My Journey From Bandy to Ice Hockey
BANDY is a game that is played all over the world. It is a non-contact team sport that involves two opposing teams. It is also known as field hockey. It has many variants like men’s, women’s, indoor, etc. The game has been an integral part of the Indian culture for a long time. Indian fieldsmen played this game even before the British colonized our country. Like many other sports, the game too has seen a lot of participation from the rural areas. In India, the game is played in all the states but the rules vary from state to state. The game has gone through several stages of evolution in India and this article talks about my journey from Bandy to ice hockey. It all started when I was in 7th grade. My school had introduced this new game and I immediately fell in love with it. My parents had no idea about this game and neither did I. But I was too eager to learn more about it so that’s when I started asking them about it. They didn’t know much about the sport either but I managed to convince them to let me play. I started playing in the afternoons and it was tough. There were many other girls who also played as well. I played in the primary school team and then moved on to the junior team. In the senior school team, I was the first girl to play this sport. Playing this sport in school
What is Bandy?
Bandy is a non-contact team sport that originated in Russia. It is also referred to as the “true” hockey. It involves two teams who play the game on a rectangular rink. There are a total of 11 players in the game. A typical game lasts for 60 minutes and it is followed by a 20 minute break after which it goes on for another 30 minutes. The game is played on a rectangular ice rink with a goal at each end. The team who scores more goals, wins the game. The fieldmen are required to use sticks and a hockey ball as their primary weapons. The sticks are used to deflect the ball and score goals. The sticks are made of wood, plastic, etc. There are many different types of sticks available in the market.
How to play Bandy?
There are two teams in the game and each team consists of 11 players. The game begins with a face-off at centre ice. After the face-off, the team that loses it, must start the game from their own blue line. The team that wins the face-off, has the option of starting from their red line. Bandy live is a very fast-paced game and teams are expected to play with intensity. Scrums and penalties are also common in the sport.
Ice hockey in India
In the early 20th century, field hockey began to lose its popularity in India due to the growing popularity of ice hockey. The game of bandy was popular in India before the British came to our country. Ice hockey in India gained popularity after the Indian team participated in the 1968 Winter Olympics held in Grenoble, France. The popularity of the sport however, started to rise after the participation of the Indian team in the 1982 Asian Games held in New Delhi.
Game of choice for aspiring hockey players
Bandy and ice hockey are the two sports that are played on the ice. If you are an aspiring hockey player and you have also been thinking about choosing between these two sports you must be confused. Well, there is actually no need to choose between these two as both of them can be played at the same time. Both these sports are played on the same ice rink but in different ways. One must understand that playing both of these sports is not going to be easy as they are both very different. But you can tackle both of them with ease. The way bandy is played is very different from the way ice hockey is played. Both of these two sports are very popular in India too. Many people in our society also enjoy playing these two sports. If you are one of them then you must not miss this opportunity as well.
Challenges of Ice Hockey
Ice hockey is a very fast-paced sport that requires a lot of technique. The game involves hitting a plastic ball with a stick. It is a very physical sport and this is why it is also referred for. One must understand that in this sport, the player must stay conscious throughout the game. Sometimes, the players are expected to stay on the ice for more than an hour. This is why it is also referred as “Ice Peril Sport”.
SKA-Neftyanik - Baikal-Energiya