Get Your Floorball On!

Did you know that New York has one of the top floorball teams in the world? Okay, maybe not-- let's start with an easier question: did you know that floorball exists? It does-- as this very informative website for NYC Floorball explains:

Floorball is one of the fastest growing sports in North America. It started as a recreational alternative to ice hockey and floor hockey in Sweden during the 1970s. It is played with lightweight plastic composite sticks and a plastic whiffle ball. It is unlike hockey in that no stick checks or tackling is allowed. It is a game built on speed and agility as opposted to size and strength, and men and women often play together.
Approximately 3 million people play the game worldwide, of which about 300,000 are registered to play competitively. In Sweden and Finland, the number of registered floorball players has surpassed that of ice hockey! The International Floorball Federation (IFF) has 34 national member associations ranging from Finland, Pakistan, and Malaysia, to the United States. The IFF has applied to the International Olympic Committee to have floorball recognized as an Olympic sport.

Co-ed floor hockey played with a whiffle ball? That is just too awesome for words. Has anyone played?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jake Dobkin on January 13, 2006 11:47 AM

Comments [rss]

Per

Rules allow roughly the same level of contact as basketball.

Jen

Oh, I played in college, it's tons o' fun. You're pretty much in a costant state of falling on your ass, and although there's no stick checking, if you come away from the game with all ten fingers, you did something wrong. When they say speed, they mean reaction-wise.