It is never to late to learn to play ice hockey! Whatever age you are, ice hockey is a great team sport to take up whether it is for exercise or social reasons. If you have been inspired from watching the Panthers grace the ice or fancy taking up the sporting challenge of this dynamic, fast and entertaining sport then playing with the Nottingham Vipers is a great place in which you can learn.
Unlike most other sports, ice hockey is unique as you have to be able to do a skill before you can start to learn to play. So firstly, you need to be able to skate. The ice arena run lots of learn to skate group sessions and there are also private lessons that can be booked at the arena for 1-on-1 skating lessons. If you are under 16 it will be essential for you to pass your skate grades before you are able to join the junior teams. Currently the Nottingham Vipers only ice their senior team (i.e. over 16s) in competitive games but welcome and encourage the under 16s girls to train.
Ice hockey is a very physically demanding sport but the women play a non-checking version of the game. Essentially that means that contact is allowed but it isn't the aggresive version of the game you may have seen on the TV! Nevertheless, once you are all padded-up you feel fairly safe from the knocks and pucks that come flying your way. So, after you have gotten the grasp of skating, acquiring some kit will be the next step and then you will soon find yourself speeding about the ice with stick in hand and causing all sorts of mayhem!
If you are interested in learning more about our team and starting to play then please feel free to contact us and arrange to meet us at one of our training sessions.