If you’re not too familiar with ice hockey but you’ve always been interested in learning more about it, this is the guide for you. There’s a lot to love about the sport, and that probably explains why hockey fans are some of the most passionate around. If you want to know what you’re missing out on and want to fall in love with the sport, here’s how to get started.
Start with the Rules and Objectives
First of all, you should take the time to learn about some of the important rules and objectives that the sport revolves around. That might seem obvious, but you can’t fully embrace the sport and everything it offers until you know how it works and what players are trying to achieve. In the simplest sense, they’re trying to get the puck in the opposition net, but there’s a lot more to it than that.
Choose Your Team
As with any sport, ice hockey is a lot more fun when you have a team that you identify with and that you can root for. Be sure to do your research and find the team that most resonates with you. Maybe it’s a team that friends or family members already support, or the team that’s most local to you, allowing you to attend games in person.
Watch Closely and Listen
The best way to grow your familiarity with the sport is to watch it. See how the games play out and how the coaches approach each game from a tactical point of view. You’ll gradually start to see the breadth of the sport and how much it has to offer. There’s not only one way to play a game of ice hockey; there are countless ways.
Find the Right Podcasts and Media Coverage to Indulge In
If you want to learn more about the sport and get more familiar with the details, the culture and the off-the-ice side of the game, you really need to find some good podcasts and other kinds of media coverage. You’ll have no trouble finding a good hockey podcast that you can listen to week after week, so try a few out and see which you vibe with most.
Talk Like a Hockey Fan
Learning to talk like a hockey fan is part of being ingratiating into the wider fan community. Listen to how other people talk and try to find out what all those little slang words and phrases mean and what they’re referring to on the ice. Each time has a shortened nickname you’ll want to get familiar with, and you’ll need to learn the difference between taking a dive and making a save.
As you can see, there are lots of ways in which you can start to get a feel for ice hockey and why so many people love it. As you move through each of the steps discussed above, you’ll grow more familiar with the sport and find out whether it’s one you’re destined to follow and enjoy for years to come.
