With the rapid global development of hockey5s and the advantages that hockey5s offers for the specific Dutch hockey situation, the KNHB has entered into a partnership with FIKAGEAR, the global market leader in the field of hockey5s boarding systems, which is also Dutch.
The KNHB recognizes the role that hockey5s can play in the Dutch hockey landscape and also sees the need to fulfill this role through professional partners. FIKAGEAR, as the first approved FIH boarding supplier, is at the basis of the worldwide H5s growth and, in addition to the KNHB, is also a partner of Eurohockey, the French, Swiss, Austrian, Danish, American and about 10 other hockey associations.
The role that H5s can fulfill for clubs is multifaceted and that role also varies greatly per region and per type of club. In no particular order, there is a great enthusiasm among students who can once again play hockey in a freer and more easily accessible way, it is a great success among the elderly in walking hockey because the ball hardly goes out of play, the top hockey players are challenged because they have to play a lot of one-on-one and tacklebacks – switching gears intensely and quickly and clubs are picking up on this to offer their youth teams a different and more accessible alternative to play with peers and last but not least, especially now in winter, there are also clubs that use this as a supplement to the limited number of available indoor hours to , now that winters are getting milder.
Enough reasons for the Royal Dutch Hockey Association (KNHB) to take this sport seriously in the range of hockey forms.
FIKAGEAR offers two FIH-approved systems in this development framework. In accordance with how it is intended. For fields that are truly intended as H5s fields, a fixed, heavier steel version, and for H5s fields that need to be quickly assembled and disassembled, a composite version that can be lifted with two fingers by a player on the ground. Quickly assembled and disassembled by any club member.
The Royal Dutch Hockey Association (KNHB) and FIKAGEAR both expect this sport to take off. The run-up to the 11-a-side World Cup, where H5S will also be played as a demonstration sport, will consist of a joint roadshow throughout the country.
In collaboration with KNHB partner RABOBANK / DLL, FIKAGEAR has also developed a lease option to increase the availability of the sport.
For questions about what H5s can do for clubs, what the practical implications are (costs / usage, target groups), a whitepaper is available from both organizations.
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About FIKAGEAR
Fikagear is a Dutch organization that was founded six years ago out of practical hockey frustration with the equipment available to hockey players. It focuses on innovative hockey equipment, from H5s boards to rebound boxes, to ball bags and fixed mini-goals. info@fikagear.com www.fikagear.com
FIKAGEAR is part of the RSI Sports Group.
