I have to say in my 28 years of being alive I can count on one hand the amount of books I have read on my own. But I recieved this book from my wife for christmas this year. I guess she had hopes on me reading more. Well she was right. I picked up the book thrusday morning about 11:00 am and finished it that afternoon. I really enjoyed reading this book. It actually took me back to when I was really young and skated on a small lake my grandparents lived on in Kinston Ontario. I feel almost compelled to build my own rink in my back yard this winter. I won't but it would be great to do it.
Thanks

I have been enchanted by this book. A newcomer to hockey, as both fan and player, I have been soaking up information and lore eagerly. This book satisfies both the urge to learn about hockey, and my wish to experience more of the true joy of the game. Taken out of the huge arenas with the expensive nachos and plentiful beer, there is a game that generations have loved to play and perfect. There are kids playing here, and adults, men and women. There are friends who help shovel the backyard rink, and those who show up later. And there are stories of other backyard rinks, of ponds, and of pros. If you like hockey, I don't see how you could go wrong with this book.

Home Ice is one of those books you want to read in one sitting without putting it down. Even if you have never skated on natural ice, or never skated at all for that matter, you will relate to this book. In building his own backyard rink several years ago, Falla discovered a venue which brings family and friends together time and time again. Just as a campfire in the woods draws people to it, the rink has drawn family and friends to his home. It is a place where differences are forgotten, where strangers become companions, where a rhythm of living takes over, and where a natural order pervails. Falla has been able to capture the anticipation of looking forward to that first ice, that first time of the season when you lace up the blades, step onto the ice, and find that you have come home. This book should be on everyone's shelf.

My team, the San Francisco Earthquakes, has several beginner players. Most of them had been to beginner hockey classes, but they still didn't know many of the basics. I set out to find a book that would provide these basic lessons and answer many of the new players' questions. I looked at several books, but this one had the best fit. It is written for beginners, but will also serve experienced players who need to review the basics. What to do, where to be, how to shoot, when to pass? These questions and many more are all answered clearly and simply. This is a book for beginners. Intermediate and advanced players may be looking for more insight than this book provides. My teammates now know what to do most of the time. If they'd only skate a little harder...

This book is truly a very good book for learning how to play the wonderful game of hockey both at the beginner level and advanced level. At the beginner level it shows and tell you how to skate, stop turn, foward and backward crossovers. It also has rules of the game which are especially helpful for the beginner level. It has drills that one should perform to get better. For the intermediate through advanced level it has even more drills and techniques that even the beginners should get to know. It shows how to shoot the puck defensive, offensive and even goalie tactics. It has a conditioning with nutrition chapter, pregame stretches and even the mental game. And finally at the end it even tells you how to build a rink and how to organize and coach a team. Even if you think you know everything about hockey I can almost guarantee you there is something in this 220 page hockey-training masterpiece. I've been playing for only two years and I have learned a ton from this book and you will most definitely too.

I've bought about 7 or 8 books on various aspects of hockey over the past few weeks, and each has taught me something, but I really needed one that could tell me *how the game is played* -- where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing in different situations. This book did just that by explaining the basics of offense and defense with both text and easy-to-follow diagrams. I have a good overall sense of the game now, as well as specific admonishments to keep in mind (like not to chase a puck carrier behind the goal, and not to follow crisscrossing forwards when backchecking). I plan to read this book again in a month (after I've played a few games on an organized team), and I fully expect to absorb even more.