Street Roller Hockey League's Hockeyfest IX

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Sat 09 Dec 2017

The final weekend of the 2017b Street Roller Hockey League season is upon us, and that means it's time for yet another Hockeyfest!



ORIGIN STORY:
The Street Roller Hockey League began in 2013 when two young men, procrastinating their uni work, discovered secondhand ice hockey sticks at thrift stores. Independently. Magically. From there the league began with four teams, and the rules as follows:

Four a side street hockey
Played on rollerblades or roller skates
Two milk crates joined together as the goals
Non-contact
Have a beer and play a game



From humble beginnings, this four-team league - Hammersley Rangers, Cottesloe Street Sharks, Mosman Park Murderers and Dalkeith Ducks - became Perth's most laid-back sport. Though similar to both inline and ice hockey, Street Roller Hockey as played in Perth is a non-contact sport which discourages "turbos" - players who take the game too seriously - and the majority of the establishing members had never played higher level hockey, nor had they skated before in years. Moving forward to 2017, seven seasons later, and the league contains over one hundred teams and has divided into two leagues: mixed and ladies. From those four teams have come the naming conventions: rep your suburb and make it a pun. In 2017b we have classics such as:

Como Como Como Como Como Chameleon
Don't Go Chasing Waterfords
Yokine Ono
Bob Rossmoyne; and
Belmontgomery Burns



As quoted on their website, Perth's Street Roller Hockey League aims to "disrupt the traditional model of delivering social sport. Game times are extremely flexible for the busy Gen Y-er of today. Each team has one fixture a week. The two team's respective captains sort out a time that is mutually suitable for both teams. A lot of sports lovers that can no longer commit to the two trainings and a weekend day game that most organised sports demand are playing street roller hockey and loving this flexibility."

At $55 for a twelve game season, it's one of Perth's cheaper social and competitive sports, too.

But among the benefits that the SRHL brings is the social aspect, highlighted each season by a finals party known as Hockeyfest and this Saturday, December 9th is "HOCKEYFEST IX".
Held at McCallum Park on the Victoria Park foreshore, the official finals festivities will be added to by live music - Doctopus, Flossy, Nerve Quakes and more - food trucks - Cheesus Crust and more - as well as the drink of choice for the SRHL: Emu Export.*



Following a rookie grand final (Carmel Clout v North Freo Powder Dingos) and the Wooden Spoon Death Match! between the Balingup Bruisers and the Brabham Prison Blues, the ladies from Cruella de Leederville and Ardross and the Order of the Schnips will be playing for the ladies trophy the Stanley Box! The final event of the night is, of course, the Canley Cup playoff, however, competing teams were still TBD at the time of writing this article.



Speaking as someone who will be attending her fifth Hockeyfest in a row, this is not an event to be missed and is also a great introduction to SRHL if you're considering strapping on some blades. It's also a really great opportunity to support local grassroots sporting initiatives, local bands, food vendors and provide a productive physical activity outlet for five to eight hundred local young adults for eight months during the year. It's also just pretty cool to watch.

Tickets are available online athttps://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/hockeyfest-ix-vic-park and as always, more information can be found online on Facebook if you search Street Roller Hockey League (and pick the one that DOESN'T SAY Sydney, Melbourne or London. We are the original!).


#community_events
#sport
#street_food
#unusual_events
#unusual_things_to_do
#victoria_park
#december
!date 09/12/2017 -- 09/12/2017
%wnperth