1. Equipment/Set Up
Equipment including nets, goalie masks, sticks, and balls will be provided and set-up each week. It is the responsibility of the team to bring any additional protective gear for all players, including the goalie.
2. Uniforms
Teams captains will choose their team colours before the start of the season and will be expected to play in those colours throughout the season. Shirts will not be provided by the league.
3. Game Time
Games are a maximum of 50 minutes in length, giving you five minutes at the start of the game time to warm up, and five minutes at the end of the game time to collect your belongings and leave the school by the allocated permit end time. Regardless of when your game begins, your game will always end on time.
As this is a self officiated league, it is your responsibility to keep track of time and score.
4. Players
Teams are comprised of five (5) players on the court at a time. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad (minimum 4 players) by 10 minutes after the official start time.
Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding roster requirements but this should be decided before the game starts.
5. Playing Area
The net and court will be set up for you when you arrive. All gymnasiums will vary in size, so the dimensions of the playing area will vary per location. Benches will be placed in the corners of the gym so that sub players can wait for their turn to enter the court.
6. Floor Hockey Rules
General Rules:
- You may not touch any other player with your body or your stick at any time on purpose, and you should do your best to avoid unnecessary contact with your body and your stick. If you find you are frequently coming in contact with your opponents, you must adjust your style of play to minimize this from happening. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the games are played safely, and any dangerous or reckless behaviour is not acceptable.
- All Players must use the provided plastic sticks and balls.
- Eye protection is not mandatory for players, with the exception of goalies.
- Players are permitted to wear gloves, soccer shinguards, and volleyball kneepads. Ice Hockey shinpads are not permitted for “players”; only goalies may wear ice hockey shinpads.
- Games are started with a faceoff, with both players tapping the ground and each others' sticks three times before the ball is played.
- The ball is always in play, regardless of height, until it crosses into an out of bounds area (e.g. onto the stage). This includes hitting the ceiling, climbing equipment on walls, basketball nets, or anything else that might be hanging in bounds. The only exception to this is if a ball deflects in the goal directly after contacting anything hanging from the ceiling (i.e. basketball backboard/hoop/mesh, climbing rope).
- Players may not use their hands to pick up the ball from the court during gameplay.
- A ball that has gone out of play is awarded to the team that did not touch the ball last. Play commences with a player either passing the ball in from the line where the ball went out of play or stick handling the ball themself from that point. A player opting to carry the ball MUST make a pass before shooting (i.e. the player cannot score directly). If the ball is passed/shot towards the net and goes in (either directly into the goal, off the post and in, or off of the goalie and in) then it is not a goal. If the ball is passed/shot towards the net and the goalie makes a save, or if the ball hits the post and is played by another player, then play is now live. Opposing players (and their sticks) must be at least 5 feet away from the ball (i.e. you cannot put your stick directly in front of the ball) until the player either passes or begins to run with the ball. If the ball goes out of bounds with the offensive team getting possession, play re-starts in the corner (i.e. if the ball goes out on a stage, the offence takes control of the ball in the corner, not behind the net).
- If the ball comes to rest on the back of the net, the play is dead and it is the goalie’s ball, regardless of who touched the ball last.
- If the goalie has frozen the ball, play is dead until the goalie restarts play by passing the ball (i.e. if the goalie freezes the ball so play stops and then uncovers the ball while trying to stand up/fish the ball out of their equipment, you can’t poke at the ball). Goalies may place the ball in the crease and the offensive team must give the goalie 5 feet of space to restart play (players may not poke at the ball whether there is a Crease or No-crease rule in effect; see Section 5).
- If the goalie has frozen the ball and subsequently passes the ball to their teammate behind the net/goal line (from wall to wall, not just the net…think of it as the icing line in ice hockey), the defense has 5 seconds to move/pass/shoot the ball before the forward(s) can fore-check (a shot from behind the line will count as a goal if it goes in). The defense may move anywhere behind the goal line (from wall to wall) as long as they are still behind the line before the 5 seconds elapses. The forward must count 5 steamboats aloud before attacking, and may only cross the line to fore-check once they say “Five”. This rule is to give the defense a chance to restart play in a timely manner and to minimize bumping/hacking that may take place behind the net (especially in some venues where the net may be close to the back wall). If the goalie passes the ball forward, the play is live. Once the defense passes the ball or moves past the goal line, the play is live. If the defense passes the ball to another player who is also still behind the line, the play is live.
- After a goal, the team that had been scored upon starts with possession of the ball on their side of the half; they are now the offensive team. To start play, the offence may pass or carry the ball over the centre line. If the ball is carried over the centre line the offence must make one pass before they are allowed to score. If the ball is passed over the centre line it must contact another offensive player before the offence may score. The defensive team must stay in their half until either the ball or an offensive player crosses the centre line, at which point the defence is free to cross the centre line. Teams must wait at least 5 seconds after a goal before restarting play. It is in good spirit to ensure that your opponents (especially the goalie) are ready to play after a goal. If the game is close, it is also in good spirit to get back to your half quickly so play can be restarted.
