Inline Hockey Action at Bay Skate, Napier
Inline hockey is fast, exciting and builds a strong camaraderie among players. It's for boys and girls and is great for staying fit and healthy. Put simply, inline hockey is very similar to ice hockey but without the ice skates, with the ice being replaced by concrete.
Inline Skating & Rollerblades
Inline hockey is played with inline skates, commonly know as 'rollerblades'. All of the equipment is the same as ice-skating with only a few minor differences to the rules. For instance, instead of five players playing at any one time, there are only four in inline hockey. Also, there is no intentional body checking allowed and the layout of the rink is slightly different as well.
The Napier Sharks
Inline hockey has been around in Napier since the mid 90s. The Napier Sharks is the local club and is a part of the lower north island region, which comprises of clubs from Napier, across to Whanganui and down to Wellington. The governing body is Inline Hockey NZ, (www.inlinehockeynz.org.nz) who over-see the administration of the sport across the country.
Inline Hockey at Bay Skate
The Napier Sharks have won national championships and its players have gone on to represent at regional and international levels. Inline hockey was based at the old Marine Parade skating rink for a number of years along with the other roller sport codes up until 2002. From now and into the future, inline hockey will be sure to see a resurgence at Bay Skate.
