Floorball

Floorball is a team sport, practiced on an indoor court. The objective of the game is to score a plastic ball into the opponent's goal using a light stick called a stick. Both teams have five players and a goalkeeper on the court. The rules of floorball are quite similar to those of ice hockey, although with some obvious differences. It is a fast game, and is popular as a competitive sport as well as for maintaining physical fitness. The game was invented in Sweden in the late 1960s. The basic rules were established in 1979 when the world's first floorball club, Sala IBK, Sala, was founded in Sweden. The official rules for the matches were written for the first time in 1981.

At the international level, five countries have dominated the sport since the creation of the IFF (International Floorball Federation) in 1986: Czech Republic, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland. It is gaining popularity in Australia, New Zealand, India, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In 2019, there were around 377,000 registered floorball players worldwide. Up from around 300,000 in 2014.

The most important international competition is the World Championship, which has been held since 1996 and in even-numbered years in the men's category; and since 1997 and in odd years in the women's category.

In 2006, the International Floorball Federation (IFF) had the national federations and associations of 37 countries.

History

Floorball has its origins in the early 1950s. The first championship took place in Michigan (USA) in 1962.

It emerged as a practice derived from bandy. It was practiced as a hobby in schools, since it was a cheap alternative and could be practiced throughout the year.

In the 80s the first rules began to be developed and it went from being a recreational game to being a formal sport in the countries of northern Europe. After a few years, several countries formed their federations and in [1986] the IFF (International Floorball Federation) was founded. In Spain it was introduced thanks to the schools and institutes that included this sport in their programming and it began to be called "unihockey"; It has also been called Plasticbandy, Softbandy, Floorbandy, Innebandy, Floorhokey or Unihoc.

Development and internationalization

Interest in floorball in many countries in Europe and around the world grew during the 1980s: as the number of players continued to increase, floorball became structured and established as a sport in its own right. The International Floorball Federation (IFF) was created in 1986 and as of 2019 it has 45 official member federations, as well as 27 associate member federations. There are over 360,000 officially licensed practitioners worldwide as of 2018.

Floorball was recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a full member in July 2011. It is also present at the World Games, often considered the prelude to the Olympic Games. It is currently considered the national sport in Sweden, but is also a major sport in Switzerland, Finland and the Czech Republic.

Rules

Field measurements and game tools

According to international rules, the terrain can be 36-44 m long by 18-22 m wide. Smaller pitches may be used in younger children's matches.

The land is flat, surrounded by a fence half a meter high with which you can play.

Within the field there are two goals, located at each end of the field, whose measurements are 160 cm wide, 115 cm high and 65 cm deep. The goal area is 4 m wide by 5 m long, within which, and in front of the goal, is the goalkeeper's area of 1 m by 2.5 m where only the goalkeeper can be.

The sticks are made of hard, resistant plastic, and the stick does not exceed 102 cm (plus the paddle) and does not have a minimum length (children play with very short sticks). The stick usually has a weight of 150-200g. All players have one, except the goalkeeper.

It is played with 5 field players and a goalkeeper on each team. The field players will play with one stick except the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper can touch the ball with any part of the body inside the goal zone (4m*5m) and also outside it if at least some part of the goalkeeper remains inside the zone (for example the toe of the shoe). The goalkeeper can also leave the goal zone but then he will not be able to touch the ball with his hands. The game starts by touching the ball in the middle of the field, trying to get control of the ball to your team. Players can be replaced at any time and in real time. The normal thing is to change players every 30-90 seconds, since you get tired quickly because the game is one of the fastest in the world.

Players can be substituted at any time, without limitations. The match lasts:

• 3 periods of 20 min with 10 min rest between each period.
• In minor/juvenile categories, 3 periods of 15 minutes each.

The game begins with a face-off (faceoff) like in ice hockey in the midfield, with the ball on the ground, waiting for the referee's whistle. After the whistle, you can play. They usually try to play backwards, thus gaining control of the ball for their team. Time is interrupted (for the stopwatch) for each whistle from the referee. When you move the ball again, time starts running again. During a penalty, the stopwatch is also stopped. When time stops, play is resumed by: 1. a free hit (a free kick), after a foul by the opponent, or 2. a face-off, after a goal, or after a situation where the referee he couldn't see if there was a foul or not, or whose fault it was.

Main rules of the game

1. The goalkeeper can't have the ball more than 3 seconds
2. When a blunt blow is launched, opponents must be placed 3 m from the ball and the pitcher
3. If the ball comes out of the field, the other team can continue the game to 1.5m from the point fence where it came out.
4. The ball can be hit with the foot only once, then it should be hit with the shovel, after a pass can also be controlled with the foot when received by a companion, to be able to pass it with the foot to a companion again it must be controlled previously with the shovel (new rule in the season 2014-2015)
5. You can play with the ball in the air as long as it is not on the level of the knees (=the height of the knees of an "average player")
6. You cannot enter into physical contact with the opposite in any way, except shoulder to shoulder.
7. The game is not allowed without stick.
8. In direct fouling, it is not permitted to perform chopped passes, in case they are done, the player will not be able to hit the ball until it is on the floor.
9. It is strictly forbidden and penalized with temporary exclusions of 2' or 5' (depends on gravity), as obstuction; play with the hand; throw the stick: put the slipper: any type of aggression, verbal or physical; or when there are improper alignments (6 field players + goalkeeper, for example, when in a change, the player who will enter the playing field, is in contact with the same before).

It is permitted:

1. Remove the ball from an opponent without touching this one.
2. Meter the stick in the goal area
3. Switch to the goalkeeper by a field player.
4. There are unlimited changes, both from field players and goalkeepers.

It is not permitted:

1. Enter the small area of the gate (1m*2.5m) if you are not a goalkeeper. (not even in the air)
2. Move the rack to avoid a goal.
3. Play with the ball above the level of the knees.
4. Throw the stick at your partner's feet or the ball to defend the goalie.

Other actions: after marking a goal the game restarts with a face-off in the center of the field.

Penalties are taken in the following way: the player can advance with the ball from the center of the field and shoot or try to dribble past the goalkeeper. The ball is not allowed to go back or stop once it has been set in motion.

Spanish Championships 2021

During the months of May and June, the national floorball championships for the 2020-2021 season were held, with extraordinary measures due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

• Senior male:
  • 1st Legan FF.
  • 2nd Floorball.
  • 3rd Phoenix San Lorenzo.
  • 4th CDE El Valle.

• Senior female.
  • 1st CDE El Valle.
  • 2nd Leganese FF.
  • 3o Floorball Escorial.
  • 4th Phoenix San Lorenzo.

• Cadet.
  • 1o Floorball Escorial.
  • 2nd CDE El Valle A.
  • 3rd CDE El Valle B.
  • 4th Leganese FF.