As parents, my wife and I always wanted a daughter. So you can well imagine our delight when Jenny came along. In no time, she had us wrapped around her little finger and my wife often jokingly pointed out that I was paying more attention to the new girl in my life than I did to her. Which was true actually; as she grew up, I found I just had to allow her to have her way in most things. Of course, there was a line I would not cross but a ‘pleeeease daddy’ often had me drop all that was doing to get down on my hands and knees pretending to be a horse while she sat on my back and laughed deliriously. I quite enjoyed watching her feminine side evolve as she grew, except when it came to sports.

She turned into an avid admirer of outdoor sports with Ice Hockey given top priority to our utter dismay. You can well imagine our trepidation at letting her play a game where the puck often crossed speeds of 100mph and can easily cause injury. A game where strategy in changing room benches most likely revolved around causing maximum physical harm to the opposing team! We imagined tiny knives that could be concealed in the palm for a quick jab when the referee was not looking being passed around just before a game. Probably part of the training involved secret lessons in mortal combat as well!

Gradually as we learnt the game and we watched her play with children her age, we realised all our parental worry was quite misplaced. Our daughter was quite gifted with her speed, dexterity and power packed shots. There were other parents too with the same concern as us but we all came to accept that slowly girls were making an inroad into a sport that was traditionally dominated by men. And the girls were doing a pretty good job too!

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If the tattoos don’t give it away, the stripy socks and knee pads might! It’s Roller Derby. It’s ironic that it wasn’t until I moved to the UK that I got into it, as Roller Derby is huge in Canada. It’s taken a while but now it’s taking off in the UK in a big way. It started off as a women only sport, but now there are male and female teams across the world. I’d really recommend trying a trial session at your local club: I started about six months ago, but my ice hockey (and field hockey) experience stood me in good stead and I’m now a reserve on the team. It’s not a sport for the faint hearted, but then neither are rugby, hockey or soccer! It’s face paced, energetic, and exciting and the camaraderie on the track and on the changing room benches is second to none.

Roller Derby teams have only five members, but most troupes have a lot more members who skate in their recreational league, so don’t be put off. The aim of the game is to let your ’jammer'skate laps against the other team: they protect their jammer and try to block your attempts to protect yours! In basic terms it’s a little bit like playground tag, played on a circular track at high speed, and on skates. Falling over is all part of it, which is why we wear helmets, a lot of padding and mouth guards. Injuries are pretty much inevitable but they’re all part of exhilaration!

I’ve never felt fitter or more confident since I started training, and I can’t wait to get off the reserve bench and play a few games.

Oh, and my skating name? It’s AWESOME. I’ll let you in on the secret next time…

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While ice hockey is a game loved by people in the colder regions of the world, it has a cousin in the warmer climes of the world. Hockey in these regions came with the British colonisation. The British regiments played it as a pastime and passed it along to the local regiments, who in turn found eager players in the local populace. It was adapted to the prevailing conditions and soon found a fan following.

The game became a hit and had a huge fan following before other sports like basketball and cricket usurped its position. It became so popular and the players so passionate about their game that locker room benches often saw tearfully emotional enactments from the losing side. The winning side, of course, spent their time exulting in the heady feeling of victory and were often found doing victory laps around the field.

The sport calls for speed, stamina and dexterity as the ball is guided through the opponents'area, past the defenders into the goal guided and passed along with the end of a hockey stick. Along with this, split second timing and judgement played a big role in the game. Not an easy job when the player is running hunched down from the waist, guiding the ball with the tip of the hockey stick while being chased by fierce opponents hell bent on stopping him and getting the ball away. Players blessed with the ability to weave a winning path through it all went on to become legends in their day.

Sadly, the sport which was passionately followed by whole nations is fast losing out to other games which have taken over the psyche of the people and have a cult following more because of the hype than anything else. Fortunately, this game which had an almost religious following in the past, is slowing making its presence again in the world of sport.

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I love the fact that players have to move on with their game no matter how badly they play. At no point of time do they have the option of stopping and complaining or cribbing about how the game has gone bad. As long as the game is on, you have no option but to give it the best shot. Do think this is a very insignificant point? Why, just observe yourself and try to keep track of the number of things to complain about in an average day.

Chances are high that you complain about things that are just beyond your control. Complaining that your cancer mis diagnosis compensation case is not moving fast is one thing. Complaining that the coffee machine does not give you really hot coffee does not make sense, right? Complaining that your colleague does not appreciate you when you do not reciprocate is foolish, right? One advantage of playing this sport is that you have no option but to move on.

This is one thing that I have learned from the game of ice hockey. What happens when one game comes to an end? Well, there is another game where you will be fighting all over again. It is impossible to have a negative or defeatist attitude towards life when you are focusing on this game.

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A puck that is not flat or is not of the correct dimensions will automatically affect the game. A puck that is thicker than the standard size will be difficult to propel over long distances. A very thin puck will be very difficult to control on the rink. The earliest wooden sticks probable broke very often during the game. People must have had a lot of enthusiasm for these sports in the past for them to stick to the game despite its difficulties and complications.

We often think that people played this game out in the open on frozen lakes and other frozen surfaces. Well, that will make it impossible for the players to control the local conditions. There is nothing stopping the sun from peeking out of the clouds. The ice will become a bit runny when such things happened. The players required a lot of technical expertise to ensure they played well despite the change in playing conditions.

