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Living the Dream: Bandy

Players hope the sport will someday be in the winter games.

ROSEVILLE, Minn. - You will not see the sport in the Olympics but Bandy is alive and well in Minnesota.

Players hope it will someday be in the winter games.

"I played soccer and hockey and I said this is my sport. I tried out for the national team and did not make it because I really sucked. The next year I made it," said Chris Halden.

Halden is a player and coach of the United States national bandy team which plays at the John Rose Oval in Roseville.

"Once you play it, it's really fun. There is no body checking. You'd don't stop and start so you don't necessarily get really tired," said Halden.

The most obvious difference from hockey, a ball is used instead of a puck.

The ice rink is roughly the size of a soccer field so it is much larger than a hockey rink.

"There are a lot of familiar faces but we are trying to get more new guys in especially for the national team. The best people we can take are the guys that are just getting done with hockey and still looking to be competitive," said Andrew Knutson.

The USA team, along with several major teams in Russia, Sweden and China, have helped petition the International Olympic Committee to be one of the next Olympic sports. No word yet on if it will be included in the 2022 games in Bejing.

The Oval hosts occasional kid and adult leagues so anyone can give it a try.

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