General
There's nothing complicated about this, folks. It's just straight up floor hockey, just like you used to play in gym class.
We're all just here to have fun so play clean, show good sportsmanship and be friendly!
Court
We play on a regular sized basketball court. The goals will be on the court boundaries, so the space behind the goal is playable. A bull pen will be fenced off on the side of the court to allow substitutes to stand in the court and remain out of the way.
Equipment
We provide high-quality, adult-size floorball sticks optimized for beginners (both righties and lefties). The floorball is a specialized whiffle ball specifically designed for floorball play. The goals are 4-feet wide by 3-feet tall. Players will bring their own dry and clean gym shoes for game play. As always, Sportsball team shirts will be provided!
Teams
Each team will have 5 players on the court with at least 2 girls. If a team is short a girl or two, they may play down a player for each girl. If a team does not have enough players to field a full team, they will forfeit unless the opposing team captain allows the game to proceed with less players. If desired, a pick-up match can be coordinated during the forfeited game time and all available players could play at their leisure for a non-recorded game.
Players
Each player will be allowed to use their stick or feet to manipulate the floorball. If the floorball is sailing over your head, you can use your hand to catch it but must immediately drop it in front of your body or stick (you cannot pass it with your hands).
There will be no goalies, but a player may use their body to block the net. They cannot use their hands to stop or catch the floorball or sit, lay or slide in front of the net. Basically, as long as no part of your body accept your feet touches the ground, you're OK (no, your knees can't touch the ground either). At no point in the game is it acceptable to throw your stick, including if you're attempting to block a shot on the goal. Always keep you stick in your hands and below your waist.
Sequence of Play
At the start of the game, there will be a face-off at center-court. After each point is scored, teams will move to their own half of the court and the team who was just scored against will start with the ball behind their own goal line (behind the net). Players cannot cross the half-court line until the ball has crossed the offensive goal line (as soon as the person with the ball moves or passes forward).
There are no out-of-bounds but if the ball is knocked out of play (either through an open door or behind the bull pen), the referee will determine who starts with the ball and drop it near where it left play. The player with the ball will have 10-feet of free space to pass the ball back into play.
Substitutions
Substitute players will stand in the fenced bull pen. Substitutions can be made at any time during the game, but the leaving player must fully enter the bull pen before the substitute can exit the bull pen.
Scoring
Pretty simple. When the floorball makes it into the net, that's a point.
Penalties
- High Stick - Bringing the lip of the stick above your waist (even when taking a shot)
- Hand Pass - Passing the floorball with your hand after catching it above your head
- Throwing stick - If you are on the court and do not have a stick in your hands, you're probably in violation
- Holding - Grabbing another player, their clothes or their stick with your hands
- Slashing - Swinging your stick at a player rather than the ball (if swung with malice, may result in banishment from league)
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct - As determined by referee (if considered a violation of our Code of Conduct, may result in banishment from league)
- Reckless Endangerment - Putting other players in a position that threatens their safety (think bigger person playing over aggressively with or near a smaller person)
- Tripping - Negligently tripping another player with your stick or feet (if intentional, may result in banishment from league)
- Blatant Contact - Negligently body checking or pushing another player (if belligerent, may result in banishment from league)
All penalties result in penalty shot from the free throw line when they adversely affect the non-offending team