Ice-hockey is referred to as hockey in the United States and Canada. It is played on ice as a team sport and is the fastest sports as the players on skates can move on high speeds on artificial as well as natural ice surfaces.
This game has two opposing teams with each team having six skaters and they try to knock the goal of the opponents with their angled sticks.
Even today the Dutch paintings reveal that this game was played by some townsfolk in a frozen canal.
This was usually played as the morning sport. The governing body of this game is the Ice hockey association of India.
In 1989, on April 27, the International ice hockey federation became a member, but until 2009 June there are no teams as such participating from India in the international ice hockey federation world championships. K.L.Kumar is the president of this association.
The ice hockey association of India has enhanced opportunities to participate by aiding coaches as well as expatriates of Indians living in Canada and the United States. They have provided the material assistance as well as training. But, it is noted that there is lack of basic facilities as well as equipments for the sports development.
The facilities are lacking is proved as the Indian team have borrowed equipments from the team of United Arab Emirates for the challenge cup competition in 2008.
It has been observed that artificial hockey rinks do not exist in India and the players of the Indian hockey and the Indian hockey members participate in this sport as the climate in northern India is cold to facilitate the outdoor rinks in use.
The Ice hockey association of India is looking for corporate sponsors to develop the infrastructure for ice hockey and also to construct rinks. The members of Indian team co-ordinate the ice hockey association of India with the military regiments and units.
However, the ice hockey association of India is developing programs in the aim of introducing sports to wider audience. They are introducing so that others learn to play and the implementation is completed in Kargil and Ladakh. It is expected to reach Mumbai and Delhi very soon.
The players interested in this sport, but are unable to access owing to the climate and lack of outdoor ice rinks, will be facilitated by the association by holding in-line hockey programs. This is anticipated to build in-line hockey so that it can be played in Mumbai and Gujarat. |
