How do you learn to play ice hockey in Manchester? What kit do you need, how much does it cost, where can you practice, what teams are out there? Look no further, we’ve got you covered.
The best way to learn to play ice hockey in Manchester is to do the following. You will want to learn to ice skate first, then get in touch with an academy or recreational team. We would strongly recommend considering playing roller/inline hockey first too. Playing roller/inline hockey first means that you don’t need as much kit initially and can get some practice in the fundamentals before joining a team.
First steps of learning to play Ice Hockey
Starting Ice Hockey can be daunting, especially in the UK (and Manchester), where it is a minority sport. The high entry costs and lack of information could put you off but never fear, we are here to help you learn to play Ice Hockey!
The first thing to do if you are keen to learn to play ice hockey (but know very little about the sport), is get down to the rink in Altrincham and watch a game. Check out our pro hockey and competitive hockey pages for more details! See what you are getting yourself into! Ice Hockey in Manchester is reasonably priced and we have a professional league, competitive leagues and casual/recreational leagues.
The next stages depends on whether you want to be involved in youth hockey (18 and under), adult hockey (over 18) or whether you want to play hockey at University. Our blog posts below aim to help and guide you through this process!
Learn to ice skate
The first and most important step is to learn to ice skate. Check out our blog post below, where you can find all kinds of helpful information of learning to ice skate (including what skates you should buy). Basically though, we can’t recommend getting some ice hockey skates and just hitting the ice!
Get the kit before you learn to play
Next, you’re going to have a strategy for getting all the kit you need! Ice hockey kit can be confusing and expensive, especially if you’re new to the game. The best way to buy the kit, especially if you’re on a budget is by doing it bit by bit over time. If you’re lucky enough to be able to get it all at once, then go you!
Consider playing roller/inline hockey first
Because its expensive buying all the kit at once, roller/inline hockey can be a great stepping stone onto the ice. A lot of high level ice hockey players in Manchester, played roller/inline hockey first. Roller/inline skates can be used at any tarmac/asphalt park and with just a stick and gloves, you can be practicing skills on your driveway, while you save up or purchase the rest of your kit.
Roller/Inline Hockey leagues also often wear less kit than playing ice hockey and you can get a good feel for the game and practice fundamental skills while playing roller/inline hockey.
Get help learning to play ice hockey from University if you’re a student or future student
If you are at University in Manchester, there are many ways in which they can help you. Learning to play while at University can be a great way to meet new people and improve your experience.
Check out the below link to our University Hockey page for more information.
Finally, check out Youtube
Youtube is a great way to get a wealth of information. It can help you learn to skate, to improve your stickhandling and improve your conditioning. We recommend, watching some of Hockey Tutorial’s videos on Youtube! Some of the videos are a bit old but still really helpful and can especially help in those early days!
For more detail, check out our learn to play ice hockey blog posts
Check out our blog posts on learning to play and getting started with Ice Hockey in Manchester. We cover all of the above points in detail and more!