Retired or only employed part-time and looking for a chance to play hockey again?
The Red Deer Masters Hockey Association (RDMHA) may be just what you’re looking for.
The RDMHA is made up of guys aged 55 and over who still want to strap on the skates and get out on the ice. Several of them are in their 70s and the oldest player is 80. They’re looking for another 15 or 20 guys to expand their group into two levels of play. Over the winter they play Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday at the Kinex arena.
When they arrive at about 10 a.m. they draw cards to see who’s on the two teams that day (so there are no set teams) and play each other in an hour and a quarter game. Afterwards it’s off to the Legion for a soup and sandwich and maybe a beer.
“We’re there for the fun. Absolutely!” says 72-year-old Jack Macauley, a spokesperson for the group. “I never skated from age 25 to 42 and then I discovered no hit old timer’s hockey. That was a gift.
“Once I played it I was hooked and now I probably average over 100 games a year the last 20 years. It’s lots of fun and you can practice your skills and not worry about getting hit or hurt. We have guys playing who’ve had their hips or knees replaced and you can’t tell by watching us play which ones have had the replacements.”
Macauley adds, “Playing keeps us healthy. The doctors say we shouldn’t be overdoing it like that, but keep doing it. I want to see more guys enjoying this gift I’ve had for the last 30 years. It’s all about fun. Sometimes we don’t even have a referee, we don’t need a referee, we just show good sportsmanship and respect each other,” he says.
“We’re looking at having two levels of play emerge, sometimes it’s hard for a 75-year-old to play against a 55-year-old, although that’s not always the case. We want to keep the game safe and fun for all of us.”
So if you’re interested in developing or redeveloping your hockey skills and getting a healthy workout too, give Jack a call at 403-357-4156, or Ron McKenzie at 403-506-9184.
acryderman@reddeerexpress.com
