FLOORBALL

Introduction
The game was invented in early 1970s in Gothenburg, Sweden. The sport began as
something that was played for fun as a pastime at schools. After a decade or so,
floorball began showing up in Scandinavian countries such as Finland and Norway,
where the once school pastime was becoming a developed sport. Formal rules soon
were developed and clubs began to form. After some time, several countries
developed national associations and the International Floorball Federation (IFF)
was founded in 1986.

The dimensions of a floorball rink

Floorball is played indoors on a rink whose size can officially vary from 1822
meters wide to 3644 meters long. The rink is surrounded by 50 cm high enclosed
boards with rounded corners. The goals are 160 cm wide and 115 cm high. Their
depth is 65 cm and they are 2.85 meters from the end of the nearest boards. There
are two creases(boxes):
1) The goal crease(box) (4 x 5 meters) where the goalie may use his/her hands.
2) The goalkeeper area (1 x 2.5 meters) which field players cannot enter
Equipment
Typical equipment for a floorball player consists of a pair of shorts, a shirt, socks and
indoor sport shoes. In addition to that, players are allowed to wear shin guards, eye
protectors and protective padding for vital areas. Players, except for the
goalkeeper, also carry sticks. A floorball player is also known as a "floorballer".

Sticks
A floorball stick is short compared with ice hockey; the maximum size for a stick is
114 cm. As a stick cannot weigh any more than 350 grams, floorball manufacturers
produce sticks that are often made of carbon and composite materials.
Ball

This is a precision type ball, characterized by 1516 tiny dimples that reduce air resistance.

In floorball, the objective is to get a plastic whiffle ball into a net with the aid of
the stick past a goaltender. A floor ball weighs 23 grams and its diameter is 72 mm.
It has 28 holes in it; each of which are 11 mm in diameter. Many of these balls now
are made with aerodynamic technology, where the ball has over a thousand small
dimples in it that reduce air resistance as well as friction on the floor. There has been
several times where a ball has been recorded to have traveled at a speed of
approximately 200 km/h.
Rules
A. GENERAL
1. The object of the game is to score more goals than your opponent. There are
two referees to oversee the game, each with equal authority.
2. Number of players: For an official game, each team can field a total of 6 players
at a time on the court, 5 field players (one line) and a goalkeeper. But games can
be played with as few as three field players and a goalkeeper. The maximum roster
size is 20 players per team. The goalie may be substituted for an additional field
player if desired. This can make advantages for the attacking side of the team but
disadvantages when it comes to their own defence.
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 time (time is stopped whenever there is a stoppage of
play). Teams change sides and benches for each intermission. An intermission
of 310 minutes takes place between each period. Each team is also allowed one
timeout of 30 seconds in a match (which is often used late in matches).

4. Substitutions: May occur at any time but players must change within the
designated substitution zone, which is 10 meters long and includes the player
benches. Each teams zone starts 5 m from the centre line. Also, teams usually
change the whole line although individual substitutions do happen sometimes but it
usually happens when a player is exhausted or hurt.
B. GAME PLAY
1. Stick interference: Players cannot lift, slash, hold or otherwise impede an
opposing players stick. (A minor infringement/foul results in a free hit while a major
infringement which includes dangerous play, infringement in a scoring position or
repeated infringements results in a 2 min penalty.)
2. High Stick: Players cannot make contact with the ball using their stick above
average knee level. Players cannot raise their sticks above waist level at any time,
including on the backswing or follow-through of a shot. (A minor infringement/foul
results in a free hit while a major infringement/dangerous play results in a 2 min
penalty.)
3. Hands: Players cannot use their hands to play or touch the ball with the exception
of the goalie within the goal crease(box). (Infringement results in a 2 min penalty)
4. Feet: Players cannot use their feet to pass to another player (foot pass) but
players may kick the ball once onto their own stick. (Free hit)
5. Head: Players cannot play the ball with their head. (2 min penalty)
6. Jumping: Players cannot jump to play the ball, one foot must be on the ground
when touching the ball. (2 min penalty)
7. Playing from the ground (Lying play): Players cannot go down on two knees to
make plays or block shots; only goalies may play from their knees. Players cannot
play the ball when they are on the ground (sitting down or lying down) should they
fall down while playing. (2 min penalty)
8. Playing your stick between another players legs: is not allowed. (Free hit)
9. Illegal distance: Defensive players (or their sticks) cannot be within 3 meters of
the ball on a free hit. (2 min penalty)
10. Crease(Box) violation: Defensive players (or their sticks) cannot be inside the
goalie crease (the inner box). (Defensive player playing the ball in the crease(box)
results in a penalty shot while defensive players not touching the ball or offensive
players in the crease(box) result in a free hit)

