When kids attack - on ice with sticks

Despite being a rabid fan of almost every sport you can name (even extreme dodgeball), I've never really got on with ice hockey. That is until recently, when my habit of flicking from any channel directly to ESPN whenever the Angry Blonde leaves the room has seen me catch some surprisingly enjoyable highlights.

The speed, skill and, well, violence involved combine to form a heady mix upon which I can soon see myself becoming intoxicated. I've learnt thus far that many top players come from Europe - given the generally frigid conditions - and Russia especially churns out stars by the bucketload.

And a clip from Russia Today this week shows that they also learn early how to handle themselves in that most vital of ice hockey staples - brawling.

A game between two under-ten teams degenerated into a mass-fight, with youngsters swinging for the fences all over the shop.

Things really get going at the 26 second mark when a fast-moving youth DESTROYS a foe who was otherwise ambling innocently along and, even after the flashpoint seems to have calmed, one youngster isn't quite finished and delivers a cheeky nut shot at 1min 16 seconds.

This kind of thing in youth sports must not be tolerated and is shameful etc...but it is undeniably entertaining.

One more point - despite the fact that such levels of violence are being played out on the ice, the cameraman (whom one assumes is a parent) never stops filming and remains remarkably silent throughout the under-age punch-up. Bizarre.

Seen better ice hockey 'disagreements'? Let me know!

posted on 27 January 2010 16:28 byMark Heath

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