A change of skates for Levin club

"We probably have young ones who have never seen an ice rink before, so I think it will be fun." Pauline Phillips

An inline hockey club is trading skates for blades for a match very different to their usual.

The Levin Thunders are headed to the ice rink in Palmerston North on Tuesday to take part in their first ice hockey game.

Club promoter Pauline Phillips said they would have a variety of ages would be taking part in the event, from under 10s up to the club’s senior representatives.

‘‘We wanted to give them something different.’’

Players would be given half an hour to get used to the ice, but for the following half hour, it would be game on.

Phillips said she expected the club to do well and the player’s skills should be transferable from skates to blades. ‘‘I think they will do well.’’ Phillips said she had visited ice rinks with inline hockey players from other clubs in the past, but this would be a first for the Levin club.

‘‘We probably have young ones who have never seen an ice rink before, so I think it will be fun.’’

A net will be set up to keep score and teams would likely be mixed.

‘‘We are really looking forward to it.’’

Some of the club’s players would be heading to an Oceania competition after Easter to represent New Zealand against Australia.