Inline hockey in the UK
Encyclopedia
Inline hockey
and skater hockey
are team sports, similar to ice hockey
. In the UK, there are two main associations that govern inline hockey. The British Inline Puck Hockey Association (BIPHA) govern the sport with rules using a Puck. The British inline Skater Hockey Association (BiSHA) is different to BIPHA as BiSHA uses a Ball, Inline skates
and roller skates
and is played to full-contact rules. GBinline, is a minor association within the country.
BIPHA has nine current regions spread across the UK, regional league winners and runners-up progress to national finals held in Rotherham each summer. BIPHA is able to provide leagues for players at two year age groups beginning at Under 10. The association also sends teams to compete in FIRS
World Championships normally held in the USA.
BiSHA has four current regions and is more popular in the South of the UK with only one league covering the North of England. Similarly to BIPHA, BiSHA holds national championships for league winners and runners-up. BiSHA also sends teams to represent the country, the BiSHA Great Britain team competes in the iiSHF European Championships.
The UK has four specific Inline hockey venues. These are used by each of the associations. Deeside Leisure Centre
, North Wales
, is the largest with Skate Central, Sheffield
being a similar size. Virtual Ice Inline, in Rotherham
, has two small sized pads and is the home venue of BIPHA. Also, the Lord Roberts Centre in Bisley
, Surrey
, has a similar sized rink. For Regional Leagues, often Leisure Centres are used due to the lack of specific venues.
Often, players will play in one or more associations, this is generally due to the lack of players and available teams. Some players will travel to other regions where the standard of hockey may be higher than in their own region.
Inline hockey
Inline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport similar to ice hockey but played with inline skates. Like its parent sport, skaters on two teams use hockey sticks to direct a disk-shaped puck into the opponent's goal; however, various details of the game, such as...
and skater hockey
Skater hockey
Skater hockey is team sport played with a plastic ball. The game is played using inline roller skates or quad skates. It is different to Inline Hockey....
are team sports, similar to ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. In the UK, there are two main associations that govern inline hockey. The British Inline Puck Hockey Association (BIPHA) govern the sport with rules using a Puck. The British inline Skater Hockey Association (BiSHA) is different to BIPHA as BiSHA uses a Ball, Inline skates
Inline skates
In-line skates are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates have two, three, four, or five wheels arranged in a single line...
and roller skates
Roller skates
Roller skates are devices worn on the feet to enable the wearer to roll along on wheels. A first basic type of roller skate consists of a boot with four wheels with ball bearings, arranged in the same configuration as the wheels of a typical car.-History:...
and is played to full-contact rules. GBinline, is a minor association within the country.
BIPHA has nine current regions spread across the UK, regional league winners and runners-up progress to national finals held in Rotherham each summer. BIPHA is able to provide leagues for players at two year age groups beginning at Under 10. The association also sends teams to compete in FIRS
FIRS
The FIRS Index is a share index of the 13 privatisation-investment funds listed on the Banja Luka Stock Exchange , established on 29 July 2004...
World Championships normally held in the USA.
BiSHA has four current regions and is more popular in the South of the UK with only one league covering the North of England. Similarly to BIPHA, BiSHA holds national championships for league winners and runners-up. BiSHA also sends teams to represent the country, the BiSHA Great Britain team competes in the iiSHF European Championships.
The UK has four specific Inline hockey venues. These are used by each of the associations. Deeside Leisure Centre
Deeside Leisure Centre
Deeside Leisure Centre is a sports centre in Queensferry, Flintshire, in Wales. Its facilities include Deeside Ice Rink, an Olympic-sized inline hockey rink, badminton courts and squash courts....
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, is the largest with Skate Central, Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
being a similar size. Virtual Ice Inline, in Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, has two small sized pads and is the home venue of BIPHA. Also, the Lord Roberts Centre in Bisley
Bisley
-Places:* Two villages in the United Kingdom:**Bisley, Surrey**Bisley, Gloucestershire*Bisley Ranges is near the Surrey village and is the headquarters of the National Rifle Association, UK -Others:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, has a similar sized rink. For Regional Leagues, often Leisure Centres are used due to the lack of specific venues.
Often, players will play in one or more associations, this is generally due to the lack of players and available teams. Some players will travel to other regions where the standard of hockey may be higher than in their own region.