Why Stick Length Matters in Floorball
by Dan Torretta - 6/30/2026
Does floorball stick length really matter?
Floorball is not hockey
If you come from a hockey background, your instinct is to use a longer stick. For one, you’re on ice skates which means you need a longer stick. You also shoot differently in floorball than you do in hockey. If you try to wrist shot a floorball like a hockey puck you’ll miss the net by about 20 feet as the ball goes sailing into the distance.Floorball is a different game. The ball is played close to the body. Nearly every action — shooting, passing, protecting the ball — involves keeping the ball close to yourself in a low, mobile stance. The fundamentals that make a long stick useful in hockey work against you here.
Where the power actually comes from
In floorball, a proper shot generates power through body rotation — hips, torso, and shoulders turning in sequence as you sweep through the ball. That chain reaction is what puts real force on the shot.But it only works when the ball stays tight to your body through the sweep. When your stick is too long, the ball naturally sits further away from you, and your arms take over as the power source instead of your whole body. Arms alone are a fraction of what a full rotation generates.
A shorter, correctly sized stick doesn't reduce your power, it unlocks power that an oversized stick is physically preventing.
Tight situations
Ball protection in tight spaces requires quick direction changes and close control. Extra shaft length gets in the way. There's simply more stick to manage in a confined space, and that makes shielding harder than it needs to be (for example the butt end of the stick digs into your stomach or ribs).There's also a fouling problem. A stick that's too long causes your elbows to ride higher as you handle the ball. In a crowded situation, that's an easy way to catch someone in the head — a foul that's completely avoidable with the right stick length.
Players who've adapted to a long stick often compensate without realizing it. It's only when they pick up a correctly sized stick that the difference becomes obvious.
The defender misconception
A common instinct is that defenders should use a longer stick for reach. In practice, it encourages reaching for the ball instead of moving your feet. Good positioning beats a desperate reach for the ball every time. The same sizing principles apply regardless of your position on the floor.Finding the right length
The general starting point: stand upright with the blade on the floor. The cap of the stick should land somewhere around your navel (an inch or two above the navel is perfectly fine).For younger players sitting between two sizes, going one length longer is fine. They'll grow into it without it meaningfully affecting their development.
Sticks run from 55cm for the youngest players up to 104cm, which is the IFF maximum for adult competition. A 107cm stick is permitted by exception only — typically for a medical reason like bad knees or a bad back, and only with pre-competition approval.
| Representative stick sizes are shown in the table above. Length of the stick shaft is measured in centimeters from the top of the stick to the end of the shaft inside the blade. |
-or- to make it even easier, if you are looking for your first floorball stick, go here Your First Floorball Stick
For a complete selection of Beginner floorballs for Adults - Beginner Sticks and for sticks sized for Kids - Kid Sticks
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