Roller hockey is a form of
hockeyHockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard, round, rubber or heavy plastic disc called a puck, into the opponent's net or goal, using a hockey stick.-Field hockey:...
played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and "
Inline HockeyInline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport played on a smooth plastic surface, such as Sport Court, intended to allow for least resistance with the puck and players' wheels. Inline hockey is most popular in areas with indoor artificial inline hockey rinks...
," played with inline skates. Combined, roller hockey is played in nearly 60 countries worldwide.
Roller hockey played on Quad skates and Roller Hockey played on Inline skates have different rules and equipment, and they involve different types of skating but share the name Roller Hockey.
Roller hockey is a form of
hockeyHockey is any of a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball, or a hard, round, rubber or heavy plastic disc called a puck, into the opponent's net or goal, using a hockey stick.-Field hockey:...
played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and "
Inline HockeyInline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport played on a smooth plastic surface, such as Sport Court, intended to allow for least resistance with the puck and players' wheels. Inline hockey is most popular in areas with indoor artificial inline hockey rinks...
," played with inline skates. Combined, roller hockey is played in nearly 60 countries worldwide.
Game types
Roller hockey played on Quad skates and Roller Hockey played on Inline skates have different rules and equipment, and they involve different types of skating but share the name Roller Hockey. Roller hockey (Quad) is played using traditional quad roller skates, affording greater maneuverability to the player - this results in games filled with fancy footwork, tight maneuvering, and is more similar to football or basketball. Roller Hockey (Inline) bears closer resemblance to ice hockey and is played on Inline skates, and includes a lot of fast "racing back and forth" action. The Roller Hockey (Inline) Goalie uses a Glove, called a catcher, to catch the shot on goal, he also has a flat, usually square, mitt which is used to deflect the shot this is called a blocker. The Roller hockey (Quad) Goalie uses a flat batting glove that provides rebound characteristics when blocking a shot on goal.
Quad roller hockey
Quad roller hockey is a variation of roller hockey. Roller Hockey is the overarching name for a rollersport that has existed long before inline skates were mass produced. Roller Hockey has been played on quad skates, in sixty countries worldwide and so has many names worldwide. Sometimes the sport is called Quad Hockey, Hóquei em Patins (PT), Rolhockey (NL), International Style Ball hockey, Rink Hockey (FR), Hockey Su Pista (IT), Hoquei sobre patins (CA), Hockey sobre Patines (ES), Rulleskøjtehockey (DA), Rullbandy (S), Rulluisuhoki (ET) and
Hardball hockeyRoller Hockey is highly popular and has many names worldwide that mean the same sport. Some common names for names Roller Hockey are: Hóquei em Patins, International Style Ball hockey, Rink Hockey or Hardball Hockey. Roller Hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Summer Olympics in...
-
2008 US adopted Rink Hockey naming convention (
US), depending on which region of the world it is played.
Roller hockeyRoller hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. The term "Roller Hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to two variant forms chiefly differentiated by the type of skate used. There is traditional "Roller Hockey," played with quad roller skates, and...
was a demonstration sport in the
1992 Summer OlympicsThe 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain in 1992.-Host city selection:...
in
BarcelonaBarcelona is the capital, most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the 11th-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris,...
.
Inline roller hockey
Inline roller hockey is a variation of roller hockey very similar to
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
, from which it is derived. The game 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 three 15-minute periods, or similar. The game rules differ from ice hockey in a few simple changes; there is no icing, no body checking, and is played in a 4 on 4 player format instead of 5 on 5. Like ice hockey, roller hockey (Inline) is a
contact sport. It is similar to ice hockey in that team work, skill and aggressiveness are needed. Excepting the use of inline roller skates in lieu of ice skates, the equipment of inline roller hockey is similar to that of ice hockey. Roller Hockey (Inline) is referred to by many names worldwide, including
Ball Hockey, Inline hockeyInline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport played on a smooth plastic surface, such as Sport Court, intended to allow for least resistance with the puck and players' wheels. Inline hockey is most popular in areas with indoor artificial inline hockey rinks...
, Roller Hockey, Longstick hockey, Road hockeyStreet hockey is a type of hockey played on foot, without skates, usually on an outdoor surface ....
, Street hockey and Skater hockeySkaterhockey is team sport played with a plastic ball. The game is played using inline roller skates or quad skates. See Inline Hockey.Skaterhockey is played by two teams, and each team is permitted to have 5 players on the pitch, usually four outfield players and a goalkeeper. The rink is divided...
depending on which region of the world it is played. Generally speaking, only competitive level
inline hockeyInline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport played on a smooth plastic surface, such as Sport Court, intended to allow for least resistance with the puck and players' wheels. Inline hockey is most popular in areas with indoor artificial inline hockey rinks...
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). The fact that it can be played on any dry surface means that it can be played in almost any leisure center.
See also
- USA Roller Sports
USA Roller Sports , formerly the United States Amateur Confederation of Roller Skating, is the national governing body of competitive roller sports in the United States...
- Roller hockey at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Roller hockey was one of three demonstration sports included in the official Olympic programme of the 1992 Summer Olympics, held in Barcelona...
- Street Hockey
- Roller Hockey International
Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey....
- International Roller Sports Federation
The International Roller Sports Federation or Fédération Internationale roller sports is the world governing body for roller sports, including rink hockey, inline hockey, speed skating and artistic roller skating...
- CIRH, Comité Internationale de Rink-Hockey