Thunder Dome open for roller, dek hockey

The Born2run Sports Complex hopes to add an ice hockey rink in the future.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- In the sport of roller hockey, players compete on roller-type skates over a polypropylene surface with a plastic puck, and there are four players and one goalie to each team.
Dek hockey is very similar to roller hockey, except that an orange plastic ball is used and there are five players and a goalie per team.
Both sports are relatively new and different forms of the traditional ice hockey, and originated in the warm-weather areas of the United States where the cost of building ice rinks is too high.
Then roller hockey and dek hockey spread across the country and eventually became part of the new Born2run Sports Complex that opened in April.
Born2run's new 26,000-square foot roller hockey/dek hockey rink -- called the Thunder Dome -- opened June 5 with the two-day Collegiate Shootout, and will be busy today with an AAU youth tournament from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Third stage
The Thunder Dome is the third stage of Born2run's three-building development plan on 20 acres of a 35-acre parcel, following the multi-purpose gymnasium that opened in April.
The 360-bed student-athletes dormitory is opening today and an ice hockey rink is being projected for future development.
"Our hope is we become a hub for any kinds of hockey," said Bob Black, director of hockey at Born2run, who also is the Slippery Rock University hockey coach. "Roller hockey has evolved as a sport of its own rather than as preparatory sport for ice hockey.
"It kind of carved its own niche because of better [players] and competition," Black said.
Different style of play
Black, who also coaches the Born2run 12-and-under traveling roller hockey team, said the big difference between roller hockey and ice hockey is the style of play.
"Roller hockey has a more artistic style and is more wide open and non-contact. It allows the players to be more creative with stick handling and shooting skills," Black said. "But with ice hockey, there is a different frame of mind," meaning that more emphasis is placed on physical contact and roughness.
He also noted that in roller hockey, "There are no off-sides, so it is wide open. They use inline or roller blades [and play] with a plastic puck," whereas ice hockey uses vulcanized rubber as the puck.
The rink has similar dimensions, 180 feet long and 70 feet wide.
Black will be assisted by Brian Foster of Hermitage, Pa.
Black said Born2run will set a Western Pennsylvania precedent when it holds its first roller hockey camp July 25-29, utilizing the new dormitory.
"It will be the first overnight roller hockey camp offered in Western Pennsylvania," said Black, who recently was selected by the AAU to coach the USA 18-and-under team in the World Inline Hockey Cup Tournament from July 7-11 in London, Ontario, Canada.
For more information about Born2run's hockey programs, call Black at (724) 748-5658, ext. 311.
kovach@vindy.com