I beg to differ on that one. The National Hockey League is filled with players who owe their skills to the countless hours they spent playing by themselves on frozen backyard rinks long after everyone else went home. This, in fact, is what is missing from the modern game of hockey -- the creativity that was engendered by such an approach to the game.
FWIW, I am now a sweaty, smelly mess after a two-hour hockey "practice session" on inline skates. First by myself, then with a small bunch of kids who showed up and wanted to be part of the action.
I'm getting too old to do this kind of sh!t in 85+ heat and 90%+ humidity. LOL.