Considering the modern setup with mechanically refrigerated rinks, fancy dressing rooms with lockers, carbon fiber equipment, and professional safety equipment, it is not surprising that some people think that the game has softened up and that the players are leading a pampered life. Of course, there is no point going back to the past but one has to wonder how much people would have loved the game in the past when it was in its infancy.

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There are certain aspects and facets of the game that are designed just to help the participants and stakeholders earn more money. Well, there is nothing wrong with that but to do so by ignoring health and safety is not a smart move. What financial protection do injured hockey players enjoy today? Those who are superstars can obviously demand favorable terms and conditions from the teams and clubs they play for. However, what about those individuals who are not as good as the glamorous superstars of the sport?
Well, greater awareness has helped a lot because there is now a basic protective cushion for those players who get injured. However, there is no real financial protection available for those who suffer long-term injuries because of the sport. Fighting and manhandling has become a part and parcel of the professional hockey leagues. In fact, there are some individuals who watch these hockey leagues simply because they want to see people fighting with each other.

In such a scenario, is there adequate provision for brain injury compensation for an individual who becomes injured in this process? Is there any independent body that speaks and operates on behalf of the players and tries to protect their interests? To rely on those administrators who would not hesitate to convert ice hockey into a pub brawl to attract more eyeballs is not a smart move, right?

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Well, my latest update on this game is going to focus on an individual who is present on the rink throughout the game but never plays for even one second. He is the referee. The referee of the game is in charge of making sure that the game is being played according to the rules. There are other sports where the umpires or the referees spend time on the ground.
The football referee has to run as hard as the players. However, at no point of time is the referee in danger of being assaulted with physical violence. Considering the fact that ice hockey teams have specialists who are trained to bring down other players, the risk of offending one such player and ending up on the ground is always present for the referee. Of course, a player who commits such a mistake in international hockey will have the shortest career in the world. The authorities will simply not accept a situation where the individual refereeing the game is under threat.

I read about Henri Neva who started playing the game when he was six and made his first official appearance as a referee at the age of 16. He is now in charge of the Abu Dhabi Ice Sports Club. Here is a player who likes to act as the referee every once in a while. It certainly is a unique combination and my interest in this concept has got piqued. If a player can become a referee, what is the harm in a woman referee for a game played by men?

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Ice Hockey has been termed by many as a fight on ice where the occasional game breaks out; it is a hard hitting fast paced game, where injuries can arise from a number of mediums. Skate blades, sticks and even the puck which can travel at an astonishing 100MPH can be the cause of some nasty on-ice injuries. The highest or most common injury is caused via player contact and generally account for around 80% of all reported injuries to players.

Cuts and bruises are very common and generally considered part of the game by many, however, there are more serious injuries, which can occur and these include neck and spinal injuries, knee sprains or cruciate ligament damage can occur, but are less frequent. The shoulder is another area prone to damage as is fractures of the hands, fingers and wrists.

The problem that arises for many is the false sense of security players have when they count on the protective gear; this easily and quickly becomes almost like a shield, which they feel makes them impervious to injury and this is when it is most likely to happen, as they are not paying attention to the obvious risks.

If a player has received an injury and requires medical attention, it is then up to the doctor to ensure that they are carefully examined and properly diagnosed and treated. However, this may not always be the case and the injury could be made worse or missed if the attending doctor fails in their duty of care. If it is determined that a doctor or nurse has failed in their duty of care it will need to be established by the professionals and if it is warranted and just, the injured party can peruse a clinical negligence claim in order to obtain compensation.

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Enforcers are very popular amongst crowds as they fight and indulge in violence. The enforcer is an unofficial position in National Hockey League in America. There is no such thing as an enforcer or his dirty tactics in ice hockey when played at the Olympic level. It is seen only at the club level in America.

Is it advisable for teams to employ person just to resort to dirty tactics? What sort of a message does that send out to the viewers? Of course, there are many who love the idea of fighting but should the game focus on such viewers?

The issue has become a crisis as enforcers suffer from permanent injuries and even death. While death due to on field injuries has not yet occurred, the violence has led to psychological problems leading to suicide.

The worst part is that the enforcer is expected to indulge in violence every single time. Even a policeman will enjoy a few days where there is nothing wrong in his or her precinct. Life is normal and the job seems routine. Of course, it does not last but still the peaceful gap exists. This is virtually nonexistent as far as an enforcer is concerned. Would this person fight daily had he opted for care home manager jobs instead? Certainly not. That the enforcer is assigned violent duties is begin to worry critics and followers of the game.

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Such an approach is fine if the sport is viewed as a mode of entertainment alone. However, it also happens to be the sole source of income for many athletes. They cannot afford to practice for just one or two months a year and still hope to be good at the game, right? Well, all these complications can be taken care of by using technology. Any place that can build an ice skating rink can automatically create a stadium where ice hockey can be played. All we need is a specific area to be covered with ice at all times.

Even a developing country exporting stuff like raw material and tin products does have a few ice skating rinks for its elite. In such a scenario, setting up at least one or two stadiums in each and every country should not be a difficult task. As the game becomes popular, people are going to recognize its benefits and are going to enjoy it better. As number of viewers increases, the scope for increase in income will be higher. Such a vicious cycle can be started provided the global body takes an initiative in this regard.

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