Introduction to Floorball: Rules, Gameplay, and Basic Skills
Floorball
1. Brief History
The game was invented in the early 1970s in Gothenburg, Sweden. The sport began as a fun pastime at schools. After a decade or so, floorball began showing up in Nordic countries where the former schoolyard pastime was becoming a developed sport.
2. Equipment for a Floorball Player
Floorball Stick:
A floorball stick is short compared with one for ice hockey; the maximum size for a stick is 114 cm. As a stick cannot weigh any more than 350 grams, floorball sticks are often made of carbon and composite materials.
Ball:
The ball is made of plastic and is 72mm in diameter, weighs 23g and has 26 evenly distributed holes.
3. Rules and Regulations
A. General Rules:
The IFF (International Floorball Federation) was founded in 1986.
1. Aim:
The object of the game is to score more goals than your opponent.
2. Number of Players:
For an official game, five players and a goalie for each team are required on the court. However, games can be played with as few as three players and a goalie. The maximum roster size is 20 players per team. The goalie may be substituted for an additional player if desired.
3. Game Length:
An official game is comprised of three 20-minute periods. Game length may vary depending on the league or tournament, but the last three minutes of every game must be effective (stop) time. Teams change sides and benches each intermission.
4. Substitutions:
The substitution of players takes place at any time, and there is no limit on the number of substitutions during the match. All substitutions take place in the team’s own substitution zone.
5. Creases:
There are two creases:
- Goal Crease (4 x 5 meters): Where the goalie may use his/her hands.
- Goalkeeper Area (1 x 2.5 meters): Which field players cannot enter.
• Size: 40 x 20m
B. Game Play:
1. Stick Interference:
Players cannot lift, slash, hold, or otherwise impede an opposing player’s stick. An infraction results in a free hit.
2. High Stick:
Players cannot raise their sticks above waist level at any time, including on the backswing or follow-through of a shot. (Infraction: free hit)
3. Hands:
Players cannot use their hands to play or touch the ball, with the exception of the goalie within the goal crease.
4. Feet:
Players cannot use their feet to pass to another player, but players may kick the ball once onto their own stick. (Infraction: free hit)
5. Illegal Distance:
Defensive players (or their sticks) cannot be within 3 meters of the ball on a free hit.
6. Body Contact:
Only incidental shoulder contact (like soccer) is allowed. Players cannot hold opposing players or their jerseys or interfere with their movement. Minor infraction (free hit), major infraction (dangerous play, infraction in a scoring position, or repeated infractions) (2-minute penalty)
C. Special Situations:
1. Face-offs:
- Face-offs are used to start the game at the beginning of each period, to restart after each goal, or in any other situation that does not result in a free hit (i.e., damaged ball).
- Face-offs to start periods or after goals take place at center.
- For a face-off, the stick blade must be on the ground and perpendicular to the center line (goal line for face-offs in the corner), feet equidistant to the center line (goal line), and the ball must be in the middle of the two players’ sticks.
2. Free Hits:
Free hits occur in the foul situations cited above as well as when the ball goes out of play. The ball is played as a direct free shot similar to a soccer free kick, and defensive players and their sticks must be at least three meters away. Similar to soccer, a referee may opt to call an advantage if they deem that it is advantageous to the fouled team to keep play going.
3. Penalty Shots:
Penalty shots are awarded when a defender plays the ball in the goalie crease or when an infraction is committed on a clear scoring chance (typically a breakaway). Anyone on the floor at the time the penalty shot is awarded is allowed to take the shot. The ball is placed at center, and the ball must always be moving forward (cannot go backward), or the penalty shot is over.
C. Important Rules for Goalkeeper:
1. Goalkeepers:
Goalkeepers may only touch the ball when a part of their body is within the goal crease. If the goalie leaves the crease, they become a field player without a stick, meaning they can only kick the ball. Goalies can kick the ball into their crease and then pick it up.
2. Throwing the Ball:
When throwing the ball, it must bounce on the goaltender’s side of the court at least once.
4. Basic Skills and Techniques
Passing:
- Keep the ball close to the blade.
- After the pass, the blade should point in the direction of the pass.
- Keep your head up all the time to see the field.
Receiving the Pass:
- Keep the blade on the floor.
- Keep your head up all the time to see the field.
- Try to touch the ball as smoothly as you can.
- Balanced stance.
Shooting:
- Wrist Shot: The ball touches the blade all the time.
- The ball touches the floor just before it hits the ball.
Protecting the Ball:
- Player has a balanced stance.
- Use the body, feet, and hands to protect the ball.
- Good control of the ball.
- The blade should cover the opponent’s side of the ball.
Running with a Ball:
- The ball touches the blade all the time.
- Light touch, not hitting.
- Be ready to pass from backhand to forehand.
- Protect the ball.