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Floor hockey

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Floor hockey is a broad term for several indoor games.

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

These games involve two teams competing on dry, flat surfaces. Common playing areas include gymnasiums or basketball courts. Players use sticks to shoot an object into a goal. This object is usually a ball or a puck. Some versions are played on foot. Others use wheeled skates to move across the floor. These games are more structured than street hockey. They follow a codified set of rules to ensure fair play.

The mechanism of play depends on the specific equipment used. Players use sticks to control an object of play. These objects come in three main types. The first type is a ball. The second type is a closed disk, also called a puck. The third type is an open disk with a hole in the center.

Floorball ball white small
Floorball ball white small

Sticks vary based on these objects. Ball games often use sticks with a hook at the end. Puck games typically use sticks with a flat blade. In floorball, the stick features a design that mixes a blade and a hook.

Floorball stick blade
Floorball stick blade

Floor hockey variants fall into four general categories. The first category includes ball games played on foot. This includes ball hockey and floorball. Floorball is especially popular in Europe. It uses lightweight plastic balls and carbon fiber sticks.

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

The second category includes puck games played on foot. This includes cosom hockey, which uses plastic sticks and pucks. The third category involves disk games using an open disk. The fourth category is known as roller games. These involve wheeled skates.

Ball Hockey WC 2
Ball Hockey WC 2

Players may use quad skates or inline skates. Inline hockey is a variation of ice hockey. Quad hockey resembles the sports of bandy or field hockey.

The history of floor hockey is tied to physical education. It was originally a fitness sport in many public schools. Much of the game's development happened in Canada. Codes derived from ice hockey were played in Montreal in 1875. However, Samuel Perry Jacks, known as Sam Jacks, is credited with its official creation. Jacks was an assistant physical director at the West End YMCA in Toronto. In 1936, he codified the first set of rules. His version used an open disk with a hole in the center. Jacks later coached the Canadian Floor Hockey Team in 1947. That team finished in third place at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in the USA.

Many organizations have helped the sport grow through specific rules. The Canadian Ball Hockey Association was formed in 1991. It provides formal leagues for men, women, and juniors. It also organizes National Championships for each division. In the United States, Tom Harter created a variant in 1962. He used plastic sticks and pucks in Battle Creek, Michigan. Later, in 2003, the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association released rules for college campuses. These rules provided a baseline for intramural play across the United States.

Specialized versions of the game serve unique purposes. The Special Olympics added team floor hockey in 1970. This was the only team sport under its purview at that time. The Special Olympics uses a specific felt puck. This puck is donut-shaped with a center hole. The hole is 10 centimeters wide. The total diameter is 20 centimeters. The thickness is 2.5 centimeters. Each puck weighs between 140 and 225 grams.

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

Players in this version use wooden sticks without blades.

Floor hockey also connects to other sports and training. Some variants serve as dryland training. This helps children learn the skills needed for ice hockey. The floorball variant can also train players for bandy. Some versions are even related to the sport of ringette. In the 1960s, Sam Jacks created the ice sport of ringette.

Atlantic Attack Ringette Team
Atlantic Attack Ringette Team

While gym ringette is a separate sport, it was influenced by early floor hockey. These connections show how floor hockey acts as a foundation for many athletic skills.

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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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