Skater Hockey Club
The Banbury Bulldogs were founded in 1999 as a recreational hockey club to fill the void during the summer break from the roller disco at Spiceball Park Leisure Centre in Banbury and the centre has been the home of the Bulldogs ever since.
In time (not much time, either) the club progressed from football shin pads and cycle helmets to proper hockey kit, playing to British Inline Skater Hockey Association (BiSHA) rules and entering teams in the Southern Area Skater Hockey (SASH) league.
Nowadays the club enters teams at all age groups - pee wee (under 12), youth (under 15), junior (under 19) and senior.
We have had players representing the Region in championships and have a member of the Great Britain Junior Team playing for us.
The club trains twice a week. The main session is on Saturday afternoons, which is split into three sections so that players can train with their own age group. Pee wee and beginners play from 1.30 to 3.00, youth from 2.30 to 4.00 and the juniors / seniors play from 4.00 to 5.30. Players who “play up” to an older age group also carry on to the next session and, as you can see, there is a deliberate period of overlap for the pee wee and youth teams.
The league and aspiring league players in the pee wee / youth ages also train in Brackley Leisure Centre on a Thursday evening from 6.30 to 8.00.
Seniors and juniors scrimmage (play a practice game) on Wednesday evening at 9.30.
All players joining the club must also join the national association, BiSHA. Prices vary depending on age and also whether you are playing recreational or league hockey.
Membership of BiSHA gives you insurance for both injury and personal liability.
FUNDRAISING
The game of skater hockey is a full-contact sport played at high speed on in-line skates.
Teams field four out-field players and a goal minder but operate with rolling substitutions and squads can be up to 16 outfield and two goalies.
The game is played in sports halls around the country, although there are also some dedicated rinks available. We play with a ball, not a puck, as this moves better over the floor.
The kit list for skater hockey is fairly extensive because body-checking is allowed. All players must wear helmet, elbow pads, gloves, shorts or a girdle, a box and knee/shin guards. All non-senior players must also wear body armour and neck guard and must have a full-face cage fitted to their helmet.
