HENDERSON (KTNV) — Just like hockey took over the desert, bandy has slowly done the same for some locals over the last year.
“It’s a lot different from hockey," Bandy Club of Las Vegas (BCLV) player, Mattox McCauley said. "There’s no icing, there’s no offsides, you shoot the ball like a golf swing.”
WATCH | How bandy is growing in popularity across the valley
The sport has grown from zero players to 100 in the valley. For the first time, two local teams competed in the 2nd annual Las Vegas Invitational Rink Bandy Tournament.
“That’s amazing because we came here last year to play bandy with people from Minnesota and around the world, so we never thought in our wildest dreams we would think a 100 bandy players a year after the first tournament," tournament director Chris Halden said.
Not only are they playing, but the BCLV is also learning from some of the best in the world through Saturday.
“We want the bandy sport to grow in the whole world," one Swedish West Coast Warrior said. "It’s really cool that Las Vegas has two teams this year.”
As the BCLV continues to practice every other Sunday, bandy has brought some Las Vegans together.
“Super great group of guys," McCauley said. "Every night everybody is joking, everybody is friends, never been one disagreement and I’ve come every Sunday - just a very special group.”
Check out BCLV on Instagram for more information.
