New Players Start Here.....
What's it all about?
Skater Hockey is an exiting sport that combines skating skills, stick handling and team work. It appeals to many kids, initially because of the cool looking kit that has to be worn and its resemblance to ice hockey. But beyond the initial superficial impression, lies a sport that soon becomes addictive. See the GAME section for a more detailed overview of the game and how it is played.
Good for Players
Players that feel excluded from other more 'traditional' sports can find an identity in skater hockey. All levels of skill are accommodated, even within the same team.
Players play within their age group. Minnows Up to 9, PeeWees 10-12, Youth 13-15, Junior 16-18, senior 18+. Players age is judged at the end of the current calendar year.
No it isn't! Parents beware! This sport takes over your life. This is a SKATER HOCKEY warning. Perfectly normal families have had their lives turned upside down by this sport. Counselling is available. Medication is not - well , nothing legal anyway. The best way is to just give in. Start playing the sport yourself. Volunteer to help run things. Get involved. Some of the time you will regret it, but most of the time you wont. You have been warned!!
OK, So how do I start?
Street sports:
Oxfordshire City Council run the 'street sports' program during (non-winter) school holidays and the summer evenings. This program includes Football, Basket ball and skater hockey, run by professional coaches. The Skater Hockey sessions are run by Aldie Chalmers (The Oxford Blues Coach) and are often attended by other experienced players.
Various outdoor sites around Oxford are used. Sticks, helmets (and some skates) are provided, although own skates are recommended. Knee pads and gloves are recommended, but full kit is not required. The sessions ARE FREE and a brilliant way for kids to get into the sport, and see if they like it. Although it is officially for 8-18 year olds, grown ups often join in as well - to help out. Just turn up and play.
For further information, contact the Oxford city council sports development officer on 01865 252327.
Wheatley park Sports centre on Saturday nights:
Wheatley park sports centre has open hockey every Saturday
night at 8:30-10:30. All ages (including adults) and abilities welcome. Full
kit not required. This is a great fun way for all the family and all abilities
to have a go. See the TRAINING at Wheatley section for details and a map. See RollerMania for some pictures.
Adult Hockey Sessions:
There are a number of 'Adults-only' sessions throughout the week that are organised by the players. These are currently loosely organised as beginners, developing players and women players.
Monday night at Wheatley park is for allcomers and any one wishing to try out the sport. (10:00-11:00 turn up and join in)
Wednesday
night at Marston ferry sports center
Thursday night at 10-11 at Blackbird Leys for ladies only
See TRAINING section for latest details on available sessions.
These sessions do not demand full protective kit. Either
E-mail myself richardg@ovation.co.uk, or call Sue Edwards on 01865 767282 for further information.
Come along to any of the above sessions, or to the kids training sessions (See TRAINING section for location and times) and see what its all about. You
will be made most welcome.
I'm Hooked, so where do I go from here?
Join the Oxford Blues club
Oxford Blues charge £20 initial membership, and £5 per year
thereafter.
Full regulation kit is required to train and play. Some kit
is available to borrow.
Training is around £1.50 per hour.
For this you get:
The
benefits of club Membership (and a little plastic card)
Subsidised
training sessions
Insurance
cover
The right to wear the Oxford blues
logo!
See CLUB section for further details.
If you want to play in the league or any BISHA sanctioned matches then you will also need BISHA membership. This ranges from £17.50 to £45 per year depending on age group.
Why Join Oxford Blues.?
Put simply - its a great club. Oxford Blues skater hockey club is run for the benefit of its players, not for the egos of its parents. It concentrates of bringing the best out of players and encouraging team spirit. It is one of the few clubs in the country to have teams covering all age ranges from minnows to veterans. New players are constantly being encouraged to join at all abilities and age groups. Any one who is keen and willing is welcome.
Because Skater Hockey is a minority sport, there is no
multi-level league structure as such. This means that both beginners and
National level players play together and get to know each other. We have
players who play for Great Britain, regularly coaching and playing with
absolute beginners.
Any other questions?
Is it safe?
When all the protective gear is worn, injury is very rare indeed. Touch wood, over the last few years there has been virtually no serious injury of any club member while playing a match or training in full kit. The protective kit does work, and is a requirement to play seriously.
Is it expensive?
Unfortunately - yes. But there are many ways of minimising the investment in the essential protective kit.
Expect to pay about £100 for a reasonable pair of new skates - half this second hand (foot?), twice this for a high quality pair.
The usual
bill for a set of protective equipment bought as a mixture of secondhand and
new kit is £300-500. See the FOR SALE section for
the latest bargains available.
The kit requirements are listed in the Equipment section.
Each year , the BISHA (The British Inline Skater Hockey Association) organises local regional league competitions to find the best team(s) in the regions around the country. Oxford is in the Southern Areas Skater Hockey region - SASH. This region includes Milton Keynes, Reading (two clubs), Oxford(Two clubs), Newbury and a team from Wales..
These regional championships are played over the season - February to September on Sundays at a single venue. This has recently changed to Farnborough for the 2002 season. We were at Newbury (Greenham common) for the 2000/2001 seasons.
The League championships take 4-6 teams in each age group, and each play against each other 3-4 times in the season. Points scored give teams their place in the league. The team(s) at the top of the league at the end of the season go to the National championships - usually up 't North - over a long weekend to find the National champions (and runners up) to represent Britain in the European Championships.
As well as League matches, the club organises and is invited to, various 'friendlies'. These may be an afternoon at another club, or a Tournament held over a weekend, from Wales to Sheffield to Blackbird leys. These events are often what get remembered over the year - for good or for bad!
Once a member has paid up his(her) club and Bisha membership and has a full set of kit, he may play in these league and friendly matches, although it may require a couple of months training to feel confident enough to play in a full match.
As well as the game, the club often has social events - barbeques, street skating, sponsored skating and the annual presentation night.
There are regular club meetings where the committee,
managers coaches players and parents meet to discuss club matters. But the real
social scene is at the matches and training sessions, where many new
friendships are formed.
Joining a new club
can be daunting for players and parents, with many unfamiliar faces and a
feeling of not knowing quite what is going on. I hope that this website can
provide some of the essential information and answers some of the questions
that are always asked.