Louisiana
Ball hockey brings adults and kids together each week at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds
SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – “Ball hockey is still harder than anything I’ve done in the military, [physical training] wise, ” says JJ McCaw, Shreveport Ragin’ Gators defenseman.
Who knew the degree of difficulty in a game we once played as kids is pretty high?
Despite having strong agility skills, the ball hockey movement is bringing the masses.
“I did come down originally for baseball on a baseball scholarship, ” says former LSU-Shreveport baseball star, now Red River Rougaroo forward Riley Spencer. “Created a family now. Me and my two young kids are out playing every weekend.”
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Instead of ice and skates, the squeaks of sneakers are heard in the Exhibits building on the Louisiana State Fairgrounds.
“I grew up in the North, and it’s really cold, ” says Shreveport Gators defenseman Michael Delaney. “All the hockey is done outside, and it’s just too cold. I moved down here in 2007. Had nothing going on. No athletic anything. Just on a whim decided to get involved.”
However ball hockey doesn’t share the same intensity as their compadres on the ice.
“[Ice hockey], they can check and things like that, ” says McCaw. “It’s more of a non-contact sport. But, contact does happen.”
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“The National Ball Hockey League is already big and will only grow. The Ark-La-Tex has two local teams, the Shreveport Ragin’ Gators and Red River Rougaroo.
“It’s great to see the fruits of our labor, ” says Red River Rougaroo goalie, Michael Hinton. “The league has grown by about 20 players this year. I’ve been doing it for seven or eight years. [The National Ball Hockey League] has been doing it for about 15 [years]. Nice to see secondary generations starting to play, and kids growing up. We have our kids out there too.”
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We learned ball hockey isn’t as aggressive. But, some are asked to dial it back on occasion.
“My wife just yelled at me the other day – earlier today, because I was coaching the smaller children on their team, ” McCaw recalls. “I was getting a little heated, because all of my competitiveness was coming out, because we were losing.”
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