Ice hockey in the Philippines | |
---|---|
Country | Philippines |
Governing body | Federation of Ice Hockey League |
National team(s) | Men's national team; women's national team |
Registered players | 131 (2018) |
Clubs | 5 (2016) |
National competitions | |
International competitions | |
Ice hockey in the Philippines is a minor but emerging sport.
The history of ice hockey in the Philippines began with the ice rinks set up in shopping malls in the country which were initially only used for recreational activities. The film Mighty Ducks released in the 1990s helped promote the winter sport in the country, with most members of the 2017 national team citing the film as their inspiration in taking up the sport. [1]
The governing body of ice hockey in the country, the Federation of Ice Hockey League (FIHL), was formed years later in February 2015. [2] The FIHL was admitted as an associate member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) on 20 May 2016 [3] [4] and secured Philippine Olympic Committee membership by July 2016. [5]
A IIHF sanctioned league, the Philippine Hockey League was organized in 2018 fulfilling a prerequisite for the Philippine men's national team participation in the Ice Hockey World Championships. [6]
Prior to 2008 and before the formation of the FIHL, club selection teams competed in regional competitions as unofficial national teams. [5]
After the formation of the FIHL, national ice hockey teams were officially organized. The men's national team made their official debut at the 2017 Asian Winter Games [7] [8] while the women's team made theirs at the 2017 IIHF Women's Challenge Cup of Asia. [9]
The main league in the country is the Philippine Hockey League which follows IIHF regulations. [6] A recreational ice hockey league, the Manila Ice Hockey League, is also held. [10]
Since the Philippines is a tropical country with no winter season, ice hockey and some other winter sports are played on artificial ice rinks. In 2016, there were 211 registered players from five clubs in the country. Despite increasing popularity, the expenses involved in playing the sport hinder its adoption rate. [5]
The FIHL plans to introduce the ice hockey in schools through field hockey, a similar sport. [11]
As of 2016, there are four ice rinks in the country, all part of shopping malls: [5]
The following are IIHF-sanctioned ice hockey tournaments hosted in the Philippines.
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SM Supermalls, also simply known as SM is a chain of shopping malls owned by Philippines-based SM Prime. As of May 2023, it has a total of 90 malls. It was also formerly known as Shoemart.
SM Megamall, simply known as Megamall, is the third largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the thirteenth largest in the world that is developed and operated by SM Prime Holdings. It is located in EDSA corner Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The mall occupies a land area of approximately 10 hectares and has a total floor area of 474,000 square meters (5,100,000 sq ft). The mall has a maximum capacity of 4 million people.
SM Mall of Asia, also abbreviated as SM MoA, or simply Mall of Asia or MoA, is a large shopping mall in the Philippines, located at Bay City, Pasay, Philippines, within the SM Central Business Park, a reclaimed area within Manila Bay, and the southern end of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).
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The Philippines national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey team of the Philippines. They are controlled by the Federation of Ice Hockey League (FIHL) and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) since 20 May 2016. Prior to that period, a national team has played in regional tournaments in Hong Kong since the 2000s.
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Ice hockey events at the Southeast Asian Games was first held at the 2017 edition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The 2018 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia was the 11th edition of the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia, an annual international ice hockey tournament held by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The Top Division of the tournament will take place from 3 to 8 April 2018 at the SM Mall of Asia Ice Skating Rink in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines.
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The ice hockey competition at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines was held at the SM Mall of Asia Skating Rink in Pasay, Metro Manila from 1 to 8 December 2019.