Inline Hockey is a fast and exciting team sport, played by people of all ages and skill levels both indoors and outdoors.  It’s fun, fast and competitive!

For more info check out Skate Victoria’s inline hockey schedule and stats site

The aim of the game:

The game is very simple. We play with 4 players and a goalie on the rink, with at least 4 spare players on the bench – 8 players and a goalie – we call this 2 lines. (Teams may consist of up to 3 lines of 12 floor players and 2 reserves, & plus a reserve goalie) The aim of the game is to score goals against the opposing teams, and generally the game runs for 2 x 20 minute periods. The games are fast and exciting, and all players can expect to be on the rink, in rotating lines, changing every 2 or 3 minutes.

Player’s safety is paramount, and the enforcement of the wearing of correct safety gear is strictly adhered to. In league competition face cages, or half-visors, and properly fitting helmets are compulsory for all levels, as well as knee pads, elbow pads and other essential safety gear. It is played in the spirit of a non contact sport, but until players become proficient, spills can happen, this way with the minimum of concern. The rink surface is ideally polished timber, concrete or ‘orbcourt’ (the surface specifically designed for inline hockey), but any clean, smooth surface will suffice. The minimum recommended ‘rink’ size would be 20 metres by 40 metres, and several Skate Victoria sanctioned rinks are close to the International standard size.

History & Competition

The first Skate Australia National Inline Hockey Championships were held in Melbourne in 1995 where teams from Queensland, New South Wales & Victoria participated. Today we have teams from Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia competing in all age divisions -Under 12’s, 14’s, 16’s, 18’s and sometimes Under 20’s, as well as Junior Ladies, Senior Ladies, Senior Men’s and Masters (over 35’s).
In 1994 the first World Championships, conducted by the Federation Internationale de Skate (FIRS) were held in Chicago, USA, with eight nations competing. Australia has been represented at every World Championship since 1994 & is gradually climbing up the rankings against countries where Ice Hockey has been a long standing tradition. As well as the World Championships, Australia competes every year against New Zealand & other Pacific countries in the Oceania Inline Hockey Championships with teams in all divisions.

Skate Victoria runs structured league competition from Under 10’s through to Senior A on a weekly basis, with both Summer & Winter seasons, involving some 60 teams from 9 or 10 clubs. That’s a total membership of around 600 members – the largest in any state in Australia. In addition to league competition, we hold our annual Victorian Club Championships to select players to represent us at the Skate Australia National Inline Hockey Championships.

Take up the Challenge

If you would like to be a part of this very fast and competitive team sport, then Skate Victoria is here to help you. We offer our members accredited training programmes, with fully qualified coaches, and regular competition for all ages and skill levels. Whether you are interested in social weekly games, or aspire to the higher more competitive and intense levels, Skate Victoria can put you in touch with clubs that can cater for your level of involvement. Contact us now!