Roller hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using wheeled skates. The term "Roller hockey" is often used interchangeably to refer to three variant forms chiefly differentiated by the equipment used: traditional "Roller hockey", played with quad skates and a ball, "Inline hockey", played with inline skates and puck and "Skater hockey", played with quad skates or inline skates and plastic ball. Most professional inline hockey games take place on an indoor or outdoor sport court. Otherwise, any dry surface can be used to host a game, typically a roller rink, macadam, or cement. Combined, roller hockey is played in nearly 60 countries worldwide.
Variants
Roller hockey is played on both quad skates and inline skates, have different rules and equipment, and involve different types of skating but share the category and name of roller hockey. Roller hockey 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. The stick is more or less the same as in bandy and shinty. Roller hockey bears close resemblance to ice hockey and is played on inline skates, uses an ice hockey stick and includes a lot of fast "racing back and forth" action. Inline hockey goalies use a glove called a catcher to catch shots made on goal, and a flat, usually square, mitt called a blocker which is used to deflect shots on goal. The Quad hockey goalie uses a flat batting glove that provides rebound characteristics when blocking a shot on goal.
Rink hockey
Rink hockey is a variation of roller hockey. Rink hockey is the overarching name for a rollersport that has existed long before inline skates were "re-invented" in the 70s. Rink hockey has been played on quad skates, in sixty countries worldwide and so has many names worldwide. Sometimes the sport is called quad hockey, international style ball hockey, roller hockey and hardball hockey, depending on which region of the world it is played. Roller hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Since 2017, the World Championships have been held every two years at the World Roller Games organised by World Skate. In England, 9 teams currently play in the Roller Hockey Premier League, which is governed by the NRHA.
Roller hockey
is a variation of roller hockey very similar to ice hockey, from which it is derived. It is referred to by many names worldwide, including Ball Hockey, Inline hockey, Roller hockey, Longstick hockey, Deck hockey, Road hockey, Street hockey and Skater hockey depending on which region of the world in which it is played. Like ice hockey, inline hockey is considered a contact sport, however body checking is prohibited. It is similar to ice hockey in that teamwork, 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. 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. When played more informally, the game often takes place on a smooth asphalt surface outdoors. The game is played in three 15-minute periods or if it is higher standard it's played 20-minutes in each of the three periods, plus 10- to 15-minute intermission breaks. The game rules differ from ice hockey in a few simple ways: there is no icing and it is played in a 4 on 4 player format instead of 5 on 5. The overtime method used here is golden goal in which whoever scores first is the winner; 5 minutes is the duration per period. Generally speaking, only competitive-level inline hockey is strictly bound by the governing body's rules. Recreational hockey leagues may make modifications to certain aspects of the rules to suit local requirements. Roller hockey is a growing sport with teams cropping up all over the country. The fact that it can be played on any dry surface means that it can be played in almost any leisure center.
Tournaments
Most competitive youth hockey teams play in tournaments. The tournaments vary depending on location, but a typical bracket system is usually used. World Skate is the international association that organize the biggest roller hockey world championship. Over twenty national teams participate in these events. For inline hockey in the U.S., teams travel to different locations around their state, sometimes even going out of state. There are inner state tournaments and out of state tournaments. There are even national tournaments competitive teams compete for. There are other tournaments located in the U.S but played by players all around the world. Narch and Statewars are two Nationwide tournaments of every skill level and age group. For inline hockey, the sport is governed in Europe by the International Inline-Skater hockey Federation. For rink hockey, the sport is governed in Europe by World Skate Europe - Rink Hockey.
Roller hockey brands
Many of the same brands that make ice hockey equipment also make roller hockey skates including Bauer, Easton, Mission, Tron and many more. There are also some brands that specialize in roller hockey like el Leon de Oro, Tour, Alkali, Revision and Mission. Other rink hockey brands include Reno, TVD, Meneghini, Proskate and Azemad.
