Our Cubs battled their hearts out today, picking up a huge draw against a strong Devils side and an impressive win over Tarantula. Those results helped push the team to 8th out of 11, which is absolutely outstanding when you remember that our average age is just 12.25 and many of our players are still U10s, U12s, or in their first season of league hockey. What a squad!
Against the Devils, the kids were unreal — keeping their box shape in defence, staying disciplined, not diving into tackles, and creating some brilliant chances they were unlucky not to finish. Then came Tarantula: a tight, gritty game where the Cubs went a goal down… but never stopped believing. They controlled the final 10 minutes, showed huge character, and smashed in three late goals to take the points!
We now move into the league split and can’t wait for the mini‑tournament day against Trixters, Northstars, Tarantula, and Preds. The kids are buzzing and ready to show what they can do.
A massive shoutout to every single player — this weekend was pure teamwork from start to finish. But we still had to pick our award winners:
• Players’ Player: Hallie — an absolute leader on the rink today. Blocking shots, making plays, working tirelessly, and grabbing a well‑deserved goal. • Coaches’ Player: Toby — nonstop effort, positivity all day long, and a real presence on the rink. Brilliant attitude.
Huge thanks as well to Rhys for stepping in as emergency netminder with Lottie unwell — calm, positive, and slotted straight into the group like he’d always been part of the team. Get well soon, Lottie!
And a special mention to Sav, making her U14s debut and playing up two age groups. She took on every instruction from Coach James, worked hard every shift, and made a fantastic impression.
Lastly, a massive well done to Lucas Roberts, our top points scorer in the Round Robin — 9 points in 10 games (7 goals, 2 assists) while also playing up an age group. Superb!
Thank you to all the kids for their amazing attitudes, and to the parents for braving another icy‑cold rink with smiles on their faces. We can’t wait for the final game day — bring it on, Cubs!
February has been a huge month for Lions Inline Hockey Club — and what a fun, action‑packed one it’s been!
Between non‑stop training sessions, 4 senior game days, and 3 junior game days, the club has been busier than ever. Coach James has been clocking up the miles too, travelling between our league rinks in Market Drayton and Atherton — but it’s all been worth it seeing the progress across every team.
🏒 Senior Hockey Update
February marked the start of our Senior Lions West League campaign. While the opening weekend didn’t bring any points, there were plenty of positives to take away as the group continues to build and develop.
The big story, though, belongs to Lions Black 🔥 In their last 6 games, Lions Black recorded: ✅ 4 wins ✅ 1 draw ✅ 1 loss
That incredible run means they now need just 1 point from their final 3 game days to win the West D League — a massive turnaround from last season, where the club finished bottom of the league.
Every player is pushing hard with their sights firmly set on progressing into the C League next season, showing just how far this group has come.
🦁 Junior Hockey – A Month to Be Proud Of
Our junior teams have also been busy, and the development across the Cubs has been fantastic to see.
🐾 Under 8s
Our Under 8s wrapped up their regular season by finishing 3rd, securing a place in the Playoff A Division — a brilliant achievement.
A huge congratulations to Ellis Allatt #40, who finished as top points scorer in the Under 8s division with: 🏒 43 goals 🏒 1 assist 🏒 7 games played
That’s an incredible improvement from last season, where he scored 17 goals — an increase of over 2.5 times in just one year, and in his final season at Under 8s.
We’d also like to congratulate Eden Roberts #58, who played with our friends Predators and finished 5th overall in points for the Under 8s season — a fantastic achievement.
🏒 Under 10s
We still have one final Under 10s game day to come in March, and we’re looking forward to finishing the season strong.
🏒 Under 12s
Our Under 12s have now completed their season. While the team picked up 1 win, this was a very young and inexperienced group, many of whom were playing up an age group.
Despite that, the effort and improvement across the season were clear, with: ⭐ Ellis Allatt & Eden Roberts finishing 1st and 2nd in team points and leading by example throughout the campaign.
🏒 Under 14s & Under 16s
Our Under 14s also completed their league, finishing in 8th place with another young squad gaining valuable experience.
Lucas Roberts #85 led the Cubs at Under 14s with: 🏒 9 points in 10 games
Lucas also stepped up into Under 16s, leading the way there too with: 🏒 5 points in 8 games
While our Cubs finished bottom of the Under 16s group, it’s important to note that most of this team is made up of Under 12s players and newer players to the sport. The experience gained at this level will be massive for their long‑term development.
🌟 A Club on the Rise
When we step back and look at the bigger picture, this season has been a huge success for Lions Inline Hockey Club:
🦁 A team in every junior division for the first time in club history 🦁 4 senior teams competing 🦁 A growing pathway from Under 8s to Senior hockey 🦁 Massive improvement across all age groups
The future of the club looks incredibly bright, especially with the strength of our junior development programme.
