The Truth about Ball Hockey
by Riel Ouimet
Head Coach for the Carleton University Ravens Ball Hockey Team
Owner of Ballhockeygear.ca
So many times we hear ice hockey players tell people to go play ball hockey because they aren't "good enough" or that Ball Hockey is an easy sport. As a Ball Hockey player myself, I find that insulting. They may be right when it comes to the skating portion. I have seen some great Ball Hockey players that can't skate if their lives depended on it however Ball Hockey is no easy sport.
Similar to ice hockey, you're playing with hockey sticks, similar rules and similar formats except there are two big differences. Cardio and Equipment. Players play just as hard as any other sport except they are not able to glide and gain speed with a couple strides as in ice hockey. They are required to have explosive bursts of speed with quick pivots to maintain control of the ball and open passing/shooting lanes. They are also required to rely a lot on passing since there's more time for the defence to move into position and block shooting opportunities.
They also play with hardly any equipment. There's no foam puck, that's Floor Hockey. We play with an Orange ball that will leave a nasty bruise when you get hit especially when playing with the
D-Gel Pro Ball. Unlike ice hockey, players block shots with hardly, if any, equipment so that they can help out their fellow tendies such as myself. As much as we tell our players that we have the padding, they still sacrifice for the sake of the game.
How Can We Help?
The more I watched guys get hit or took the shot for me, I wondered if there could be a way I could help out my team-mates. So many times I'd hear them discussing where they could find good ball hockey equipment. I'd hear a few different store names but none specialized in this niche sport that is growing so quickly. Not only was I able to find a way to help my team-mates, I was able to help the entire Ball Hockey Community with
Ballhockeygear.ca.
Now Ball Hockey players are able to find all the gear they need to play comfortably with protection. We have a variety of options from jerseys to shin guards and even Ball Hockey shoes. Here's a sample what we have to offer.
Jerseys
We recommend sublimated jerseys for two reasons. 1st reason is because the rice mesh material used for the jerseys is extremely light and breathable which is excellent for playing Ball Hockey. They don't double in weight when you sweat and they are much more comfortable than your standard iron logo on a cotton T-Shirt sort of deal. (For those on a tight budget, we understand and we can still do heat press shirts)
The second reason is the options to have a unique design. We have partnered up with LA Sport who have some amazing artists that can turn your idea into a reality. You can put your name, number, logos at no extra cost and you can have as many colours and graphics as you want. There's no limitation.
Here's an example of how a project went from an idea to a finished product:
BEFORE AFTER
Protective Clothing
We have several options when it comes to protective apparel. We have the new
Knapper products releasing this month and our most popular brand has been
Shock Doctor.
We have protective shirts, compression wear, jocks, padded shorts with cups, and more.
Gloves
Our main brands for gloves are
Knapper and
D-Gel. The most popular demand for Ball Hockey gloves has been for something that is light, less bulky and flexible while still providing the protection needed. Brands such as
D-Gel and
Knapper have designed their gloves to meet these needs. Their top gloves are shown here.
AK7 Ball Hockey Gloves
The AK7 Ball Hockey gloves come with full thumb protection as in ice hockey gloves. They are equipped with slash guard technology to protect your hand at the thumb joint. The Split Cuff offers you wrist protection and passes the standards of the
CBHA. (Canadian Ball Hockey Association)
D-Gel Komodo Gloves
The Komodo Gloves offer a lighter feel with stable protection. The palm is a mesh palm allowing more breath ability and the wrist is secured with a drawstring. These gloves offer excellent manoeuvrability when playing.
Shin Pads
Our top selling item here at
Ballhockeygear.ca are shin pads. It doesn't matter what level of Ball Hockey you play, you'll always receive a lovely hack to the shin or a beautiful bruise from a blocked shot.
As the one stop shop for Ball Hockey gear, we have pads for all types of players. Unfortunately we are currently out of the Classic Mylec Shinpads and due to the exchange rate, we don't have plans on restocking any time soon.
Here are our top selling Ball Hockey shin pads.
Ball Hockey Shoes
There are now shoes made specifically for Ball Hockey. Knapper has designed the MK5 shoes which are now on clearance for 20% off. These shoes come with a Toe Guard for additional protection against slashes and shots. The court grip gives excellent traction on all surfaces including gym floors, slab, and dek.
The new Knapper shoes offer more in variety for protection from the AK5 to the AK7.
For those looking for the lighter court shoes, we do offer the option through
Salming, a well known brand in Europe making its way into Canada.
Salming is popular for its shoes and equipment in the sport of Floorball. Since Floorball is played in a similar style to Ball Hockey, players are able to play with featherlite technology.
