PM) are an hour of small-group instruction with Rob. If you let him know what specific skills you want to improve, he will address them in the session. He also offers clinics in the spring and summer. You can use JMS Lower Level games to skate with others of your own level. Some pickups out there may assign levels as JMS does--but unlike JMS, other games are NOT monitored. ANYONE of ANY level can sign up for "beginner" games--the difference between our monitored play and allowing anyone to sign up is obvious. There are no former high-school players in OUR Lower Level games! If you're interested in getting some time on the ice with your gear--working on edges or stickwork--you'll have great opportunities once the weather gets cold enough for outdoor ice. Eat your heart out--all the ice you can handle. Until then, you can look for "stick and puck" time at local ice rinks. You pay your dollars and get a section of ice to work on whatever you like. You'll probably also see high school coaches with a player working on a specific skill. Unfortunately, these are usually at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m. Best wishes--there is no way I could ever get up that early! Further questions? Send an e-mail to support@jmshockey.com. The JMS program began because I love helping people discover hockey and find ways to improve their game! Barbara Garn JMS Administrator