Tim Rotheisler can remember back to when wooden sticks, aka ìlumber,î were the norm throughout hockey arenas large and small.
But with the renaissance of composite sticks in the past five to 10 years, and their accompanying expensive price tags, the Chestermere resident knew something had to change.
Last week, he officially became the newest franchisee for Integral Hockey Stick Repair, a west coast-based company who uses aerospace technology to repair broken composite sticks, made from lighter materials such as carbon fiber, to like-new condition.
ìI want to help people to be able to afford to play,î said Rotheisler, whose service, at $55 per repair, is the only one of its kind in the Calgary area.
ìI was already bothered by the cost of getting your kids involved with hockey. And I was looking for something to get involved with right now and I got interested in it because there is such a cost savings.î
Brand new composite sticks, which are lighter and more flexible than wooden sticks, can easily cost between $200 and $300. He said previous composite repair services have led to substantial loss of flexibility in the sticks and could affect several inches on either side of the break, along with a considerable increase in weight.
Rotheisler couldnít discuss the specifics on exactly how the repair process takes place, due to proprietary information and Integralís patents, but he did say it is done through the inside of the hollow carbon fiber sticks. He cuts near the break and uses a process to rebuild by removing and adding carbon fiber with no noticeable change in respect to weight, flex, kick-point and balance.
ìIíve seen attempts at this before, and I never would have got involved if I wasnít so impressed with the results,î Rotheisler said.
ìIíve tried the sticks out, and have had players on my sonís team try them out, and nobody can tell the difference. There is no compromise to the weight, the flex, the balance ñ itís exactly the same. If anything, the stick is better than it was. This system is by far superior to anything available right now. Anyone who has experience with stick repair or stick recycling may not be favourable to it, but if they tried this out, Iím convinced they would.î
Rotheisler grew up playing in Calgary Minor Hockey system and has coached for the past nine years. His son, now 29 and also a coach, played hockey growing up as well, and he said there were times when equipment became a heavy financial burden.
ìIf we had to go fork out $200 or $300 for a stick, on a tight budget, he might not have been able to play,î Rotheisler said.
He is confident the new repair system will be very well received and hopes Junior A, Junior B, Midget and Bantam teams, along with recreation league players, will discover the cost-saving benefits.
ìIíve turned my garage and part of my home into a shop and Iím ready to go,î Rotheisler said, adding that he is looking into setting up displays at tournaments and the possibility of affiliation with area hockey associations.
A video clip showing the performance of a repaired composite stick can be viewed at www.integralhockeynecalgary.com
For repair inquiries, contact Rotheisler at 403-235-1072 or [email protected]
