Hockey
Hockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams compete by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard, round disc called a puck, into the opponent's net or goal, using a stick, known as a hockey stick. The dominant version of hockey in a particular region tends to be known simply as hockey, other forms being more fully qualified.
Field hockey
Field hockey is played with a ball on gravel or natural grass, or on sand-based or water-based artificial turfs, with a small, hard ball. The game is popular among both males and females in many countries of the world, particularly countries in Europe, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South Asia. In the United States and Canada it is played predominantly by women.
The 116-member governing body is the International Hockey Federation (FIH). Field Hockey has been played at each summer Olympic Games since 1908 (except 1924).
Modern field hockey sticks are J-shaped and constructed of a composite of wood, glass fibre or carbon fibre (or both) and have a curved hook at the playing end, a flat surface on the playing side and curved surface on the rear side.
There are 4000-year-old drawings in Egypt of a game resembling field hockey being played. While modern field hockey appeared in the mid-18th century in England, primarily in schools, it was not until the first half of the 19th century that it became firmly established. The first club being created in 1849 at Blackheath in south-east London.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey is played on ice with a small, 7-to-9 ounce rubber disc called a puck between two teams of skaters consisting of a goaltender, two defence players and three forwards. The game is played all over North America, Europe and in many other countries around the world to a greater or lesser extent.
The 64-member governing body is the International Ice Hockey Federation, (IIHF). Ice hockey has been played at the Winter Olympics since 1924, and was in the 1920 Summer Olympics. North America's National Hockey League is the strongest professional ice hockey league, drawing top ice hockey players from around the globe. The NHL rules are slightly different from those used in the Olympics.
Ice hockey sticks are long L-shaped sticks made of wood, graphite, or composites with a blade at the bottom that can lie flat on the playing surface when the stick is held upright and can be curved either way as to help a left- or right-handed player gain an advantage. The blade may only lay three quarters of an inch above the ice when flat on the ice, or a minor penalty will be assesed.
There are early representations and reports of hockey-type games being played on ice in the Netherlands, and reports from Canada from the beginning of the nineteenth century, but the modern game was initially organized by students at McGill University, Montreal in 1875 and, by two years later, codified the first set of ice hockey rules and organized the first teams.
Roller Hockey (Inline)
Roller Hockey (Inline) is a variation of roller hockey very similar to ice hockey, from which it is derived. Inline hockey is played by two teams, consisting of four skaters and one goalie, on a dry rink divided into two halves by a center line, with one net at each end of the rink. The game is played in two 20-minute periods, or similar. For rink dimensions and an overview of the rules of the game, see USA Hockey Inline Rules (official rules). Generally speaking, only competitive level inline hockey is strictly bound by governing body's rules. Recreational hockey leagues may make modifications to certain aspects of the rules to suit local requirements (size of rink, length of periods and penalties).
Roller hockey (Quad)
Roller hockey (Quad) Roller Hockey is the overarching name for a rollersport that has existed long before inline skates were invented. Roller Hockey has been played in sixty contries worldwide and so has many names worldwide. Sometimes the sport is called Quad Hockey, Hóquei em Patins, International Style Ball hockey, Rink hockey and Hardball hockey depending on the part of the world it is played. Roller Hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Barcelona summer Olympics.
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Other forms of hockey
Other games derived from hockey or its predecessors include the following:
- Ball Hockey is played in a gym using hockey sticks and a ball intead of a bug and no skates.
- Air hockey is played indoors with a puck on an air-cushion table.
- Bandy is played with a ball on a football-sized ice arena, typically outdoors. It is in many ways field hockey played on ice.
- Broomball is played on an ice hockey rink, but with a ball instead of a puck and a "broom" (actually a stick with a small plastic implement on the end) in place of the ice hockey stick. Instead of using skates, special shoes are used that have very soft rubbery soles to maximize grip while running around.
- Bubble hockey is played in a plastic sealed table with the 'players' being moved by the use of pushing and turning rods.
- Dek Hockey is a form of street hockey played on a plastic waffle-like dek with boards all around.
- Floorball, or Floor hockey, is a form of hockey played in a gymnasium using a plastic puck or hollow ball, and plastic sticks. It is played in sport halls.
- Foot hockey is played using a bald tennis ball or rolled up pair of socks and using only the feet. It is popular at elementary schools in the winter.
- Gym hockey is a form of ice hockey played in a gymnasium. It uses a plastic puck and plastic sticks.
- Hurling is an Irish game
- Indoor field hockey is an indoor variation of field hockey.
- Inline hockey, played ideally in an indoor rink (plastic surface) or outdoor cement rink with a plastic puck. Using inline roller skates, and is often played by ice hockey players for training purposes when ice is not available.
- Mini hockey (or knee hockey) is a form of hockey which is played in basements of houses. Players get down on their knees, using a miniature plastic stick, usually about 15 inches (38 cm) long and a small blue ball or a soft, fabric covered mini puck. They shoot into miniature goals as well. This is popular throughout North America, though it has not yet made the jump to Europe.
- PowerHockey is a form of hockey for persons requiring the use of an electric (power) wheelchair in daily life. PowerHockey is a competitive sports opportunity for the physically disabled.
- Ringette is an ice hockey variant that was designed for female players; it uses a straight stick and a rubber ring in place of a puck. Note: Ringette distances itself from hockey as it has its own set of rules and is closely related to a mix of lacrosse and basketball.
- Rinkball is a Scandinavian team sport, played in an ice hockey rink with a ball.
- Road hockey is a version of ice hockey played (most typically) on residential streets with or without inline skates, on bare pavement. Games are usually informal with no referee and no set teams. Because the game is played in the middle of the road, it can be interrupted by traffic, at which point someone will yell "car" and players move to the side of the road to allow the vehicle to pass.
- Roller hockey is a category which includes two rollersports: inline hockey and rink hockey.
- Shinny is an informal version of ice hockey.
- Shinty is a Scottish Highlands game
- Skater hockey is a variant of inline hockey, played with a ball.
- Sledge hockey is a form of ice hockey played by the disabled. The players sit on sleds, and push themselves up and down the ice with picks on the butt end of their shortened hockey sticks. The game is played with many of the same rules as regular ice hockey.
- Spongee is a cross between ice hockey and broomball and is most popular in Manitoba, Canada. A stick and puck are used as in hockey (the puck is a softer version called a "sponge puck"), and the same soft-soled shoes used in broomball are worn. The rules are basically the same as ice hockey, but one variation has an extra player on the ice called a "rover".
- Street Hockey is hockey played in a rink of tar on your feet
- Table hockey is played indoors with a table-top game.
- Underwater hockey is played on the bottom of a swimming pool.
External links
Field hockey
Ice hockey
- International Ice Hockey Federation
- myFantasyInsider.com
- CBC Digital Archives - The Spirit of Ice Hockey
- National Hockey League
- Hockey Canada