11. Body contact: Only incidental shoulder contact (like soccer) is allowed. Players
cannot hold opposing players or their jerseys or interfere with their movement. (Minor
infringement results in a free hit while major infringement (dangerous play,
infringement in a scoring position, or repeated infringements results in a 2 min
penalty)
C. SPECIAL SITUATIONS
1. Face-offs: Face-offs are used to start the game at the beginning of each period,
to re-start 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 centre, all
other face-offs are taken at designated spots on the floor (corners and spots on the
centre line at each end). For a face-off, stick blade must be on the ground and
perpendicular to center line (goal line for face-offs in the corner), feet equidistant to
center line (goal line) and the ball must be in the middle of the two players sticks.
Players cannot reverse their grip or hold the stick below the face-off line (a line
marker on the stick). Play starts with a whistle blow.
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 3 meters away. All free
hits are direct and must be played with a solid hit (not a wrist shot, scooping or
sweeping motion). Free hits can be played as soon as the ball is settled and only
free hits after a penalty has been require a whistle blow before play can begin. If the
offensive team is judged to be delaying the game (typically three seconds once they
stop the ball), possession is reversed and the free hit goes to the defensive team.
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(box) or when an infringement/foul 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 centre and the ball
must always be moving forward (cannot go backwards) or the penalty shot is over.
D. TWO, FIVE AND TEN MINUTE PENALTIES
During a penalty, the player who committed the foul sits in the penalty area

(sin bin) and his team is short handed for the time of the penalty. The
opponent team is said to be having a Power play. 2 min penalties are given
for most infringements/fouls and 5 min penalties are awarded to field players who
perform violent or dangerous strikes with their stick, including hitting an opponent
with their stick above the waist. Other offenses leading to a 5 min penalty include
hooking, throwing your stick or equipment to play the ball, when a player throws
himself at or otherwise attacks an opponent violently, when a player tackles, throws
or trips an opponent against the boards or goal or when a player commits similar
repeated offenses that lead to a 2 minute penalty. 10 min penalties are awarded for
unsportsmanlike behavior. Only for 2 min penalties, the penalty expires earlier if

the short handed team concedes a goal. The player in the sin bin can then
return to the game.
E. IMPORTANT RULES FOR PLAYERS
In floorball there is only one assist!
The team captain must wear a soccer-style armlet.
All field players MUST wear shorts and short sleeve soccer-style jerseys. No
hockey jerseys, gloves, kneepads, shin pads or long pants!
Watches or other jewelry is not permitted. Earrings, nose rings and other nonremovable jewelry must be covered with tape.
Make sure that your stick AND blade are approved by the IFF and you can only
replace the blade on your stick with a blade by the same manufacturer.
F. IMPORTANT RULES FOR GOALTENDERS
Goalkeepers may only touch the ball when a part of their body is within the
goal crease(box). If the goalie leaves the crease(box) they become a field player
without a stick, meaning they can only kick the ball but not to a teammate as that
would be a kick pass (foot pass). Goalies can kick the ball into their crease(box) and
then pick it up.
Opposing players must give the goalie 3 meters of space from the point where they
pick up the ball or a 2-minute incorrect distance penalty is assessed.
When throwing the ball, it must bounce on the goaltender's side of the court at
least once
Goalkeepers wear protection that is very limited; padded pants, a padded chest
protector, and a helmet. Goalkeepers can also wear other protective equipment
which includes knee pads, jocks, and gloves but bulky padding is not permitted.
Goalkeepers cannot wear any equipment that is designed to make them large
and cover more of the goal. This includes soccer goaltender gloves. Football wide
receiver gloves or baseball batting gloves are permitted.
Make sure that your helmet is IFF-approved!