An Introduction To Ball Hockey

Have you ever wanted to play Ice Hockey but cant skate and cant afford all the gear? Well maybe Ball Hockey is the sport for you!.

Ball Hockey really is exactly the same, same rules just less equipment when it comes to competitive games all you need is Stick, Gloves, Football or Hockey shin pads and an Helmet with or without a visor that's your choice but if your under the age of 18 or a female you have to have a full cage on. That's really all you need equipment wise a lot less than Ice and Roller! I'd also recommend a box to protect the valuables.

Ball Hockey is growing at an amazing rate with teams popping up all over the country. I play for the Sheffield Knights who also have a development team called the Sheffield Lancers who play separate leagues game too the knights and despite the different name wear the same uniform because when it comes to competitions we all play under the banner of the Knights. Were apart of something called the Yorkshire Ball Hockey Club which includes the Knights (and Lancers), Kingston Royals from Hull who are just about up and running and Leeds Centurions who are currently being set-up and all that is in an attempt to increase sport. There is also a fourth team in the arena that aren't part of the Yorkshire Ball Hockey Club and that is the Sheffield Steelers who used to be the Rotherham Renegade before EIHL side Sheffield Steelers took them to play under their banner in which they have started a youth academy so it's obviously your choice on who you'd like to play for but here at Frozen Steel we will be covering Sheffield Knights, Sheffield Lancers, Leeds Centurions (when there finally up and running) and the Kingston Royals and maybe the Sheffield Steelers A and B team but I'd need the editors to get in contact to see if they'd like extra coverage.

If you wanted to try the sport and your in either of the three areas then I'd contact the Centurions and Royal about going training with them when there all set up, Kingston Royal are just waiting on a venue and there all set to go but if you don't want to wait the Sheffield Knights train on a Friday night at the Simply Skate Arena in Rotherham 9.30pm till 10.30pm and at the Knights we don't care if you've never even held a stick in your life we want you to come on down and give it a go.

Harry Verity attended his first Knights training session last Friday and here is what he had to say.

"On Friday I went training with the Knights and to be honest I had a really good time. I'd never played hockey before and I was worried that I was going to look a right idiot. To my surprise everyone was very supportive and I ended up having a right good laugh (despite the difficult training exercises.) I learnt that ball hockey is a lot harder than it looks, but with the training that is on offer with the Knights I am certain that I will improve in the future, the Knights are a good group of lads, and I would definitely recommend joining if you are up for playing hockey and if enjoy a good laugh. I'm certainly coming back next week and I just want to thank Tom opening my eyes to the world of ball hockey."

You can find the Sheffield Knights on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sheffieldknightsbhc or you can follow them on Twitter at @Sheffknights. You can also visit the Knights website http://www.sheffieldknights.co.uk/ so look forward to our ball hockey coverage with our first coverage coming on the 12th September when the Knights take on Swiss side La Chaux-de-Fonds at Queens Road, Sheffield face-off at 5pm so get down and support them.

This is a promo video in preparation for that game on the 12th

The Central Conference for the 2015/2016 season has increased from 10 teams last year to 15 this year with there being 7 teams in Division 1 and 8 teams in Division 2. The league format will remain the same with promotion/relegation with the winner of Division 2 automatically going up and the 7th place team in Division 1 automatically going down. There will also be something new to contend with as 6th place team in Division 1 and the 2nd place team in Division 2 will play a promotion with the victorious team either avoiding relegation or earning promotion.

The teams taking part in the Central Conference:-

Division 1

Nottingham Werewolves, Nottingham Jackals, Sheffield Steelers A, Greasley Bears, South Notts Outlaws, Sheffield Knights and Nottingham Direwolves.

Division 2

Nottingham Timberwolves, Clifton Cobras, Sheffield Lancers, Nottingham Hoods, Sheffield Steelers B, Shaw Millionaires, South Notts Reapers and Slovan Manchester.

I for one am really excited about covering the Central Conference for the Knights and Lancers as it looks to be an exciting season.

Tom Walkeden
Sheffield Knights #96

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