Ice Hockey

Junior Ice Hockey

Did you know that there are over 30 clubs across the country, giving opportunities to hundreds of junior players from age 6 to 19?

Ice hockey is a fantastic sport. If you love ice skating, enjoy speed and excitement then this could be the sport for you!

Quick facts:

How many players make up a junior ice hockey team?

Six on the ice at a time, 1 goalie, 2 defence, 3 forwards squad size from 15-20

Are they mixed teams or boys and girls?

All junior hockey is mixed, girls-only teams start at u16

The aim of the game……

Control the puck (black rubber disc 3” wide x 1” thick) with the stick and score into a goal measuring 4’ x 6’ at either end of the ice rink.

Younger players u9/11 use the cross-ice for a smaller playing surface. Most U.K. rinks measure 56x26m or 60x30m.

What age do GB teams start?

There are GB u16 teams but formal international competition starts at u18 for both men and women.

Can kit be hired at rinks?

Yes! Most junior clubs have equipment that beginners can borrow for their first few sessions - helmet, shoulder pads, gloves and leg pads is the minimum needed. Clubs can also advise where best to purchase equipment.

Lockdown motivation

Junior ice hockey clubs, like all sports clubs, have had to make changes over the past few months as new guidelines are introduced which impact the way the players can go about the sport they love.

Usually each age group starts their league games in September, however due to COVID it has not been possible to start the regular season yet. Hopefully they can start soon following the latest announcements on the lockdown.

During the most recent lockdown, when once again players were locked out of their rinks, clubs had to find other ways of keeping players involved and motivated.

At Nottingham IHC, the juniors have been taking part in weekly Zoom sessions with coaches to maintain fitness and look after the players’ mental health too.

The younger players have also been taking part in challenges such as designing a new shirt or a zamboni (ice resurfacing machine), trying new sports or eating 5 fruit or vegetables a day. Prizes have been donated by other parts of the hockey community for the best players.

Learn to Play

Billingham Junior Stars on Teesside, the home club for GB forward Robert Dowd, want to give their players the opportunity to follow in his footsteps. They are using the Learn to Play programme to encourage more young people to start playing ice hockey and then, hopefully, join the club.

Learn to Play (LTP) is run by many clubs to give young people their experience of ice hockey from the age of 5 and upwards. Organised games start for Under 9s, with age groups rising u11, u13, u15, u18 and u20.

Information on all of the junior clubs in the country can be found on the EIHA website https://eiha.co.uk/find-your-local-hockey-club/

GB Ice Hockey

GB Men took part in an Olympic Qualifier in February but sadly just missed out on qualifying for the final stage. Details here https://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/2020/02/09/great-britain-1-4-hungary/

However, GB Women have yet to begin their campaign to try and qualify for the Olympics 2022. The competition is due to start in October 2021.

You can find the names of the most recent GB Men and GB Women players below:

https://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/list/gb-men-2019/

https://www.icehockeyuk.co.uk/list/gb-women-2019/

With thanks to IHUKTV for the use of videos in this article.