Unicycle hockey
Encyclopedia
Unicycle hockey is a team sport
, similar to roller or inline hockey, except that each player must be mounted on a unicycle
(with both feet on the pedals) to play the ball. A team is composed of five players (plus substitutes), but there is no dedicated goalkeeper role.
The governing body for unicycle hockey is the International Unicycle Federation, which publishes the rules for all unicycle sports. The most recent set of rules for unicycle hockey was published in 2010.
The court used is between 35 and 45 metres in length, and 20 to 25 metres wide. It should have either beveled or rounded corners, and barriers on all sides. The goals are also set back from the end walls so that play can go behind them, similarly to ice hockey.
Any stick which is legal for ice hockey
other than that of a goalkeeper can be used. The unicycles can have a maximum wheel diameter of 24 inches and a tennis ball is typically used, although street hockey balls are also permitted.
There are at least three national unicycle hockey leagues
. One is in the UK
, with 10 registered teams, another is in Germany
, where there are 53 registered teams, and a third is in Switzerland
, with approximately 20 teams. In addition to these leagues, there are individual teams in other countries, including France
, Denmark
, Australia
, Hong Kong
, Korea
and Singapore
.
Team sport
A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...
, similar to roller or inline hockey, except that each player must be mounted on a unicycle
Unicycle
A unicycle is a human-powered, single-track vehicle with one wheel. Unicycles resemble bicycles, but are less complex.-History:One theory of the advent of the unicycle stems from the popularity of the penny-farthing during the late 19th century...
(with both feet on the pedals) to play the ball. A team is composed of five players (plus substitutes), but there is no dedicated goalkeeper role.
The governing body for unicycle hockey is the International Unicycle Federation, which publishes the rules for all unicycle sports. The most recent set of rules for unicycle hockey was published in 2010.
The court used is between 35 and 45 metres in length, and 20 to 25 metres wide. It should have either beveled or rounded corners, and barriers on all sides. The goals are also set back from the end walls so that play can go behind them, similarly to ice hockey.
Any stick which is legal for ice hockey
Ice hockey stick
An ice hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in ice hockey to shoot, pass, and carry the puck. Ice hockey sticks are approximately 150–200 cm long, composed of a long, slender shaft with a flat extension at one end called the blade. The blade is the part of the stick used to contact the...
other than that of a goalkeeper can be used. The unicycles can have a maximum wheel diameter of 24 inches and a tennis ball is typically used, although street hockey balls are also permitted.
There are at least three national unicycle hockey leagues
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
. One is in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, with 10 registered teams, another is in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where there are 53 registered teams, and a third is in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, with approximately 20 teams. In addition to these leagues, there are individual teams in other countries, including France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.