Coed "Rules of the Game"

[TimeKeeper_CYMRU]

Graham:

I know it's a little late being posted but thanks for introducing the Women?s Hockey Forum.

All:
For those others reading this note, I am resident in Wales, Great Britain. Having been following the various threads in this forum, the time has arrived to clear up some points not fully understood by this reader.

Women's Inline Hockey and for that matter, Men?s Inline hockey, I know and understand. However, Coed hockey is something we don't have here in the United Kingdom, or at least I haven't found it!

Presumably there are some "Rules of the Game" that make it different from Women's and Men?s Inline Hockey.

I have tried searching for 'Coed Rules' without success, can anyone point me towards such a set of rules, or alternatively provide a thumbnail of the differences that that set Coed Inline apart from other inline rules.

TimeKeeper_CYMRU

[DannyG]

Sorry, there are no Rules of the Game for co-ed play...

1. Co-ed Leagues, and Co-ed tournament competitions usually have operations regulations governing number of female players on the floor, such as "must have two female skaters in the game at all times." There might also be presumed safety rules, such as non-checking, or no-slap-shots, or some such...most such activities tend to be more "recreation" and less "competitive" in nature.

2. Presently, there is no restriction in the junior levels of hockey regarding female participation with boys' competitions in the U.S. There are some local or regional restrictions, however. Whenever these would be challenged in court, they would not be allowed to continue. Canada is another thing...

At present, Girls may participate equally with/against boys, and older girls may participate with younger age groups (playing down), but boys are not allowed converse considerations within all-girl competitions...at least in the U.S

According to the USA Hockey Inline Official Rule Book, there are two sections of play: (1)Co-ed Divisions of play (primarily the boys'), where girls may choose to keep up the best they can, with varying degrees of prejudice, bias, and outright sexist actions taken against them in various forms, and (2)Girls' Divisions of play, in which boys cannot participate.

[RichardGraham]

Hi Timekeeper,

In the coed tournaments I've participated in produced by Patty Twogood, the female players get two points for a goal. That makes things a lot more interesting, especially when your team is down a goal with just seconds to play -- it keeps the other team's defensive players much more honest! [img]/wtimages/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[AndrewMacMillan]

I play in the BIPHA league in Scotland (British Inline Puck Hockey Association) which is not necessarily co-ed or mens only. It is a roller hockey league anyone can play in -- and is extremely competitive at the Senior level, containing what are considered the top teams in Scotland. Several women play in the league, which uses standard IIHF/FIRS type rules.

After playing on a team with a female player I can honestly say I have no idea why you would need special rules for females. It is a very intense league, with some games becoming quite rough. It is still, however, a non-check league (as roller hockey should be).

The idea of scoring goals differently or somehow have rules to treat certain players differently seems sexist and entirely unnecessary.

After seeing it first hand -- I strongly believe roller hockey is a truly co-ed sport. The female population in the game may not be the more brutish type, but they can certainly survive as finess players.

Just my opinion, but I would use the same rulebook and interpret the rules exactly the same.

apm

Andrew MacMillan
Executive Director
Collegiate Roller Hockey League