We've been best friends since college, and we've both tried “new things” as we've “matured” (I don't use the word “old”). This can range from something as simple as trying a new recipe or reading a new author, to planning an African safari. Most of the new things we do are somewhere in the middle, which brings us to how we ended up seeing “Ghost Pirates” at Savannah's Enmarket Arena.
Before we get into the interesting world of playing hockey on the ice, let's make one thing clear. In the UK, the word “hockey” is used to describe what Americans call “field hockey”. Furthermore, traditionally most hockey players in the UK have been schoolchildren, especially in private schools, where a large part of the game involves playing freezing on muddy pitches during the formative years. Yes, it's simply a bunch of kids armed with hockey sticks actively chasing a ball. Compared to my school days, this trend seems to be on the decline, with recent data showing that only one in every 20 children in the UK currently plays hockey.
What Americans call hockey should always be called “ice hockey” in England. To explain how rare ice hockey is in my hometown, statistics show that even today in the UK 12 times as many people play field hockey as there are ice hockey players. According to statistics from the International Ice Hockey Federation, 43 times as many people play ice hockey in the United States as there are in the United Kingdom.
So how did it all start? Ice hockey first began in the freezing winters of Canada, but the sport quickly gained popularity in the United States in the late 19th century. The first recorded indoor game in the United States was played on Christmas Day in 1894 in New York City.
At the time, the game was still largely informal, with no standardized rules or equipment. Players used sticks made of wood or metal, and pucks could also be made from frozen cow dung or stones.
As games grew in popularity, so did the need for standardization.
The U.S. Amateur Hockey Association was founded in 1920 to regulate and promote the sport, and the first official U.S. national championship was held that same year.
The game continued to evolve throughout the 20th century, becoming more organized with the introduction of protective equipment such as helmets and facemasks, and rule changes to improve safety and fairness.
After World War II, American hockey experienced a period of rapid growth and innovation.
The National Hockey League (NHL) expanded to include teams within the United States, and the sport began to gain mainstream popularity. The 1980 “Miracle on Ice” saw the U.S. national team defeat the much-anticipated Soviet Union in the Olympic semifinals, further increasing interest in the sport and inspiring a new generation of players and fans.
The Savannah Ghost Pirates, an expansion team in the East Coast Hockey League, hit the ice in November 2022. It's great to have our own professional ice hockey team here in the subtropical climate of coastal Georgia. By all accounts, the Ghost Pirates have been a huge hit here in the Greater Savannah, and these days, from Richmond Hill, he moves to Port Wentworth, which is less than 32 miles away. announced the construction of a $1 million training facility. Since it will be open to the public, the number of Georgia kids learning to ice skate and developing skill and passion for the game could grow even further.
I don't claim to fully understand the rules of ice hockey, but to me it seems like a lot more fun than playing soccer on ice, which uses a super fast-moving puck instead of a ball, a stick instead of a kick, and more physical contact. It looks like. Contact often heats up and leads to fights.
If a major unspoken rule of etiquette is broken, such as when the opposing team “snows” the goalie (a quick side stop that throws ice shavings at the goalie's face), a free clear from the bench is guaranteed. It will be seen. all. There's an anonymous saying that goes, “Hockey players have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins,” and you can see it in action at every game. For more information, please visit www.usahockey.com and www.statista.com Despite all this drama and testosterone-filled antics on the ice, I really think it's great family fun. My whole family, including my granddaughter, loves spending nights with Ghost Pirates.
Here are some great and unforgettable quotes from comedian Rodney Dangerfield. This word perfectly describes this sport. “I went to a game the other day, and the hockey game was starting!”
God Bless America!
Leslie grew up in London, England and made her home in Georgia in 2009. Contact Leslie at lesley@francis.com or through your full-service marketing agency. www.lesleyfrancispr.com.
