TalkRollerHockey.net

[wolfie]

To All,

Try the following:

a) Back in 2000 I submitted to all the local Council and School Libraries (that would accept) a PR Document/Pamphlet produced by Roller Sports Australia entitled "The name of the Game is Roller Hockey". The Council Library Catalogue still has it listed - in the Reference Section, better then nothing.

Why do this, because on the odd chance someone was looking up hockey and found roller hockey and may read about the game and become interested. This PR only cost my time but it is there possibly attracting players to the sport.

b) Get your club a website - one that is alive. A website is a creature and needs care and feeding. We (Mackay Roller Sports Assoc) are about to start so you can judge our effort (or lack of) for yourself.

c) Get some books on the sport of Roller Hockey and get them listed in the local Library (Council and Schools).

d) Something we were offered, but didn't take up was a MacDonalds "Business Calendar" For approx $600-$700 we could have a business card size spot on this calendar that was going to be handed out to all MacDonalds' customers (at one store - you would need to pay more for more stores - Mackay has two MacDonalds - third about to open real soon) sometime this year (hasn't happened yet). Maybe I should have "found" the money?

What is the point of all of the above? Getting books and pamphlets in the Libraries means people can find the sport while looking for something else. I used the fact that they were in the Library to advertise, ie in school newsletters, "Come and Try" Roller Hockey need this and that, for more information look up Roller Hockey in the School Library. Website will be added to the above School Newsletter Add next time.

MacDonalds Add, maybe missed opportunity, but in my defence it was expensive (for Mustangs at least) and it was an add for one local store. If we had the website going at the time then it may have been more useful. I looked into obtaining a phone number for Mustangs Roller Hockey, regardless of who was in command that number would always be valid and reach them but the alternatives (sorry Telstra Products) were too expensive. So people will have look at the website and find the contact details there I guess.

Anyone have any more?

Wolfie
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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[wolfie]

Some more items?

The manuals/books that Carlos Ismael authored so long ago. Professionally bound and added to the Library catalogue.

Kos mentioned some time back that the World B's that were held in England were professionally taped. These games with commentary on tape and/or DVD could also be added to the library catalogue.

We need to build up a body of information on the sport so people, anywhere can find it. You do not need this material in every library, just start with the ones that have a roller hockey club nearby to help build awareness and the player base.

Wolfie
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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[Tony]

Most people will have seen the film 'National Velvet' - they will therefore be aware of horse racing. Rocky (1 to infinity) will have introduced the public to boxing. Cool Running was about Bobsleigh racing. There have been numerous films about every sport except roller hockey.
Scripting a film based around roller hockey must be an attractive proposition - simply because it ain't been dun yet !
Beats me how you would actually get anyone to realise this though!!

[wolfie]

Tony,

Hollywood found plenty of quad skaters for Austin Powers and they didn't mind using them in the movie. There should be enough roller hockey players - probably have to be a kids angle - like Mighty Ducks - but on land! Who knows, maybe someone theatrical could work up a script idea - like you said it ain't been done before, although this year Hollywood seems to be playing it safe with sequels and theme movies ie SuperHeros - XMen, DareDevil and Hulk etc.

Wolfie

P.S. Nicole Kidman, way before she was a big star, was the "star" of a nice kids movie called "BMX Bandits". Not sure if it promoted BMX all those years ago, but BMX is now an Olympic Sport! Not connected I am sure, but what the hey!

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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[ACzifra]

Absolutely excellent idea!!

Tony - how about you putting a draft of a plot together, then getting some local English Literature University Students to come and watch Roller Hockey, then put a short story around your brief? If they are looking to be professional writers, they do not have to be hockey players. Similarly, for you to drive this forward, you do not need to be a writer.........

Go for it mate - it's unfair to come up with ideas for others to do - as good as this one is!

You could even use this forum as a sounding board for Plot Lines, Script etc. Obviously HUNDREDS of us around the world who would buy and promote a book/short story, and could do tons of proof reading/offer ideas etc.

Go for it, and use us and your test audience!

Best Regards
Tony Czifra
Director - Competitions & officials
NRHA
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competitions@nrha.co.uk
+44 (0)709 239 6339
(Charged at National UK Mobile Rates)

[Tony]

I find it enough of a task putting a few lines together for a newspaper report!
The fact is, none of us appear to have connections with the sort of people that could make this kind of thing happen.

[wolfie]

If it is a good enough story, it will probably interest at least a drama teaching college. Lets see if between us we can develop what maybe an interesting story and then worry about what happens from there, once we get to that point.

