Floor Hockey Safety Rules

Floor hockey has many of the same rules as ice hockey. The only difference is that you aren't playing on ice and instead you're playing on a hard floor the size of a basketball court. Rubber-soled shoes are the footwear used along with the standard puck, stick and goal net. Important safety rules for the game come from the official rule book of the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, or NIRSA.

  1. Safety Equipment

    • The official rule book states that all floor hockey equipment worn on your body to protect you should be optional. These optional items are eye protection to prevent a puck from flying into one of your eyes. In the rule book, it's strongly suggested players wear protective eye gear. It's also strongly recommended that a player use a mouth guard so a flying puck doesn't go knocking out teeth as frequently happens in ice hockey. While it's not as strongly suggested, the rule book also says that shin guards or knee pads are a good idea to wear during a game to prevent injuries from falls. Even gloves are allowed on the court. The types of gloves recommended are lacrosse protective gloves. Elbow pads are also an allowable option. One last strongly suggested item is a helmet to protect your head.

    Minor Safety Penalties with Equipment

    • High-sticking your stick is an immediate minor safety violation during a floor hockey game. In this instance, it's when you raise your stick above your waist during play or during a shot. Also, catching a puck and passing it to a teammate is considered a minor safety violation. You cannot kick the puck either. Sliding on the floor on your knees is also considered dangerous play and will result in a minor penalty call. Another minor penalty call will happen if you play with a broken stick on the court.

    Physical Minor Safety Penalties

    • Any intentional interference on the court, such as physical contact with another player to prevent standard play, will be called a safety penalty. This also includes boarding, which is defined as ramming an opponent into the walls, regardless if they have possession of the puck. Other safety penalties with players include tripping, elbowing, kicking, kneeing or pushing a fellow opponent. Any minor safety penalty from a player will consist of sitting out two minutes.

    Major Safety Penalties

    • If you happen to use your stick as a weapon during a game in floor hockey, you face a more severe penalty of sitting out five minutes and possible ejection. This may include stabbing an opponent with the end of your stick from the front or behind. In those cases, it's called spearing and butt-ending. Other major safety penalties include using your stick against your opponent in a slashing or chopping motion. Additionally, any outright aggression toward an opponent using just your fists will be called out as a major penalty.