If you are thinking of starting a new and fun sport in the new year, this might be what you are after. Ice hockey is an increasingly popular team sport, with a fast rising number of specialised installations in which to practise. In the U.S., Canada or Russia, this sport has thousands of followers, and professional championships that compete with those of basketball and football in popularity. It is currently played in over 30 countries, and the number of followers increases annually.�

Origins
The sport originated in 19th century Canada, although it was supposedly invented by English soldiers based on that side of the Atlantic. Its popularity grew rapidly and between 1880 and 1890 various leagues and associations were started up in Canada, country in which it is regarded as the national sport par excellence. It was then that it crossed the border to the U.S., where they began playing it in 1893. A few years later it landed in Europe, especially Germany. By the start of the 20th century it had reached the rest of Europe.

Basic rules
A game of ice hockey is made up of two teams with a goalkeeper and five players, which are constantly substituted as in basketball. The speed of the skates and the continuous changes give the game great dynamism and prevent fatigue among the players.

The game involves placing the puck in the rival's goal as many times as possible in the 20 minutes that make up each half. The players use a metal or wooden stick whose length cannot exceed 152 cm and is ideal for hitting the puck across the ice. The winner of each game is the team that scores the maximum number of goals by the time the final whistle goes. If the game is drawn, an extra 10 minutes are played, where the golden goal rule applies, in other words, the first to score wins the game. If no-one scores, a draw will be the final result.

The players are equipped with a stick and special protection to prevent injury in the event of a fall or collision (normally involuntary). This protection is made up of padded shoulders, rigid gloves on the hands and helmets. The keepers are even more susceptible to injury and wear additional knee protectors, a metal mask and a wider stick than the rest of the team.

The other essential item of equipment is the pair of skates, which are different to those normally used in other ice-based sports. They are called blades, because the blade is thinner and shorter, making for a lower and more resistant skate.

Non-violent
The European image of ice hockey is that it is a violent and aggressive sport, most likely because of the footage from the U.S. league where players often end up in a ruck. In truth, as in other sports such as rugby, this is a very noble game where fights are uncommon, even when they are broadcast all over the world. In fact, to prevent this sort of violence, players can be suspended for 2, 5 or 10 minutes depending on the seriousness of the action: holding back a player, pushing him, tripping him with a stick or being aggressive.

Ice hockey rinks in Spain
If you decide to practise this sport, it is best to head for one of the many ice rinks in Spain where you will be able to join a team. You will also find information about the many existing specialised clubs. Some of the most important rinks are found in Boadilla and Legan�s (Madrid), Barcelona, Vall d�Aran and Puigcerd� (Catalonia); San Sebasti�n and Vitoria (Basque Country); Jaca (Arag�n); Valladolid (Castilla y Le�n) and Canilo in Andorra.

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