What is it?

• Hockey is a team game which is played with curved sticks and a hard medium sized ball.  

• It can be played on foot, most commonly outdoors on a grass pitch (field hockey), or on ice or roller skates (see the specialist organisations below for more details).  

• The outdoor version usually involves teams of 11 players, while ice hockey has 6 players and roller hockey 5;  competitions are an important part of the local sport.   

• Wheelchair based hockey is also important.

Find out more

Organisations

English Hockey Association  www.hockeyonline.co.uk/ 

British Skater Hockey Association 01803 850644
Ice Hockey UK  www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/ 
National Roller Hockey Association  www.nrha.demon.co.uk/ 

Magazines

Getting started

• Find a local hockey group or club (see organisations above).

• See if there are introductory sessions at your local club, sports centre, ice or roller rink.

• Consult books or magazines on different types of hockey.

• Check in your local library/paper or sports centre for more information.

What you need

Skills and people

• Field hockey is played by people of all ages and abilities,  and by both sexes.  Ice and roller hockey are more commonly played by younger people. 

• All hockey games and most practice requires a group of other people with whom to play.  Players generally belong to a local group or club who organise fixtures.  The social aspect of club life is also important.  

• It is better if the people you play with are of roughly the same standard as yourself.  Teams will usually be of the same sex, and approximately the same age.

Equipment or clothing

• For anything other than the very informal games, shorts and top and special boots (with or without skates) are usually required.  

• Even in local competitions, teams will usually wear special strip of some kind.    These shirts are generally provided by the group or club.  

• Ice and roller hockey players need special protective gear.

A place or facilities

• There are outdoor hockey facilities attached to many schools and some community halls, as well as many sports centres.  

• The bigger clubs may have their own pitches.  Some sports centres have areas for indoor hockey marked out in their main hall.  

• Ice and roller hockey are played on the relevant rinks.