🏒 Want to Join the Lions?
If you’re looking for: ✅ A new team ✅ The next step in your hockey journey ✅ A fun, supportive club focused on improvement
Then drop us a DM or Email: info@lionsihc.co.uk
Now is the perfect time to join. We currently offer 5 training sessions a week and are preparing our players for:
Junior A & B Playoffs
Next season’s league progression across Cubs and Seniors
We’re welcoming players and netminders of all ages and experience levels — there’s never been a better time to become part of the Lions family 🦁
Yes… we know this post is very late 😅 January and February have been non‑stop for the club, with 7 game days in February alone — but that doesn’t take away from how special this moment is.
🥁 Drum roll please…
Massive congratulations to Joseph & Noah, our January Players of the Month 👏👏
This month, our coaches genuinely couldn’t pick just one player, because both of these young Cubs have been outstanding throughout January.
🏒 Two of Our Youngest… and Brightest Stars
Joseph and Noah may be two of the newest and youngest players at the club, but the progress they’ve made in such a short time has been incredible.
During our Under 8s sessions, both players have: ✅ Been some of the best listeners on the rink ✅ Followed every instruction given by the coaches ✅ Taken part in all drills with focus and enthusiasm ✅ Even mastered one of the trickiest instructions for new players… 👉 “When you finish the drill, sit in a spot on the rink”
Something many new players understandably struggle with — but not these two!
😄 Always Smiling, Always Learning
Joseph and Noah are an absolute bundle of joy every time they step onto the rink. They’re always smiling, always trying their best, and always supporting the session — which is exactly what Lions Cubs hockey is all about.
Because of their attitude, effort, and rapid development, our coaches believe both players will be ready to take on the UKIHF Under 8s League at the start of next season, which is incredible considering they’ve only been with the club for a few weeks.
🌟 Proof That Experience Isn’t Everything
This award is a perfect example of how: 🦁 Children aged 6 and under can thrive on the rink 🦁 You don’t need previous experience to succeed 🦁 Listening, effort, and enjoyment go a long way
We couldn’t be prouder of both Joseph and Noah — keep smiling, keep learning, and keep loving hockey 🏒💙
Today our Lion Cubs Under-10s hit the rink for their second league day of the season! 🏒🔥
They’ll be facing off against Bauer Heat and Seakings, ready to put all that hard work from training into action. Expect big smiles, plenty of laughs, and loads of learning as our young Cubs show off their skills and teamwork.
It’s all about fun, friendship, and hockey magic – because every game is a chance to grow and enjoy the sport we love! 💙🤍
Eden joined Cubs in the second half of last season and hit the ground rolling—already brilliant on wheels and getting better every single week. This season she’s formed a fantastic partnership with Ellis #40, especially when they’ve been playing up two age groups in U12s—speed, smarts and serious teamwork.
What sealed December’s award? Eden earned an invite to train with our Lions Senior players on Thursday night—and every single player praised her relentless work rate, pinpoint passing, vision to find the right option, and knack for arriving in the perfect spot to receive the puck.
Sometimes players like Eden can be overlooked because they consistently set a high bar and make progress look “normal.” But being recognised by our senior group says it all: she’s talented, humble, always learning from the older players, and already leading by example for our newer and younger Cubs.
We’re incredibly proud to have Eden in the pride. Well done, Eden! 👏🦁
Yesterday, our youngest Cubs hit the rink in the UKIHF Under-8s League and gave it their all in two nail-biting games against the Mooseheads and Predators! 💪
This young squad showed incredible growth as the day went on, gaining that all-important game day experience. We couldn’t be prouder of their effort and teamwork!
✨ Players’ Player of the Day Chosen by last week’s winner Clovos, this time it goes to Freddie! 🏅 Carson said Freddie never stopped skating and was a rock in defence throughout both games. Amazing work!
✨ Coaches’ Player of the Day Big shout-out to Clovis! 🏅 He was everywhere on the rink, making big blocks and tackles, dominating the face-off circle, and even grabbing an assist straight from a winning face-off. Outstanding hustle!
👏 Massive well done to our Under-8s Cubs for yesterday’s games! We’re so proud of you all. See you next Monday when Under-8s training kicks off again!
