Israeli Roller Hockey Team 2013 

Standing from left to right: Lior Uliel, (team captain), Lucas Sorio (coach), Marcelo Bendersky, Sa’ar Sharon, Uriel Lirman, Shiran Duvduvani, Doran (Dori) Raz, Paul (Polik) Shenidman, (team manager) and Udi Gendanken (chairman) Sitting left to right: Shon Kurland, Rotem Ben Eliezer (goal keeper), Elad Salomon. Tomer Lavi (goal keeper), and Guy Israeli

The article was originally written in Hebrew by Lior Uliel, Israel Roller Hockey team captain. It has been translated into English and modified by Hilary Lavi.

You've probably never heard of roller hockey, but it is very popular in many parts of the world and has been played in Israel since as far back as the 60s. For Southern Africans the name "hockey" brings back not always pleasant memories of playing field hockey as part of compulsory school afternoon activities. For Canadians and Americans "hockey" means the fast and furious game of ice hockey.
A little on the history of roller hockey:
Hardball roller hockey is thought to have started in London, England as early as 1878. In those days it was called "roller polo". It was introduced into the United States in 1882.  Interesting to know that stars of the silent movies, Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin, played roller hockey in the 1900s. The first roller hockey world championships took place in Stuttgart, Germany in 1936.
Tomer, son of Hilary (formerly Baron of Bulawayo, Rhodesia) is used to this reaction of not ever having heard of it when he mentions that he plays roller hockey. He is the goalkeeper for the Israeli national roller hockey team. He has been playing roller hockey since Grade 3 when he watched a group of youngsters playing at his school in Tivon. From that moment Tomer was hooked. While his friends played football, tennis or water polo Tomer spent his afternoons on roller hockey. His coach, Abush (Aba Becker), soon recognized his talent and by Grade 6 Tomer had won his first cup as a skilled goalkeeper.
During his junior high and high school years Tomer joined the more serious players in the Krayot.  Israeli roller hockey was started in Kiryat Eliezer by a group of immigrants from the Soviet Union who were soon joined by local Israelis. "On the field everyone is equal," says Polik, one of the talented veterans and the manager of the Israeli national team.
Today roller hockey is played throughout the country, particularly in the Krayot, Ramat Yishai, Beit Lehem HaGlalit, Nofit, Emek Hefer, Tzur Hadassah, Beit Zeid and more. In contrast to other branches of hockey, roller hockey is a non-violent sport with very clear rules and relatively limited protective gear. The players don old- fashioned roller skates whose design has been vastly improved, and skate preferably on a parquet surface. (In Israel where there are no parquet surfaces, this is more likely to be a concrete surface.).
Teams consist of four players and a goalkeeper. These players can be replaced unrestrictedly throughout the game. The game lasts an intense 50 minutes.
"It's a very fast and technical game that combines personal skills and team tactics at the highest level" says the captain of the Israeli team, Lior Uliel.
There is one position on the rink that few would choose - that of goalkeeper. It requires exceptional concentration and skill to stop the fierce, powerful shots which turn the small hard ball into a dangerous missile! The goalkeeper is not just another player – he is 70% of the team effort, which is a huge responsibility. Tomer has been a prominent goalkeeper for over 20 years. He earned the nickname "Chilavert" for his outstanding expertise in the goal. He is named for the legendary football goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert of the Paraguayan national team.
"Tomer is practically the team’s barometer. When Tomer is good we all are good. We feel that we can win," explains Lior, who has been Tomer's team mate for 15 years. Tomer is already 35 years old and his knees are not what they used to be, but that doesn't prevent him from going to intensive training programs in Spain with the encouragement of Lucas Surio, the Israeli team's Spanish coach. Wherever he plays Tomer gains impressive compliments from players and coaches. "If it wasn't for his age, he would have been snapped up long ago by the Spanish league, which is the best in the world." 
In Israel Tomer plays for the Tzur Hadassah hockey club and has won a number of awards with them.
After playing in several Junior European Championships, Tomer is about to participate in his third senior World Championships.
World Championships are held every year – Group A and Group B every two years alternatively. In 1998 the Israeli team participated in the Group B championships in Macau, in 2010 in Austria, and in 2008 in Vanderbijlpark in South Africa. Vanderbijlpark is an industrial city next to the Vaal River in Southern Gauteng. For Tomer there was a feeling of being at home, with the familiar mannerisms of the warm South Africans who hosted the tournament. The teams were accommodated in African style huts on the edge of the bush, near the river, and were very impressed by the proficient organization.
The championships will be held this year, 2012, in Uruguay, South America in November. The Israeli team will compete against teams from South Africa, England, Holland, Macau, Egypt, India and others. Australia and New Zealand will not be competing this year due to the distance and the consequent expense of the trip.
There was a question as to whether the Israeli team would participate for similar reasons. In order to get the necessary finances the team had to resort to fundraising. This included a fundraising event on November 3 at Ramat Yishai of a show game of the Israeli national teams, a demonstration of artistic skating and free skating for all.
Looking ahead, one of Tomer's foremost concerns is to guide the young goalkeeper, Rotem Ben Eliezer, who is the team's substitute goal keeper, to take over his position. At the moment Rotem is gaining experience playing in Spain.  As for Tomer, he still dreams of the phone call inviting him to become a professional, either as a goal keeper or coach. 
So we wish him and his team lots of luck and success.

For more information: Israeli Roller Skating Association website: www.hockeyisrael.com

You, too, can be part of the effort to send the Israeli team to the championships. Any contribution, no matter how small, will be very welcome. The team didn't plan on asking for outside contributions so they don't have a bank account to which funds can be sent. However, if anyone is interested in helping, please write to:admin@hockeyisrael.com: or phone Udi 054 437 9909.