Para ice hockey

Ice hockey on a sledge

At its core, para ice hockey follows the rules of ice hockey: two teams of five skaters and a goaltender, a puck, two goals, body checks, power play and icing. The big difference: players sit on a sledge with two blades under the seat.

Instead of one stick, each player has two short sticks. At one end is the blade for the puck, at the other metal picks that players use to push themselves forward. Quickly switching between pushing and shooting is one of the most important skills.

Rules and rink

The game is played on a normal ice hockey rink. A game lasts three periods of 15 minutes of effective playing time. So that players can see over the boards and get on and off the ice, the player and penalty benches have ice-level access, often with transparent boards.

There are specific rules for fouls, such as dangerous use of the picks (teeing) or ramming with the front of the sledge.

Who can play?

Para ice hockey is intended for people with a permanent impairment of the lower limbs, for example after amputation, with paraplegia or congenital conditions. A sports-medical classification ensures that the minimum impairment is present. At club level in some countries, people without disabilities also play to make teams possible. Women and men can play together on one team.

History

Para ice hockey emerged in the early 1960s at a rehabilitation centre in Stockholm, where patients built a sledge for playing ice hockey. The sport quickly spread in Scandinavia and North America. It has been Paralympic since 1994 in Lillehammer. Today the strongest nations include the USA and Canada.

The governing body is World Para Ice Hockey, organised under the umbrella of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

Para ice hockey in Germany

In Germany, para ice hockey is overseen by the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS). There is a national league and a national team. Many teams are affiliated with ice hockey clubs and use their rinks. Interested players can often arrange a trial session with a loan sledge.

Equipment

The sledge consists of a metal frame with a seat shell and two blades. The blades must be high enough for the puck to slide underneath. The legs are strapped to the sledge. The two sticks are short, about one metre long, and have metal picks with several teeth at the top end. On top of that comes the usual ice hockey protective gear with helmet and cage.

Goaltenders also sit on a sledge and wear a catching glove and blocker, often with small picks so they can move sideways.

Para ice hockey and ice hockey compared