It doesn't matter if this happens now or in years time - if we do nothing - IT WILL NEVER HAVE A CHANCE OF HAPPENING!

Bottom line - it is still a good idea and just needs a little care and attention every so often.

Wolfie
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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[Anonymous]

Okay.

Key things to consider in a successful story for film (I researched this once for another topic)

Concepts that work in films

Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back again.
Underdogs get beaten and ridiculed, then work hard and win out in the end against the best (who are of course the bad guys).
A 'badboy' will always come good for the team/his friends although let them down early in the film.

story will have a moral
story wil have a happy ending
story will have characters that the target viewer can identify with.
story will leave the reader.viewer thinking about what will happen next after the credits role.

Brgds
Tony Czifra (could not log in for some reason).

[Donna Oliver]

I see it more along the lines of Strictly Ballroom.

[YESIAM]

So who's going to play the wig wearing poof out of touch with reality?

[wolfie]

What about the following: (Please take it easy on me - first attempt, rough draft etc - please don't take offense of any stereotyping!)

You need to decide if the focus is Roller Hockey or Roller Hockey is a part of the "background".

The Movie has to be kids focused - afterall that is our target ground. (No Slapshot 1 or Slapshot 2!)

Ok so how do the "kids" meet? How about detention in school? That gets a number of different character types together, sort of like the Saloon in a Western Movie. Why are they there? Various reasons, which we can use to develop character for the characters.

a) They don't attend school sports - not good at playing them, cause trouble when spectator?
b) Misbehave in class during the week - miss out on sports day
c) Don't do homework - complete on sports day instead of going/participating
d) any others?

We need about six characters - enough but not too many! Plus you only need six for a Roller Hockey Team.

Who are they? (N.B. Fiction Warning - Great dose of stereotyping about to be served!)
1) Disabled boy? (deformed hand) Can't play school sports, soccer for example, his "hand" would be seen! Not on the cheer squad and is teased by other school children.
2) Rich Kid looking for attention? Ends up in Detention after various pranks.
3) Average Kid 1 - refuses to play School Sports wants to play "his" sport - an individual sport ie Ping Pong, Tennis, Darts for example, basically non-team sport.
4) Non-Anglo Culture Kid - from Asia, Africa etc - finds it difficult to "fit in".
5) Average Kid 2 - Always "sick" - can't go out into the weather and spectate, or play etc
6) TomGirl - the Girl the boys don't notice because she is one of the guys.

So opening scenes are about how they "make it" to Detention.

What happens next - a catalyst to get them together and out of detention.

New teacher to the school (temporary replacement of sick/long service leave teacher) sees the Detention Room as an excuse for the kids and and easy way out for the school so the sports days can always be happy and great.

Teacher challenges the kids to find a sport for all of them. If the school doesn't provide one then it is up to them to find one. The dialog would have to be very convincing here because this is the motivation point of the movie. Basically the teacher is trying to convince the kids that it is their idea. Rich Kid could be "big mouth" in discussion and "lead" by teacher. ie if we could chose our own sport we would be out of here. Average Kid 1 says his sport would be great, how is he to bring along the rest of the "no hopers" etc. The kids don't really want to be in detention, but it is better then school sports day. As the teacher finishes talk, the sports teacher walks after over hearing the conversation and states that any game that "these kids" find and try to play his team of "athletes" (the soccer players, the rugby players bascially all the school sports players) would beat them.

Next Scene:
They then start researching sports that can have six players. Basketball for example etc etc Discussion about what the kids can and can't do. Disabled Boy proves to be a challenge in finding a sport for him to play. Eventually work around to ice hockey - but no Ice Rinks in town. Visting a US Website that has roller hockey as a land based version of ice hockey. They can all roller blade to some degree so reckon America roller hockey is it. After all Disabled Boy can be goalie! Start looking for roller hockey in England and find the "true roller hockey". The Quad Skates look a bit dorky. So try to find Inline Hockey and visit a website and find the cost of equipment etc and return to "true roller hockey". They only real equipment they need there is goalkeeping equipment and roller hockey sticks. The other equipment can be "borrowed" maybe a scene of the kids up to antics getting some of the basic stuff - shin pads, loin protection etc from their athlete school mates?

Start with cricket pads for goalkeeper kickers etc. Try to learn from internet downloads.

