Hockey Is For All

Filed under: hockey tips

Sledge hockey is a sport established in order to allow players with disability to engage in the sport’s game plays. It comes in two forms namely ice sledge hockey and inline sledge hockey. Both are played under the same rule with the difference lying on the venue used.

Ice sledge hockey was created in the 60s at a rehabilitation center in Stockholm, Sweden. Since then it has gained great strides and has become the most popular sport in the Paralympic Games. Two men from Sweden showed their undying passion for the game by creating the sledge used in the sport. They did not let their physical disability get in the way of playing hockey.

The pair wittingly fitted two skate blades on a metal frame so that the puck can readily pass below the sledge. They completed their masterpiece by adding two round poles with bike handles that serve as the stick. Even though there have been a lot of restrictions on the weight and measurements of the sledge presently utilized in Paralympics events there have been minimal deviations from the original design.

The standard rules for ice hockey were applied to ice sledge hockey. Modifications focused on the welfare of athletes and their sledge. The entrance to the benches and penalty benches has been constructed to give players access without the assistance of their coach or any other person without disability. Moreover, smooth plastic or ice has been placed on the surface to avoid damage on the sledge of the players.

The Hockey Executive Committee or HECK is responsible for checking equipment used in ice sledge hockey like sledges, sticks, helmets, skates, and protective gears. Sticks have a curved blade at one end with the opposite side of the blade having six to eight metal picks. The picks are placed on the ice to facilitate movement and propulsion. According to HECK guidelines the picks should not protrude more than a centimeter to prevent ice damage and ensure player safety.

Inline sledge hockey is played on a sports hall. A British Paralympian named Mathew Lloyd came up with this innovative game. It has grown and developed through the commitment and contribution of notable organizations like the British Sledge Hockey Association, the Hull Stingrays Elite League Ice Hockey team, RGK (a manufacturer of sports wheelchair), and the British Inline Puck Hockey Association.

Inline sledge hockey does not employ any classification points system unlike other team games such as Wheelchair Rugby and Basketball. Anyone who is equipped with the necessary talent, skill, and knowledge of the game can join events up to world championship levels. Physical disability is not a requisite to do so. Equipment utilized for the sport is the same with the regular inline hockey type except for the sledge and the need for an additional stick.