Shinty in the United States
Shinty was played in its original form throughout North and South America by Scottish settlers until the early 1900s when the practice died out.[1] Shinty, and its close Irish relative Hurley, are recognised as being the progenitors of ice hockey [2] and are an important part of North America's smodern sporting heritage.
Despite this tradition, shinty itself went unplayed for almost 100 years at any serious level until the mid 1980s when Scottish Americans once again took an interest in the sport, with the first club being established in Northern California. Since 2000, a concerted intitiative, with support from the Camanachd Association in Scotland, has seen a revival of the sport. There is now a US Camanachd Association and Cup and clubs are also making the trip to Scotland to play tours.
Northern California Camanachd Club
Northern California Camanachd Club AKA NCCC is a shinty team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was the first shinty club of the modern era in North America being founded in 2001 and has been instrumental in the spread of the sport across the United States.
Set up by Americans with Scottish Heritage, the most important being Michael Bentley, who trainied with Skye Camanachd in 1983, NCCC came into being as a means of particiating in an authentic Scottish sporting activity in 2001.
They contested the first US Camanachd Cup in 2004 with San Luis Obispo Shinty Club and have continued to play against their state rivals on a regular basis.
In 2005, the club made its first tour of Scotland, playing Tayforth Camanachd, Edinburgh East Lothian and Aberdour Shinty Club. They repeated this trip in 2006.
Whilst also being the founders of US Camanachd, the club's players have also spread the game as ambassadors to other parts of the United States and there are now four other clubs in the USA.
Morro Bay Shinty Club
Morro Bay Shinty Club is the second oldest shinty club in the modern era of shinty in North America. The club was founded as San Luis Obispo Shinty Club in 2004, adopting the wider scope of Morro Bay to increase the club's catchment area in 2006.
The club hosts the US Camanachd Cup, played at present between Morro Bay and Northern California Camanachd Club since 2004. The Cup is sponsored by Glenfarclas, who also sponsor Morro Bay. The club plan to tour Scotland in 2007.
Their playing Colours are; Red and white striped top, Black shorts, Blue socks.
Houston Camanachd
Houston Camanachd Club was the third shinty team to be established in North America in the Modern Era in 2005.
The Club was founded by Warren Clifford, a shinty player from the NCCC. It is a developmental aim of the club to compete against the other shinty teams in North America.
Dunedin Camanachd
Based in Tampa Bay, Florida
Washington Camanachd
Based in Washington State.