- Players cannot make a pass to a teammate by pushing or directing the ball with their hand.
- Players may make substitutions "on-the-fly" as long as the player leaving the court is off before the new player enters the playing area.
- A high-sticking infraction has occurred when the stick of any player comes above their waist level. This includes incidents when the player is trying to knock the ball down, waving for a pass, attempting to get around a player, or before/after a shot has been taken. Goals scored by a high-stick do not count. If a high-stick occurs, the non-offending team retains possession with an indirect shot from where the infraction occurred.
- Players cannot score by kicking the ball into the net. Any kicking motion done with the intention of directing the movement of the ball nullifies a goal. However, if a pass is made and it inadvertently deflects off a player's foot and into the net, the goal counts.
- A game can end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a breakaway shootout. Three players on each team will participate. If it is still tied after 3 shots for each team, teams continue taking shots until one team scores and the other does not score (sudden death). After the initial round of 3 shooters, anyone may shoot; players may be re-used in the shootout during sudden death. For the shootout, the ball will be played from the centre dot and players stickhandle in towards the goalie. Once the ball has made contact with the goalie or net/post, the shooter may no longer make contact with the ball (i.e. no rebound goals allowed). (Please note that playoff games should only be 50 minutes in length in anticipation of needing the extra time to settle a tie)
- No player (with the exception of the goalie) can slide or dive to block a shot. In other words, players must remain on their feet at all times. If in a stationary position, a defender's knee cannot touch the ground.
- Players are allowed to lift the sticks of their opponents in an attempt to take the ball away - please use minimal force when doing this. However, players cannot hit the top of their opponent's sticks or pin their opponent's stick down. Players may not lift or touch an opponent's stick when they are not making a play on the ball (i.e. if you are in front of the net but the ball is in the corner) but may have their stick in the area in anticipation of a pass.
- In the event that a goal is disputed and a resolution between the two teams cannot be reached, the defending team shall make the final decision as to whether a goal has been scored or not. It is expected that defensive teams will not abuse this rule and will make a fair judgment call. If a goal is disallowed, the ball will be given to the goalie and play will resume.
- Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out per game if needed except during the final 10 minutes of play.
Goalies:
- Goalies must wear the provided helmet/mask at all times. No exceptions.
- Goalies may use ice hockey or road hockey goalie pads. They may not be home-made or altered to be made bigger; please do not use over-sized pads. Goalies may also choose to wear fitted shin pads (the kind a forward would wear in ice hockey). Goalies may also choose to wear a blocker, trapper, chest protector, shoulder pads, elbow pads, and hockey pants. Any padding that is worn must not have any hard aspects that can contact the floor (i.e. hard plastic, metal fasteners) and cause potential damage. If the goalie decides to wear fitted shin pads, they must be worn underneath their pants/hockey socks to reduce the wear and tear on the gym floor.
- Goalies can toss the ball to a player on their own side of the court, but cannot toss the ball over the centre line. A goalie can pass the ball anywhere on the court with their stick.
- Goalies cannot be "pulled" in an attempt to utilize an extra attacker at any point in the game.
- The goalie must release the ball in a timely & spirited manner (approximately 5 seconds).
- Goalies must use the goalie stick provided by the league.
Goalie Crease:
- The goalie crease in front of the net is an area that only the goalie may occupy. This means that no sticks or feet of any player (offence or defence) may at any time enter the crease. If an offensive player enters the crease with either their stick or feet, it is the goalie's ball. It is up to the goalie, or nearby players to make this call. If a defensive player disrupts/affects the play by entering their own crease, the offensive team is awarded an indirect ball 10 feet out from the edge of the crease.
- Goalies may slide out of the crease a maximum of 3 feet in order to make a save. Goalies may also freeze the ball if they slide out of the crease to make a save and are within 3 feet of the crease. Goalies should attempt to keep at least one point of contact (e.g. a foot) in the crease when freezing the ball. If a goalie freezes the ball when they are outside of these boundaries, then the offensive team gets the ball in the corner.
Making Calls:
It is extremely important that all players (especially team captains) make the appropriate calls for infractions and illegal plays. Every high-stick, goal crease violation, roughing, pushing, etc., must be called and play must be stopped. Only players that are currently on the court at the time of an infraction may make a call.
Regular Season Matches
Games can be tied during the regular season.
Playoffs Eligibility and Tiebreak
There must be a winner in a playoff match. In the event that the match ends in a tie, teams will partake in the following tie-breaker until a winner is determined:
In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by a breakaway shootout. Three players on each team will participate. If it is still tied after 3 shots for each team, teams continue taking shots until one team scores and the other does not score (sudden death). After the initial round of 3 shooters, anyone may shoot; players may be re-used in the shootout during sudden death. For the shootout, the ball will be played from the centre dot and players stickhandle in towards the goalie. Once the ball has made contact with the goalie or net/post, the shooter may no longer make contact with the ball (i.e. no rebound goals allowed). Please note that playoff games should only be 50 minutes in length in anticipation of needing the extra time to settle a tie.