The Game

The Caman
The caman you use will depend on the position you play. From left to right: Forward, Midfield, Defense, Goalkeeper.

Shinty is an ancient Scottish sport, said to be the sport from which all others are derived. The rules are fairly intuitive: teams of 12 compete to hit the ball with a caman (shinty stick) into the net by pretty much whatever means. Since most people have never heard of the sport before joining us, the rules are best explained by comparing it to hockey.

The ball
The shinty ball is slightly smaller than a baseball, and a bit firmer. A well struck ball can travel up to 80 metres through the air.

Shinty is much like hockey, though better in innumerable ways. Use of both sides of the stick is encouraged, as is controlling and hitting the ball in the air. You can also control the ball with your feet (provided they’re planted on the ground), and goalkeepers can use a flat palm as well. Stick tackles are also allowed. The only equipment you’ll need are shin-pads and boots – we will provide camans for your use.

hit
Exemplary tackling technique

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