NSW's only roller-hockey club is preparing to host the national women's team next week.
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Glen Innes is the centre of NSW roller-hockey. That's because it's the only club.
The team punches above its weight in other ways too: last year the NSW team took out medals, though the state team is essentially just the Glen club. The Glen Innes ladies team has barely lost a game in years.
States like Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, West Australia and even Tasmania enter teams and are competitive in a sport most Australians would probably not have heard of.
Glen Innes coach Dan Heagney describes roller-hockey as a bit like ice-hockey but less mean and nasty.
"It's similar to ice hockey I suppose," he said.
"Technically speaking it's a non-contact sport though, we use a different kind of stick and obviously we play with a ball rather than a puck.
"I think it's a lot more of a skill game rather than a physical game; there is still a physical side to it, but the rules are a lot different to ice hockey.
"There's no running people into the wall without any sort of penalty for it."
In Europe and South America the sport is extremely popular, featuring NRL-style sponsorships and televised live on TV.
Australia's team is currently competing at the world championships in Barcelona. Glen Innes hasn't sent anyone to compete on the world's stage this time, but they have in the past and will in future.
On Tuesday nights our future international competitors compete; Thursdays are for training.
Glen Innes has a fairly large roller-hockey rink near the RFS headquarters on Lambeth street. The club started 20 years ago, with the rink opening in 1999. Despite some twists and turns, they now boast around 30 members and seven grades.
They run five teams in tournaments, said coach Heagney.
"I think we do fairly well, for a small club in a small town," he said.
"Particularly our ladies team has been really dominant in the last 3-4 years; I don't think we've lost a game.
"Our under 20s are probably the second ranking team in the country.
"We've got some really good talent in our teams."
Dan Heagney has been playing since he was 4, but says many of his most competitive players are looking for something different and done find a home in footy or soccer or other sports.
Next week they're hosting the Australian national ladies team. The women's coach, Errol Heagney, lives in Glen Innes and the women are attending a training camp.
The next big international event for roller hockey is the Trans-Tasman Cup.
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