Roller hockey is making a resurgence in Hastings. Photo / Ian Cooper
Roller hockey is making a resurgence in Hastings. Photo / Ian Cooper
This summer, the Hastings Open Air Skating Club (HOASC) has seen more and more people wanting to give not only roller hockey but other forms of outdoor skating a go.
HOASC has been around since the early 1950s and is one of the few outdoor skating clubs left in New Zealand. The club has been based at the Windsor Park rink since the beginning.
Skate coach Anita Matthews explained roller hockey and quad skating used to be hugely popular until inline skates came along in the late 90s.
Quad skates, also known as roller skates, are skates with four wheels; one in each corner of the bottom of the skate. Inline skates feature wheels that are “in line” with each other. Inline skates have anywhere from three to five wheels per pair of skates.
“Quad skating as a whole is experiencing a resurgence, and I think this has helped interest in all roller sports,” Matthews said.
Hastings Open Air Skating Club is gearing up for its annual summer classic roller hockey tournament. Photo / Ian Cooper
Roller hockey is a five-a-side fast-paced team sport and is the only quad-skate team sport where two teams face off against one another at the same time; each team tries to drive a hard ball with their sticks into the opposing team’s goal.
Each team has five players on the rink at a time, four of whom are skaters and one who is the goalkeeper. The ball can only be put in motion by a stick, not the skate; otherwise, a foul will be stated.
While the idea of roller hockey can seem scary, Matthews said that rough or dangerous play is not permitted.
The club has learn-to-skate classes for all ages and levels of ability and encourages everyone to just come along for some fun.
“It’s a combination of hockey and skating; if you can do both, brilliant, but we can teach either or both.”
For anyone who feels like giving it a go, you will need skates and, if you can, a roller hockey stick and protective gear, which includes kneepads and shinpads.
Initially, HOASC try and loan new people sticks and protective gear, but the equipment is in short supply.
Hastings Open Air Skating Club encourages everyone that is interested to reach out and give roller sport a go. Photo / Ian Cooper
“We encourage people to bring their own protective gear, and if they are keen to carry on, purchase a stick,” the skating coach said.
The skating club has different age groups for roller hockey, including under 14, under 17, second division, premiers and ladies. Apart from the ladies’ division, all other groups are mixed.
Once a month the roller hockey teams play a few interclub games as well as play against other clubs from across the North Island, including Motueka, Whanganui, Taranaki and Auckland.
The Hastings club has its big summer classic roller hockey tournament coming up. Each year the HOASC holds a summer tournament at Windsor Park and invites clubs from all around New Zealand to play for the weekend.
“It has been a great way to introduce roller hockey to our players,” Matthews said.
This year the tournament is held on February 10, 11 and 12, and with the summer classic, it is a bit more special.
The club is also holding a Hastings Roller Hockey showcase on February 11 from 5.30 pm, with the juniors hitting it off vs Whanganui, followed by the Premier Senior Team vs Auckland.
While the club has seen quite a bit of attention on social media for its roller hockey, the club also covers a number of different disciplines, including figures, dance, artistic and speed skating if roller hockey isn’t for you.
For more information about roller hockey, the HOASC and the upcoming summer classic, check out the club’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HBRollerHockey.