What a shift from our young Cubs! We faced a strong Mooseheads side and an evenly matched North Stars team—coming away with a loss to the Mooseheads and a well-earned win against the North Stars to bag two points. 💪
Coaches’ Player of the Day: Jack Debut day and playing up from U12s, Jack slotted right in and led by example—relentless hustle, positive attitude on and off the rink, driving play forward and tracking back hard in both games. A real “never give up” engine and a leader from the first face-off. 🔥
Players’ Player: Leo (picked by last U14s game day winner, Toby) Leo showed grit beyond his experience—feet always moving, fearless shot blocks, and stood tall against the bigger shooters (especially vs the Mooseheads). Huge blocks, huge heart. 🧱⭐
Massive well done to every Cub today—everyone showed improvements from game one to game two. We’re laying solid foundations for a young team, and the momentum is building. Let’s keep roaring! 🦁💛
As we say goodbye to 2025, we want to send a massive thank you to everyone who’s been a part of Lions Inline Hockey Club this year—players, parents, coaches, volunteers, officials, and our brilliant supporters. You’ve filled the rinks (and our hearts) with energy, effort, and smiles. ~ Thank you for making 2025 unforgettable. ~
We can’t wait for 2026—our biggest ever season is already underway, and with more events in the pipeline, this year could be our most exciting yet. Let’s keep growing, learning, competing, and having fun together. 💛🖤
We’re still on our Christmas break, but here’s what’s coming up next:
📍 North West Roller Sports Rink — Thursday 8 January • Under‑16s: 7:00–8:00pm (new session) • Lions Black: 8:00–9:00pm • Senior Lions: 9:00–10:30pm
📍 Ardwick Sports Centre — Monday 12 January • Under‑8s: 6:00–7:00pm • Under‑12s: 7:00–8:00pm
Whether you’re lacing up for your first session or chasing the next milestone, there’s a place for you in our pride. If you’re curious about joining, drop us a DM or email info@lionsihc.co.uk—the first steps start with a hello. 📨
Here’s to fresh starts, fast breaks, and fearless hockey in 2026. Happy New Year from all of us at Lions IHC! 🥳🏒
Over the last 18 months, Lions Inline Hockey Club has grown across every age group. A big part of that success has been offering our older junior players the chance to join both Hockey Hustlers and Senior Lions training sessions—which has led to massive improvement over the first few months of the 2025/2026 season.
Behind the scenes, we’ve been working hard to add capacity to our already packed timetable. We’re pleased to announce we’ve secured an extra half hour on our North West Roller Sports Rink allocation, which now enables us to offer a dedicated Under‑16s training session and completely refresh our weekly schedule. The result is a clear pathway from Rookie Cubs all the way to Seniors.
New weekly schedule (from January 2026)
Monday – Ardwick Sports Centre
Under‑8s: 6:00–7:00pm
Under‑12s: 7:00–8:00pm
Thursday – Senior Lions (unchanged)
Senior Lions: 9:00–10:30pm
Sunday – North West Roller Sports Rink
Under‑16s: 7:00–8:00pm
Lions Black: 8:00–9:00pm
This complete pathway means more hockey than ever before—and a structured progression for every player.
A coach-led “play‑up” pathway that accelerates development
To recognise different rates of growth and readiness, we will be offering additional training opportunities for players who meet age and ability criteria, assessed by our coaching team:
Ages 7+ may be invited to train with Under‑12s
Ages 10+ may be invited to train with Under‑16s
Ages 12+ may be invited to Lions Black and Senior Lions sessions
Playing up is always at coach discretion and based on player readiness, safety, and confidence. With this structure, Lions can now offer all junior players the chance to play up one or more age groups in the UKIHF Junior Leagues—helping to push Lion Cubs forward at the right pace.
Why playing up (with guidance) is a good thing
Higher pace & intensity: Exposure to faster play builds reaction speed, decision‑making under pressure, and stamina.
Skill acceleration: Training with advanced teammates raises the technical bar—stick handling, shooting mechanics, and first touch improve quickly.
Hockey IQ growth: Older age groups use more complex systems; learning forecheck/backcheck, breakouts, and positioning boosts game understanding.
Safe physical progression: Controlled, coach‑supervised drills develop body contact skills (angling, body positioning) before they’re needed in games.
Confidence & resilience: Meeting tougher challenges, with support, grows grit and belief—key traits for stepping into the next age group.
Readiness for transitions: Playing up smooths the move to higher age brackets and prepares players for Lions Black and Senior Lions.
What each session focuses on (age‑appropriate drills)
Physical readiness and consistency across full sessions
Across the pathway, drills are age‑appropriate and progressive, ensuring every player learns the skills needed for the age group they play in, and the one they are growing into.
Building the sport in the North West—together
This pathway means we’re offering more hockey than ever and creating a clear route for players to become part of Lions Black or the Senior Lions when they reach age 15 (subject to coach assessment and league rules). We’re also excited to be working with T‑Wrex on female development in the sport, and we’re exploring the return of a Wild Lions training session later in 2026.
If you’re looking to get your children into inline hockey—or you’re keen to get back into it yourself—we’re always open to new players joining.
Get in touch: 📧 info@lionsihc.co.uk 💬 DM us for more information
