FLOORBALL VS. FLOOR AND STREET HOCKEY - The Equipment and the Rules
Street or floor hockey is played with standard hockey sticks or a cheap outdoor hockey stick version made for this type of game. Shafts are wood or plastic and blades are typically wood, rubber, or plastic which often has sharp edges. Games are played with a plastic puck or a ball (rubber, plastic, or tennis). Street hockey sets often include gloves, helmets, and shin pads for protection. Goalies play with a stick and protective equipment as in ice hockey. In school settings, floor hockey sticks (though inexpensive) are often equipped with protective sleeves over the blades to prevent injury or floor damage.
Contrast this with floorball equipment. Floorball sticks are very lightweight and easy to handle/control. Blades have soft, rounded edges. A floorball stick is also shorter than a hockey stick. A properly sized stick should only reach an inch or two above the belly button. A floorball is like a whiffle ball, only stronger. These features make a floorball game much safer, yet much quicker than a street or floor hockey game. No protective equipment is required (except for goalies if you choose to play that way). T shirt, shorts, sneakers, floorball stick and ball...it's all you need for a fast paced, fun experience!
The rules of floorball add even more to the debate of floorball vs. floor hockey. There is no body or stick checking in floorball and the stick is kept below the knee. Because the sticks and ball are so light, there is no need to take wild swings. A quick snap or sweep shot speeds the ball toward the goal or sets up a high speed pass.
See the difference...the first video below shows how floor hockey with cheap plastic sticks is demonstrated for teachers to use in PE class. The second video shows kids playing floorball..."nuff said."
Some organizations (particularly ice hockey teams and programs) continue to use the term "street hockey" for any outdoor hockey-like activity. They do this for a very good reason -- people understand what they are talking about. However, many (the Dallas Stars for example) have embraced floorball for their off-ice and hockey outreach programs. They may sometimes call it street hockey but they use genuine floorball sticks and balls and adhere to the basic floorball rules.
Want more information about floorball for schools, recreation programs, or hockey players/organizations? Choose one of the categories in the menu to the left. Thinking about getting a stick to try floorball or consider a package for your program? Pick an item below. To get more information about various products visit our online floorball shop.
