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Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v07n22)
Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
posted: Oct. 29, 2010

by Jody Peacock
If you happen to be taking Fido on a leisurely walk through Broad Ripple Park this fall and suddenly a wild mob comes charging across a field wearing helmets and swinging axe handles, no need to worry. . . they're chasing a "sliotar," not you!
Rest assured, Broad Ripple is not being attacked by barbarians. Well, not exactly. . . You've just stumbled upon "the fastest game on grass." It's called "hurling" and it's the newest 'old sport' to be taking Indianapolis by storm. Hurling is a team sport that combines elements from lacrosse, field hockey, soccer and baseball into one high-energy field game that's older than Christianity.

Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


But to say hurling is "just a sport" would be an insult to Ireland, where this field game originates. The Irish don't just play hurling - they live, breathe and bleed for their hurling teams. This is a national pastime for Ireland - played for pride, not money - but so important to the culture and way of life that a game between two rural Irish clubs (from towns with populations of about 800) might draw 80,000 screaming fans to hallowed Croke Park Stadium in Dublin.
This same passion has been passed on to Indianapolis. In 2005, a small group of Irish hurlers living in Indy joined up with an inquisitive bunch of American athletes, and the Indianapolis Hurling Club was born. The club has grown steadily over the years, but recently things have really taken off. In the last year, the club doubled in size and now has about 140 active members, and another 40 'newbies' just came out this fall. With only a handful of Irish members, this international club is growing by attracting Americans - young, old, male, female, doctors, lawyers, students and even entire families. While the members come from all over Indianapolis - and some even drive from as far away as Cincinnati and Bloomington - the largest group of hurlers live right here in Broad Ripple.
So what's attracting the crowd: . . . the challenge of learning a new game? . . . the special camaraderie usually found only in Irish pubs? . . . those intoxicating Irish accents and spirits (both emotions and libations). While the reasons are numerous and diverse, there does seem to be something alluring about being part of a secret sports society draped in Irish heritage.
As the legend goes, hurling originated some 3,000 years ago as way to keep warriors fit for battle, which is fairly easy to believe since it's played with a stick that closely resembles the handle of an axe. The stick is called a "hurley," and it's used to hit a baseball-like leather ball called a "sliotar" (pronounced "slitter"). The object is to hit the ball through the opponent's goal posts - over the crossbar is one point and under the bar, past the goalie and into the net is three points. The ball can be hit in the air or on the ground with the hurley. It can be caught in the hand, kicked and slapped - but players cannot carry the ball for more than four steps; they cannot throw it; and, you can NEVER, EVER, EVER pick it up off the ground with your hand. Doing this causes lots of yelling, usually from an Irish accent.

Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


The Indy Hurling Club regularly gets together to practice and play games at Broad Ripple Park and other locations around the city, and of course most practices conclude with the team stopping by Ferguson Street to visit the club's title sponsor, Connor's Pub.
The group runs a 10-week summer league, a shorter fall program and, this year, for the first time ever, will be playing an indoor winter league. The club also hosts an annual tournament for out-of-state teams, and travels to St. Louis, Chicago and Akron for other competitions. A highlight of the season is an annual Labor Day trip to the North American Championships, held this year in Chicago, where the club was represented by two men's hurling teams and a women's camogie squad. Camogie is the ladies' version of hurling. The teams played 11 games over two days and the top men's team came within a whisker of winning their second championship in three years.
But it's not just about wins and losses. In August, the hurlers joined up with the Broad Ripple Village Association to help pick up trash around the very neighborhood that has been the club's home since its humble beginnings. Every year, the club takes on charity projects as a way to give something back to the local community and special people or entities that are in need.
The club also holds many social events and fundraisers throughout the year. One of their major goals is to have their own field, but since hurling is typically played on a "pitch" that is one-and-a-half times the length of a football field and nearly twice as wide, those spaces are hard to find. Until they find one, you can expect to see sliotars flying around Broad Ripple Park.
So, the next time you're strolling through Broad Ripple Park and you happen upon what appears to be a battle scene straight out of "Braveheart," just know you're seeing a little piece of Ireland - and a beautiful game with prehistoric origins that many in Indianapolis are beginning to love.
For more information about the club, visit www.indyhurling.com.

Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club


Ancient sport comes to life in Broad Ripple - by Jody Peacock
image courtesy of Indy Hurling Club




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