2011 Playoffs come to Coventry

The British Sledge Hockey Association is proud to announce that the 2011 Planet Ice British Sledge Hockey League (BSHL) playoffs are coming to Coventry Skydome on Saturday 20^th August 2011. The BSHL playoffs will showcase the competitive, inclusive sport of Ice Sledge Hockey and feature the top Sledge Hockey teams in the UK; Battle Back Bison, Kingston Kestrels and Peterborough Phantoms. The playoffs will provide an exciting, full contact, high energy summer event in a venue being consider as a host for future ice sledge hockey world championships.

Sledge Hockey is a variant of ice hockey and can be played on and off ice, using sledges to allow participants to move about the rink at high speeds hitting a puck travelling at speeds of up to 100kph. Players sit in sledges, propelling themselves with sticks adapted to allow propulsion in a manner similar to skiing. As players are strapped to a sledge all players have the same restrictions, regardless of whether or not the player has a disability.

Matt Lloyd, Chairman of the BSHA said, “The Planet Ice British Sledge Hockey playoffs will be a celebration of an amazing summer of sport. At the last round of the league we had over 200 spectators all enjoying a professional event providing hours of entertainment for free. It has been great to see the progress of the new teams and I’m sure everybody will agree that the Kingston Kestrels are worthy league champions”.

John Neville, Managing Director of Planet Ice said, “Sledge Hockey is amazing as it provides a fast, full contact, high adrenalin sport which can be played by anybody and where everybody is equal. Planet Ice is 100% committed to ice sledge hockey and we hope to work with the British Sledge Hockey Association to host European and World championship events in the UK”.

The playoffs start at 4pm on Saturday 20^th August at Coventry Skydome and are free for spectators. At the end of the game there will be a presentation of trophy’s, all of which are sponsored by Portland Trophies, exclusive trophy supplier to the BSHA.