Next Scene:
They have to find a coach, although they don't know that yet. They visit a couple of garage sales looking for equipment, rich kid has some allowance money. They find a photo or two of a team of roller hockey players that represented the town a number of years ago. So begins the search for the old players, hoping one will be their coach. Eventually they end up with the former team goalkeeper. Not only has he still got his old goalkeeping equipment he also has a selection of sticks and balls (or they get some from one of the other former players). And training begins. The coach does a great job of building up the self esteem of the team's goalkeeper for example and the other kids also find a role in the team.

Next Scene:
They find some opponents to test their skills - they in roller blades against another team in quads. The rink they play the game in is the "home rink" of rich kids half sister who is artistic skater. Average Kid 2 is actually sick this day or one of them can't make for true "hollywood" type reason and they need a reserve so half sister fills in, shows them the true value of quads in a game of roller hockey - could start with not passing to the half sister etc in the game even though she is open etc.

Next Scene:
While all this is going on Sports Teacher is preparing his athletes.

Next Scene:
Game Day: Coach pulls out old town uniforms for the kids to wear on the day. The Sports Teacher has his team decked out in all new equipment etc. Ready for battle.

Along the way the kids resolve their problems:
1) Disabled boy? Becomes excellant GK as Glove covers hand but still serviceable in the game of roller hockey.
2) Rich Kid - Dad makes it to the game to see his son truly lead.
3) Average Kid 1 - the individual becomes part of a team.
4) Non-Anglo Culture Kid - he is part of the team and plays well and that is all that matters.
5) Average Kid 2 - Gains confidence - doesn't "need" to be sick anymore.
6) TomGirl - becomes a girl but enjoys roller hockey because she can compete with the boys.
7) Rich Kid Half Sister - parents reconcile to be friends, enjoys showing up the boys with her superior skating and teachers the Tomgirl about being a girl. And gets to know her half brother.

Wolfie

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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[Anonymous]

Excellent. What happens next? Who are the bad guys? Gangs involved? Although I dont like the involvement of inline teams - inline skates = fine.

Keep it going!

[wolfie]

The Inline involvement is to show that there are two "roller hockey" games out there and try to educate the public without "dishing on" Inline Hockey directly.

The bad guys are the Sports Teachers "athletes" - by the last few paragraphs I was running out of steam (it was 1:30am Australian time when I was writting it).

Wolfie
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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[wolfie]

Scene Change:

Replace this scene:
Next Scene:
They find some opponents to test their skills - they in roller blades against another team in quads. The rink they play the game in is the "home rink" of rich kids half sister who is artistic skater. Average Kid 2 is actually sick this day or one of them can't make for true "hollywood" type reason and they need a reserve so half sister fills in, shows them the true value of quads in a game of roller hockey - could start with not passing to the half sister etc in the game even though she is open etc.

With this scene:
The team is at practice at the skating rink. Mum drops off rich kid half sister for Artistic Skating Lesson. Dad present to pick up rich kid - they have a tiff. Rich Kid half sister takes interest in Roller Hockey talks to Coach. Coach suggests she wear a pair of roller hockey quads (afterall don't want the artistic quads getting dirty) and she will need to get use to them a little because of top stops. Hands her a roller hockey stick and involves her in the last part of the training session. Her on quads completely out skate the team on blades. The team realise the advantage of quads and begin to train on them. Maybe possible romance between RK Coach and (female) Artistic Coach after Artistic Coach has a go at RH Coach for "stealing" her star!

Rich kid and half sister training together bring arguing parents back to reality. Just these four characters could be developed into a major subplot given time.

Wolfie
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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey

[wolfie]

Expanded Scene (bit more explanation)
Next Scene:
Game Day: Coach pulls out old town uniforms for the kids to wear on the day. The Sports Teacher has his team decked out in all new equipment etc. Ready for battle.

This is the moment of battle, the Detention Kids Vs the Athletes. NRHA Referees are called in to ref the match, the Detention Kids look good in the old town teamshirts and quads and knee pads etc. The Athletes are more decked out like Inline Hockey players - uniform wise, have the cheer girls and general school support. The Athletes of course play a bit rough because the Detention kids can out skate them, a couple of hundred possible game situations could be done before full time, not to mention action in the stands, maybe Artistic Coach is supporting RH Coach. Rich kids parents agree to truce etc etc. This is where the Detention Kids win the game, good closing song all viewers go home happy.

Next Movie? Well they have to be regional champs don't they? And Coach has to get his old team back together? Then National Champs and then......

Wolfie
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Mackay Mustangs Roller Hockey