Regulators Hurling Club

I had a chance to visit Denver Regulators at Cook Park for the second week of their spring calendar.

Wednesday - 5:30 PM is practice

Sunday - 10:00 AM is scrimmage

Practice started with a jog around the field and then stretches.  Since I was new, the President, Brian, walked me through the basics:

• Picking the ball up off the ground
• Hand Pass
• Pass with hurley
• Hit on ground
• How to hold hurley (always two hands, non-dominant hand on top)
• Hurling swing (fast, with wrists, forehand/backhand)

He also explained some of the rules

• Cannot pick ball up off ground with hand
• Can catch and hand toss
• Can carry balancing on hurley
• Can take four steps
• Can pass to self and take four more steps
• One Point over the crossbars
• Three points for goal in net
• Cannot push a player with hand
• Can shoulder a player for position

We then joined the warm-up in progress.  After stretching, we paired up and passed back and forth getting progressively further away.  Then we started drills which were variations on a give and go, learning to move across the field and stay with the ball.  Finally, we had a short field exercises where we broke up into two teams with team 1 playing offense for about 10 series and then team 2 playing offense for about 10 series.  We finished with a puck out challenge.

The group of about 15 was really friendly. I remember Brian (President), Ian (new player), Maura, and of course Kim.

I did not wear my cleats or Mechanix gloves.  I used one of the clubs 32 inch hurleys and helmet.  They had a couple of different balls (sliotar).  Kim showed me some open palm gloves that some of the players wear.  The only piece of personal gear I would want to buy is a helmet ($80), but hurley sticks ($25) and grip tape ($5) is pretty cheap and worth ordering all at once.  Get a couple of hurleys.

Sliotar - Size 5 for adults/minor; Size 4 for women/Jr, $13 for game ball, $9 for wall ball

https://www.oneills.com/us_en/

https://www.americanhurling.com/products/mycro-hurling-glove?srsltid=AfmBOornG3mOsGNI7huE95yWPnCskm08RhDbmScElcU3nhhAS74iyiKG

https://www.twincitieshurling.com/resources

I watched some videos afterwards and it is the national obsession in Ireland.  There are (15) players plus a goalkeeper.  Five lines of three players.  Fullback, Halfbacks, Midfielders, Half Forward, Full Forward.  The field is the same as Gaelic football and quite large.  Not sure if I am better suited for defensive or offensive positions.  I do not have the endurance to play midfield.  Game is played in two 30 minute halfs.

After practice several players were going to The Pioneer Bar (2401 S University Blvd) for drinks.