Nearly every ice rink in the country has an adult hockey program.

Most people know ice hockey through the National Hockey League, or maybe from watching the sport during the Winter Olympics. But hockey isn't just a game for well-paid professionals or top athletes skating for gold medals. Ice rinks in small towns and big cities all over the world host amateur hockey leagues, where men and women lace on skates and get out on the ice just because they love to play the game.

Michael Wilner is a federal attorney who lives in Los Angeles, and he spends his free time playing hockey in an amateur league. He played the sport during his youth and in college, but was never good enough to take it to the professional level. Still, he's always loved the game, so when he drove by a rink in Culver City in 1991, he decided to stop in and see if they had a league. They did, and Wilner has been playing ever since. Wilner offers the following tips for those thinking of getting involved in this fun and stress-relieving sport:

• Check your local rink. Unlike basketball or soccer, hockey can't be played just anywhere. The sport requires a well-maintained ice rink, so your local ice center or arena is the most logical place to start. According to Wilner, almost every rink in America has some sort of adult hockey program, so stopping by or picking up the phone will likely get you all the information you need.

• USA Hockey. Another good place to start is USA Hockey, the governing body for amateur hockey in the United States. Their website can help you search for a league in your area and fill you in on the fundamentals of the game.

• Hit the ice! Once you join a league in your area, you'll be ready to get out on the ice and start playing. Wilner cautions prospective players to be aware that hockey is an intensely physical sport, and bumps and bruises are common. But it's also a great way to meet people from all different walks of life and form long-lasting friendships. So hit the ice and have fun!
  

USA Hockey—The national governing body for the sport of hockey in the United States.
www.usahockey.com/usa_hockey/main/home/

The US Hockey Report—The inside word on amateur hockey.
www.ushr.com

Amateur Sports.com- Hockey—State-by-state amateur hockey program listings.
www.amateur-sports.com/hockey.htm