5 things you never knew about world class roller skate hockey
It’s popular in Latin countries but almost unheard of in the United States: rink hockey. The sport is a bizarre cousin to ice hockey, and the more you know, the more unusual it seems.
1. They play on roller skates
Inline hockey is a completely different sport. This is rink hockey, played on skates with quad-skates (the type where four wheels are arranged in a rectangular shape).
2. They fight for the Latin Cup
There’s a reason we said it’s popular in Latin countries. The designation is used for the Latin Cup, the prize awarded in the world championships. Portugal got the cup in 2014.
3. They play with a yellow ball
Street hockey fans know that a ball or a puck with embedded wheels are the only options. The pros use a heavy yellow ball.
4. You can’t check your opponents
As the rules state, you can’t make excessive contact in rink hockey. That means no checking. That allows players to get away with significantly less padding (they don’t even wear helmets).
5. The rinks require netting
The court is surrounded by netting. Unlike ice hockey’s transparent walls, netting is necessary in rink hockey to keep the ball from bouncing back on the players. Any ball that hits the netting is immediately out of bounds.
