"The cold never bothered me anyway": evidence Elsa never played hockey.

And so we come to the end of the season, a sad and fulfilling time for the majority of hockey players out there. The absence of the sport we all love leaves a gaping hole in our lives and leave us asking that fundamental question: what exactly do normal people do on a Saturday?

After the predictable and unstoppable onslaught of snow and ice in December and January which happens pretty much every year, it is also usually a time of crammed-in awkward Sunday games, where half the squad is inevitably unavailable. The remaining players, some often drafted in from other teams, are left unable to walk for at least three days after yet another double header weekend. The season thus comes to a painful and anticlimactic close just as the weather starts to become almost bearable.

In higher leagues, they had an ingenious idea. Why not take a break in these dreadful months where the majority of the time turning up to the pitch involves discovering it is rock solid, and the sideways sleet makes it nearly impossible to see your team mates, let alone the ball? Let’s give in to the weather for this period of time and go and play some indoor hockey, some genius said. So why, I’m fundamentally asking, do we not do this as well? Why do we continue to battle through the British arctic weather which we know will grace us in these months, while these smart people practice their skills in the warm and dry?

I know it will be argued that there simply isn't enough indoor space for every hockey player across the UK to play inside during December and half of January, but the amount of empty sports halls in schools, universities and sports centres would beg to differ. They are certainly enough to let a good few more leagues take this break at least. More indoor leagues could then be introduced and more indoor space found for teams that needed it. “And what about indoor kit?” some will ask. But apart from the edition of some new sticks, which do not have to be expensive and can be introduced cheaper in bulk by the club, there is no new kit that is needed. Just some fun new indoor skills!

Not attempting to play in the winter months would eliminate the awkward Sunday games and also take away the disappointment of having yet another training session cancelled. We don’t necessarily have to make the outdoor season shorter either, we could then extend league games into April slightly, because the weather isn’t too hot (if the weather’s ever too hot in the UK) and exams for the majority of students have not yet started. We could then play proper hockey at the end of the season instead of unwanted rearranged fixtures on top of the games we already have.  I know people probably have another dozen reasons why this isn’t a viable idea, but from an ideological point of view at least, it’s a no-brainer! Let’s all have a league break and play some more indoor!