My Favorite Sport
My Favorite Sport is Ice Hockey, because there is too much fun in it! It is a very popular game all
over the world.
Hockey is a sport in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a puck into
the opponent´s goal net using a hockey stick.
In present, there are many forms of Hockey. For example: Field hockey, Ice hockey, Roller
hockey, Sledge hockey and Street hockey.
However, my favorite sport is Ice Hockey. It is played on an ice rink. There are 5 players and a
goalkeeper in each team on ice.
The game has many rules that must be followed by each team. The most important rule is to
play fair.
Object of the Game
Ice hockey players use sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent´s net to score a
goal. The team with the most goals at the end of the game are the winners.
Players & Equipment
The game is played on an ice rink measuring roughly 61m in length by 30m in width. The rink is
split into three main sections. The middle section is the neutral zone and includes a center circle
where the games start. At either side of the neutral zone are attacking and defending zones.
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Each player will have their own hockey stick along with ice skates and a series of padding which
may include face mask, helmet, padded shorts, shoulder pads, arm guards and gloves. Each goal
keeper will have harder equipment.
Each team can have a maximum of 20 players. Of these 20 players only six may be on the ice at
any one time. The rest will be used as substitutes but can come and go from the game as often
as required. The six starters include a goal keeper and 5 outfield players.
Each game lasts for three 20 minute periods. For every stoppage in the game the game clock is
stopped and as soon as the time is up in each period then the game will instantly cease.
Scoring
To score a goal a player must hit the puck over the goal line. They can use any part of their body
or their stick to do so but cannot use their hand. The whole of the puck needs to cross the goal
line to be a goal..
Winning the Game
To win a game one team must score more goals than their opponents. If the game is a tie then
the game goes into overtime and an additional quarter is played out until one of the teams
score. The first team to score will be the winners.
Rules of Ice Hockey
The game starts in the centre circle with a face off. This is where the referee drops the puck in
between two opposing players.
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The game arbitrate three referees and one of them is a main arbiter. The major rules of play are
offside (it means the puck has to cross the blue line earlier than a player) and Icing (it means,
when you pass the puck from behind red line.)
After every stoppage of the game is dropping faceoff. For most penalties, the offending player is
sent to the penalty box and his team has to play without him. The most often penalty is 2
minutes.
Ice hockey equipment
Ice hockey is one of the toughest sports in the world and each player needs to protect himself.
One of the most important thing for hockey player is hockey equipment. Equipment includes
many pads and each player has his own image of dressing.
Hockey gear includes :
- socks
- Athletic cup
- shin pads
- garter belt
- hockey socks
- hockey pants
- hockey skates
- shoulder pads
- elbow pads
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- jersey
- helmet
- hockey gloves
- hockey stick
A little bit different is equipment of goalkeepers, who have to have special modification,
because of facing players’ shots.
Conclusion
Every time I was fascinated of ice hockey, not only because it is sport number one in Slovakia,
but also because it is fast, collective, tough game, where you must be smart, clever, strong,
collective and fast too. You must use everything, when you are playing it. Ice hockey is a very
beautiful game with interesting history and future as well. I hope, that now you know
something new about ice hockey too that might be interesting for you.
