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Floor hockey

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Floor hockey is a group of many different games.

Championship floor hockey game 150303-N-GT589-148
Championship floor hockey game 150303-N-GT589-148

These games are played on flat, dry floors like a gym. Teams use sticks to shoot an object into a goal. This object can be a ball or a puck. Some pucks are closed disks. Other pucks are open disks with a hole in the middle.

Floorball ball white small
Floorball ball white small

People play these games for fun and for fitness. Some players even use them to train for ice hockey.

There are many ways to play these games. Some people play on foot in a gymnasium. Other players wear wheeled skates to move around.

Ball Hockey WC 2
Ball Hockey WC 2

These are called roller games. You might see players on quad skates or inline skates. If you use a ball, you might play ball hockey. If you use a plastic ball and special sticks, you are playing floorball.

Telge-Älvsjö, 2018-09-08, bild23
Telge-Älvsjö, 2018-09-08, bild23

This version is very popular in Europe.

Sticks change depending on which game you play. Some sticks have a curved hook at the end. Other sticks have a flat blade that stays near the floor.

Floorball stick blade
Floorball stick blade

In floorball, sticks are often made of plastic and carbon fiber. Some games use lightweight plastic sticks too. The Special Olympics version is a bit different. It uses wooden sticks that do not have a blade or a hook. These sticks are just straight handles.

Floor hockey has a very interesting history. It started as a way to stay fit in public schools. A man named Sam Jacks is very important to the game. He was a physical director in Toronto, Canada. In 1936, he wrote down the first official rules.

Atlantic Attack Ringette Team
Atlantic Attack Ringette Team

His version used an open disk with a hole in the center. He even coached a Canadian team in 1947. That team won third place at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in the USA.

Different groups have made the game their own. In 1962, Tom Harter created a version in Michigan using plastic sticks. In 1970, the Special Olympics added floor hockey as a team sport. Their version uses a large, donut-shaped puck made of felt. This puck is 20 centimeters wide and has a 10-centimeter hole.

Pratt & Whitney - Special Olympics (12893111945)
Pratt & Whitney - Special Olympics (12893111945)

In 1991, the Canadian Ball Hockey Association was formed. They now run leagues for men, women, and juniors. This helps keep the many versions of the game organized.

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🖼️ Images & Media (8)
File:Championship floor hockey game 150303-N-GT589-148.jpg
Championship floor hockey game...
File:Hockey Balls By Color And Temperature.jpg
Hockey Balls By Color And Temperature.jpg
File:Floorball ball white small.jpg
Floorball ball white small.jpg
File:Floorball stick blade.jpg
Floorball stick blade.jpg
File:Ball Hockey WC 2.jpg
Ball Hockey WC 2.jpg
File:Telge-Älvsjö, 2018-09-08, bild23.jpg
Telge-Älvsjö, 2018-09-08, bild23.jpg
File:Atlantic Attack Ringette Team.jpg
Atlantic Attack Ringette Team.jpg
File:Pratt & Whitney - Special Olympics (12893111945).jpg
Pratt & Whitney - Special Olympics...
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