Fun & Fast

Although ice sports are not widely played in Australia, kids who do get a chance to lace on a pair of skates are often passionate converts within a short space of time.

In the case of ice hockey in particular, many youngster are won over by the novelty and excitement of a game played at pace on a surface that is a world unto itself. Initiatives such as Learn To Play underscore an essential principle common to all IHA Member Associations and competitions.

• For the individual, few sports can build fitness and coordination so quickly or effectively
• In terms of building relationsihps with others, few sports can compete with the degree of cooperation and communication that come naturally to players in a tight-knit, five-a-side ice hockey team
   

Always social, always safe

Contrary to common perceptions fuelled by Hollywood movies and certain NHL highlight reels, ice hockey is a respectful sport with an enviable safety record. Initiatives such as Learn To Play underscore an essential principle common to all IHA Member Associations and competitions: players compete in appropriate contexts, and only when they have the expertise and awareness to do so safely and properly.

Players compete in appropriate contexts, and only when they have the expertise and awareness to do so safely and properly.

Full contact? Full participation!

Until the age of 14, ALL boys and girls play ‘no body-checking’ ice hockey.

As young players are learning the skills of the game, they do not play hockey that includes body checking.  Only when they reach the age of 14, and when assessed by our accredited coaches as having adequate skill and experience, will players have the option to progress to competitions that include body checking.  Players also have the option to chose competitions with no body-checking.

Learning to be comfortable on the ice is a valuable life skill in its own right – but one that not many Aussie kids acquire. Indeed, the relatively small number of participants in Australia’s junior ranks means that the prospects for advancement to a representative echelon are much better than for most sporting codes.

Having said that, junior ice hockey in Australia is first and foremost about enjoyment. 

About respect and participation for all. About the love of movement and the embrace of new skills. About engagement with an inclusive ‘rink community’ that welcomes everybody and understands that there is no fun without safety, no sport without a spirit of mutual care.

IHA Development Camp