Floor Hockey Handout

 

 

Safety rules
- No slap shot (stick’s blade stays on the floor on the back swing).
- No contact (checking).
- Keep the sticks (hockey blade tip) below the knee.
- No hockey stick swinging.

 

Hockey is played 6 against 6 players. The positions are: 3 forwards (1 left wing, 1 center, 1 right wing) and 3 defensemen (1 left defense, 1 right defense and 1 goalie). There can be up to 19 players on a team. Other players will rotate in with their teammates. An official game is played with 3 periods of 20 minutes. When the time is up, the game is over unless the score is tied, then there are two options: 1- sudden death overtime period, 2- shoot out.

In our class we are playing shifts of 3 minutes maximum, you must learn to change “on the fly” which means substitute players while the game is going. It must be position for position, for example a center is replacing a center.

An off-side will be called when any player from the attacking (offensive) team enter the defensive team zone before the puck or the ball. When the ball leave the zone all the attacking players must clear the zone and let the ball go in first again. It can be delayed while the defensive team handles the puck in their zone. Note: If a defensive player brings the puck back in his/her defensive zone while an offensive player is there, there is no off-side call. All offside rules are there to take away any unfair advantage in the game.

The most common penalties are roughing, tripping and checking which in our class will result in a men down for 1 minute. When a slap shot occurs, the game will stop and a face-off will be done to put the ball back in play. At the beginning of the game or after a goal, the ball is put back in play by facing off too. When the goalie stops the ball, a face-off in zone will be done from the side the goalie covered the ball/puck. The opponents have to clear a three feet circle from the ball except for the center players facing-off.

As a team sport, passing is the key point. The puck or the ball will always travel faster by being passed than carried. The strategies of passing are to get in the open and always offer a clear passing line to the puck carrier. Teamates should always obide by the triangle geometric figure to provide at least two open passing options. The carrier must be able to anticipate the pass receivers probable positions accordingly to their speed and direction. The pass must be made ahead of the player using the stick’s blade as a target.

During an offensive attack, the defensmen from the attacking team will stay inside the line (blue line) marking the offensive zone, hoping to contain the ball in the offensive.

Forehand and backhand sweep passing: Drag the ball along the forward motion. Keep the ball in position between the heal and the middle of the hockey blade. Finish the motion by tipping and pointing the hockey blade at the target.

WRIST SWEEP SHOT: Drag the ball along the forward motion. Keep the ball from the middle of the hockey stick blade to the tip end. At the time of releasing the ball, open and close the wrist quickly in a whipping motion. Finish the motion by pointing the tip of the blade at the target. Your body weight goes from the back leg (side of the ball) to the front leg (opposite side of the ball). The front leg’s foot is pointing at the target. This shot is not very strong but it is very precise.

WRIST SLAP SHOT: The hockey stick’s blade tip is dragged behind while rising the blades heal. On the forward motion, the bottom of the blade will quickly come back flat on the floor at the same time it will make contact with the ball. The action on the blade is powered by the wrists closing and opening and closing again after contact with the ball. The body weight shifts the same way as the wrist sweep shot. Point the tip of the hockey stick’s blade at the target. It is a strong shot but very much less precise.

Tip/toe
Hockey blade
heal
Stick handling

Using the wrists opening and closing on a side to side motion straight in front of you, keep the hockey stick’s blade inclined against the ball on each side. This motion gives you control over the ball which you can be use to setup a pass, setup a shot or fake-out people.