It could be the residual effects of turkey, pumpkin pie and Christmas cookies. It could be the trips to Mexico to escape the B.C. winter blahs. It could be injuries, shift work or busy schedules.
Whatever it is, fewer guys are showing up for old old timers league hockey for those 50 and up.
"We're not getting the turnout," said Dave Duddy, one of the organizers who formed the league - affectionately called Hilltop Hockey - in October. "They find it hard to get off the couch."
At the last hour-long match, there was only one spare on the bench for both teams to draw from for the four-on-four game. When the league started, there were around nine players per side.
Duddy wants to see more guys make it out to the rink for games, which are played every other Sunday from 7:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.
"We've got it for an hour," he said. "If you don't exercise you're going to die. Go for a little skate, have some laughs."
The games aren't as competitive as regular old timers either.
"It's just relaxed pond hockey indoors," Duddy said. "It's more laughs. There doesn't seem to be as many laughs in the 35-plus league."
Because the speed on the ice doesn't move as quickly, there is more time to be spent with the puck.
"We get to play with it a bit before we lose it," Duddy said. "Because we play four on four there is lots of open ice and lots of room to play."
He said in Parksville there is even an over-70 league.
"Not that we're going to do that right away."
Hilltop Hockey plays this month March 13 and 27 (tentative). It's $10 for drop-in. Call Duddy at 604-898-3969.
"Bad hockey is better than no hockey," Duddy said.
The old old timers league has the potential to grow over the years as the men currently playing regular oldtimers want to continue to play hockey but can't keep up the pace.
"Will it increase people's hockey careers? Definitely," said Gregg Van Hierden, the president of the Squamish oldtimers league.
"We're hoping there's a venue for those guys who aren't comfortable playing in oldtimers league. I think Hilltop's awesome. I'd like to be comfortable playing in the Hilltop league.
"Some of the guys that are 50-plus aren't touching the puck enough," Van Hierden said. "In the 50-plus there's more time and it's an easier pace."
The regular oldtimers league caters to those 35 and over. There are six teams, with a total of 100 to 120 players. The oldest guy is 62.
"It's gentlemen's hockey," Van Hierden said. "It does get competitive. No one wants to see anyone get hurt and no one wants to be responsible for anyone getting hurt."
Like Hilltop Hockey, it's non-contact and no one keeps score - most of the time.
"Personally, I can't remember if we won or lost by the time I hit the dressing room," Van Hierden said.
But the league does lose players every year. The start time for oldtimers' league is between 10 p.m. and 10:40 p.m.
"That's the number one reason people drop out of oldtimers," he said.
