What we’re about
We play pickup street hockey on Saturday afternoons, year-round. The group started in April 2014. As long as the rink is playable, the game is on! Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUboX_jaPjyM_1Mr4MYBj2w
Who can play: Adults only. You must be at least age 21 (yes, 30's-40's-50's and up are welcome). We welcome average skilled players and people who've never played before. The goal is to have a good time, socialize, and have a good workout. This means we are NOT looking for jerks, show-offs, and, ... you know who you are.
What's the commitment: It's a pickup game. There's no commitment. Some come every week. Others come every now and then. Come when it works for your schedule.
How the teams are set up each week: We make up teams based on whomever shows up. After warmups, we throw the sticks into center rink. Then someone randomly divides the sticks into two groups.
How long are the games: We typically play three to four games each week, over the course of about 2.5 to 3 hours. But leave when you want.
Each game is played to 7, with the winner winning by 2. After each game we throw the sticks into center rink and re-make the teams. Each game has a different set of players.
What to wear/bring: Please bring your sneakers (not roller blades), a stick, and water (lots). Also two shirts: a white one and a black/navy blue one. Please don't bring grey or yellow or some other that could be considered either light and dark.
Please check out our YouTube channel to see what players typically wear for protective gear. Some wear a helmet, gloves, and full shin pads. Other wear nothing.
Game time: We follow daylight savings time. 3 pm from March to November, 2 PM from November to March. Come late or leave early, whatever works for you.
Where we play: Our preferred rink is at our full size Brill Field rink (corner of Sea Street and Island Ave., in the Hough's Neck (pronounced HOW'S-NECK) neighborhood of Quincy). The nearest public bathroom is the Dunkin Donuts on Sea Street (corner of Norton Road).
Depending on the responses, we also play at our smaller Perkins Field rink (20 Narragansett Rd) in the Merrymount neighborhood of Quincy) or the Squantum Rink (84 Parke Ave). Games at these rinks are 4x4 (or maybe 3x3).
**Rink location may change at the very last minute due to rink conditions or sudden attendance changes. Please check the the game day page for updates as you travel to the rink.**
Public Transportation:
Brill Field: Take the 214/216 bus from the Quincy Center Red Line station. The bus stops directly in front of the rink.
Perkins rink: Take the 214/216 bus from Quincy Center station. Get off at Narraganset Road (old Grumpy White's Restaurant).
How you sign up for a game:
**It is highly, highly recommend that you use a Gmail email account to sign up for the group. Meetup does not work well with some other email systems, especially Yahoo.**
You should receive an automatic invite on Sunday for that week's game, and a reminder email on Friday.
If you're 10,000% positive you can make it, please respond Yes. If you have any doubt, please just post a comment that you're a Maybe. We rarely have no-shows. It's very uncool.
The maximum number of people who can sign up each week is 22. Meetup will put you on a wait list once we reach the cap.
Calling off games: We need 10 Yes responses by 10 AM on Saturday morning or the game is called off. I also try to make the weather call by 10 AM, but sometimes I'll delay it if I think the weather might clear.
Cost: It's free. There are no fees to play. But Meetup charges us $106 every six months to host the site. I take up a collection about a month before the due date. Plus we purchase replacement balls and rock salt. Please contribute. Thank you.
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EPIC QPICK MOMENTS
Coldest game: 17 degrees @ game time, with temp decreasing. 1/15/22.
Hottest game: 100 degrees. July 23, 2022
Longest game:
2 Hours: 2/19/2022, "Another epic day. First game ran 2 hours, in the falling snow. Final Score: 9-7. The post-game beverages were disturbed by the sudden onset of a major, blinding snow squall."
2 Hours: 12/4/2021 also the Highest Scoring game (see below).
Highest scoring game: 12-10 on 12/4/2021 "another epic QPICK Saturday. 13 players on the big rink. One team had no subs, other team had one sub. The game was stuck at 1-1 for some time. Then the team w/sub quickly went up 6-1. The other side battled to make it 6-6. The teams traded goals for a lengthy period of time. Final Score: team w/o a sub won, 12-10. Two hr game.
First game the bench was egged by a passing car: 1/15/2022
