Floor Hockey AKA Floorball

Floor Hockey - What's all the fuss about?

Are you getting an earful on floor hockey otherwise known as fllorball this past year or two? We've come to learn that there's more to this game than a stick and a ball! The kids in this household are literally driving us mad just lately. It’s hockey this and hockey that. I’m not sure where this passion for hockey came from but it was probably something to do with the air hockey game tables we bought the boys last Christmas. One of the lads is now on the high school ice hockey team and is always hassling us for the latest ice hockey goalie equipment, and that’s just after we forked out on a pair of CCM ice hockey skates too. The other boy is into roller hockey and is another goal keeper, so his always giving us earache about roller hockey goalie equipment. And now comes the craze for floorball. Honestly, there’s no end to it and it’s driving us mad.

Ok, I can get of my pedestal now, and to be honest, I’m over the moon the boys have a healthy interest and are not out roaming the streets getting into all sorts of mischief. It’s just that a lot of sports and hobbies are so expensive these days. Whatever happened to a bunch of lads kicking a ball around on the local green? We’ve actually got 3 growing boys and the youngest is just starting to get an interest in floor hockey, so I decided it was time to show a bit of interest in their fascination for all things hockey and so have been doing a little research. Here’s what I found:



Floor hockey has definitely been growing in its popularity in recent years, and it’s not uncommon for teams to be competing in local communities, High schools, and colleges across the country. To be honest, it’s really nice to see a physical game being played out in a world where computer games rule! There are still more who play the floorball online than off, but the trend is changing.

It is a unique game in that it evens the playing field for those who may enjoy the game of hockey but not be able to play on ice for physical or other reasons. It gives both children and adults who are not skilled in ice or roller skating the opportunity to participate in the game. It also provides an opportunity for those who do not live in cool climates or have access to an indoor skating rate the chance to participate in the enjoyable and fast paced team sport of hockey.

Just in case you don’t know, ice hockey is not dissimilar to floor hockey with the difference being surfaces and speed of course. Floor hockey is also played out in the rink but on a concrete or wooden surface.

Because it does not require the ability to skate or move about easily on an icy surface, it is an ideal team sport for many athletes with disabilities. Floor hockey has been adopted as a wheelchair sport, and it is also the single team sport in the Winter Special Olympics.

Play involves the use of a puck (or a Floorball ball), stick and goals. In most organized games, teams will consist of five or six players. Floor hockey players must be skilled in stick handling and shooting, as well as in passing the puck to their team members. Points are scored in much the same way as in ice hockey, and floor hockey goalies must be alert and quick to act to avoid allowing the opposing team to score. Generally, floor hockey players use pucks and sticks specifically designed for indoor play. One of the major differences between floor hockey and ice hockey is that players of floor hockey generally do not wear protective gear, so some safety modifications have been made to the game.

Because it is a sport that is adaptable to almost any location and an activity that can be enjoyed by players of varying skill levels, floor hockey has become an increasingly popular activity. Children and adults can enjoy it in a variety of educational and community settings.

A similar game is floorball, which uses sticks made from lighter plastic materials and a ball instead of a puck. Floorball is believed to have originated from floor hockey, which goes to show how the game of hockey in general has been adapted to allow enthusiasts with various skill levels, resources and geographical limitations to enjoy the sport.

After reading up and understanding the rules of hockey a lot more, I’ve developed a genuine interest for the game which has really pleased the boys. However, this hasn’t meant that I give in to their every request for the new and latest hockey equipment, because I don’t, and that constant whining still drives us mad. However, we all had a lovely hockey night in Canada as a family last month and their interest, which once had us bickering, has eventually bought us closer together as a family as we continue to go out on these hockey nights in support of their respective teams.