Urban Rec Floor Hockey - Sunday (Full Court) Rules
Urban Rec Floor Hockey Rules
Match Format
1. Play is 5-on-5 plus a goalie for each team. Minimum 1 female on the court for each team at all times (female goalies do not count towards this requirement). Teams require at least 3 players, one of whom must be female in order to not default.
2. Games start with a face-off, with either the event coordinator or one of the participants dropping the ball at centre. The ball must touch the floor on the faceoff. Players cannot bat the ball out of the air. After each goal, play is re-started with a face-off. The team that scores the goal drops the ball at center.
3. Balls going out of bounds are brought in from the corner by the defensive team, regardless of which team touched the ball last.
4. Any ball going out of bounds that strikes a wall or other object (including players or spectators) and comes back into bounds is considered to be in play.
Equipment
1. Only Urban Rec-supplied floor hockey sticks MUST be used. This includes goalies.
2. Players may wear soccer-style shin pads if they desire. Players may also wear gloves (hockey/lacrosse/winter mittens- all okay). This equipment is optional and not mandatory.
3. Goalies may use a glove (trapper or baseball glove), blocker, mask, chest/arm protector, leg pads, athletic cup and hockey pants. These may be from floor or ice hockey. If a goalie does not have the proper upper body equipment (e.g. a heavy winter coat instead of arm/chest protection, this will be permissible at the EC’s discretion). As noted above, goalies must use a regular player’s floor hockey stick. Goalies must wear a facemask or helmet with a full cage.
4. A goalie’s leg pads cannot exceed a maximum height of 34 inches, nor a width of 12 inches (The size of the pads has been amended to reflect the sizes of floor hockey pads being sold in stores now, as well as to protect taller goalies). Ice hockey pads may be worn as long as they conform to the above size limitations.
Match/Game Rules
1. When a team takes possession of the ball after it goes out-of-bounds, the opposing team must give that player 5 feet and 3 seconds to play the ball. Once the player moves the ball, the opposing team may check him/her. If 3 seconds elapse without the player moving the ball, the opposing team may check him/her. Any dispute over this will be decided by the EC at his/her discretion.
2. If the goalie freezes the ball and stops play, then he/she may place or drop the ball either beside or behind the net for the defensive team to take possession. The opposing team must move at least 5 feet away and give 3 seconds of time for the defensive player to move the ball (as in rule 17). If the ball goes into the net as a result of the goalie accidentally dropping/placing the ball in the manner described above, it shall be no goal. Amended- However, if the goalie attempts to throw or play the ball up to a player that is not beside/behind his/her net, the ball shall be considered live as soon as the goalie releases the ball.
3. The goalie is permitted to freeze the ball if he/she has any part of his/her body touching the crease area. If the goalie freezes the ball and part of his/her body is not touching the crease area, the offensive team will receive possession of the ball at centre.
4. The goalie is not permitted to come across center. If the goalie does cross the center line, play will be stopped and the opposing team will get possession of the ball at centre. If a team wishes to “pull” the goalie during play, the goalie must leave the court and a regular player may come on to play.
Infractions
1. All games are self-refereed. The Event Coordinator is NOT a referee. Instead, as the emphasis in this league is on fun and participation, it is hoped that common sense prevails and players will call their own infractions. When an infraction occurs, the opposing team will receive possession of the ball in the corner nearest the spot of the infraction.
2. High-sticking, slashing, body-contact and slap shots are strictly forbidden. You may not wind up and raise your stick above your waist when shooting backhand. In essence you cannot take back handed slap shots. In any of these instances the ball will be turned over to the opposing team. Please have consideration and respect for your opponents; you might think you are trying to get the ball but instead may be attacking their shins! PLEASE PLAY THE BALL AND NOT THE BODY!!!!
3. Any ball contacted by a stick above the height of the waist (of the player who is doing the high-sticking) is considered to be high-sticking, and the opposing team will receive possession. Needless to say, any goal scored in this manner will not count.
4. If the player keeps his/her stick below the height of his/her waist while playing the ball, but makes contact with an opposing player with his/her stick, this is an infraction and the opposing team will receive possession of the ball.
5. *Amended*- A player may not dive or lay down on the floor, either to check another player or to block a shot. Players may go down on one knee to block a shot, but leaving his/her feet to sprawl across the floor in an attempt to check a player or to block a shot will result in 1) the opposing team being awarded possession at centre, and 2) a warning being issued to the offending player. If a player commits the same foul after being issued a warning, he/she will be ejected from the game. Goalies are exempted from this rule for the purpose of blocking the shot while still in proximity to their crease (i.e. they have a foot within 1 meter of the goalmouth). If a player commits an infraction of this rule in his/her goalmouth (they are inside or mostly inside the “crease” area- this will be at the EC’s discretion), then the opposing team will be issued a penalty shot that any member on the floor may take except the goalie.
6. If a player throws his/her stick anywhere on the floor, a penalty shot will be awarded to the opposing team. Any member of the non-offending team on the floor may take the penalty shot.
7. There is no intentional body contact allowed. This includes “pick”-plays, as well as, for example, a defensive player pushing into the back of an offensive player or an offensive player backing into a defensive player (even if they have possession of the ball). Even if the offensive player has possession of the ball, he/she may not initiate physical contact with an opposing player. Initiating physical contact will result in the opposing team receiving possession of the ball in the nearest corner (defensive team) or at centre (offensive team).
8. If a player continuously fails to call his/her own infractions, the EC may, at his/her discretion, ask the captains to tell his/her player to take a 5-minute “break” on the bench. The EC will time the 5 minutes and notify the player when he/she may participate again.
9. Any player that is “benched” will not cause his/her team to be short-handed, unless they do not have any substitutes for that player. In this case, the team will play short-handed.