Clubs

The Devils Junior In-line Hockey Club is a high energy, fast paced all inclusive fun and friendly club that welcomes players of all abilities to train and compete.

For those that don’t know much about the sport, it’s very close to Ice Hockey but played on in-line roller skates rather than ice skates and the junior category is open to kids up to the age of 16.

It’s widely known that children of our generation spend far too much time gazing at televisions and playing computer games and we all should be encouraging them to be more active. In-line Hockey is the perfect antidote. The sport benefits a child in a myriad of ways, including physically, emotionally and mentally. As a parent of a young In-line Hockey player, I can say with my hand on my heart that this sport has had an incredibly positive impact on my child’s health, social and academic skills.

Hockey is one of the best cardiovascular games you can play. Alternating between skating and rest (what is known as interval training in the fitness world) improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system, allowing it to bring oxygen to the muscles more quickly. It also helps to prevent injuries that often come with other sports that engage in repetitive movements. Playing hockey burns a ton of calories and regular training is a great way to improve their physical fitness and wellbeing.

Hockey is a fast sport. Plays develop in seconds, and momentum can shift in the blink of an eye. A child who can learn how to operate in that sort of environment will improve his or her ability to make quick decisions and think on his or feet. Concentration is also improved; being able to concentrate while playing will make it easier to concentrate while learning.

The Devils train at the Northwest Roller Sports Rink. The club has a long history and very strong pedigree with many players achieving international success largely thanks to the training that they received at the club as kids. Originating from Glossop, the Glossopdale Devils was re-named the Devils Junior Inline Hockey Club when they re-located to the venue in Atherton. However, although the name changed, the ethics and values that had helped them to multiple successes over the years remained.

The coaching staff are amongst the best in the UK and also compete as seniors at the highest level including an international premier league club team and Team GB. So you can be assured that they understand all of the risks and care about the game just as much as the kids do. Skates, pads, sticks, helmets and gloves are all available to loan during the classes, but the kids will need to be able to roller skate before they join the Hockey training classes. The standard of skating doesn’t need to be high, as further training in this area will be delivered as part of the Hockey training, but ideally they do need to be able to demonstrate the basics. Once the kids have mastered the basics through the “Introduction to In-line Hockey” class, they will then be invited to attend the advanced classes which are held on Monday evening.