Gymnasium floor ball hockey goalie, how do you do it?

[WillyGrips13]

So I’ve been playing ball hockey with a group for about a year or so. Mostly as an out player. But I always bring my goalie gear in case I’m needed. I’ve probably played goalie a half dozen times over that span. Each time I play goalie, I experiment with what to wear (Or more importantly, what not to wear to increase breathability) and on how to play. 

I’ve had mixed results. As an exclusively ice goalie for the last twenty years, playing ball hockey on a gymnasium floor isn’t fully translatable. I’ve been some sort of bizarre Hextall-Hasek-Brodeur-Fuhr mashup because the lack of sliding ability or being unable to kick out a leg once it’s down. I’ve been aggressive with depth. I do a lot if paddle down, poke checking, lunging, diving, rolling over, generally flailing. 

Since the pads I’m using are my ice pads, I don’t plan on altering them with anything to enable sliding. Therefore, what would be the best methodology for success? Mostly standup, with moderate depth? Hip-width stance with the expectation to make kick saves like Bill Ranford? Just keep experimenting and ad-libbing?

FWIW I am having fun, I’d just like to have a reliable system for success. 
 

Picture included, because why not?

Edited July 24, 2020 by WillyGrips13
Added picture

[Dumpy]

Never played floor hockey in goalie gear but played floor hockey as a kid in gym class no padding no masks nobody lost eyes or teeth. That pic of ranford is the type of pix well never see again cause goalering has become very clinical. Cool pic.

[WillyGrips13]

Anyone else care to chime in?

[Dumpy]

Im thinking you prolly want to hear from people who do it.

heres a hexy pic:

[Colander]

If I remember correctly, I think it was @Hockey School Dropout who played ball hockey in gear when he was on the old GCN forum. It seems @havok does as well.

Pivotal question: are you using regulation hockey nets or street hockey nets:

·        If the former, I would probably use full padding and get some roller-fly. I know you said you  wouldn’t use a sliding aid, but the benefit the position is too great to not consider it in a full-size net, IMO

·        If it is the latter, I would go gloves, some cool retro mask (modified Cooper HM7 or even funkier) and some hard surface well-padded knee pads. In that case, low stance, quick small shuffles, depth and as you said, an active stick (especially to block the backdoor) are your friends. I played all hockey a few years back on an outdoor court this way and even with a regulation net and it worked out quite well

BTW - there is a thread in the "Forums" section about Ball Hockey play...

[WillyGrips13]

On 7/24/2020 at 3:40 PM, Colander said:

If I remember correctly, I think it was @Hockey School Dropout who played ball hockey in gear when he was on the old GCN forum. It seems @havok does as well.

Pivotal question: are you using regulation hockey nets or street hockey nets:

·        If the former, I would probably use full padding and get some roller-fly. I know you said you  wouldn’t use a sliding aid, but the benefit the position is too great to not consider it in a full-size net, IMO

·        If it is the latter, I would go gloves, some cool retro mask (modified Cooper HM7 or even funkier) and some hard surface well-padded knee pads. In that case, low stance, quick small shuffles, depth and as you said, an active stick (especially to block the backdoor) are your friends. I played all hockey a few years back on an outdoor court this way and even with a regulation net and it worked out quite well

BTW - there is a thread in the "Forums" section about Ball Hockey play...

Regulation nets. We play on a basketball court so it’s a small surface. Three on three, half court is the offside line. It’s an offense heavy game. In a two hour time slot we play first to five wins. We played five games last night.

We’re at a different gym now since we restarted after the pandemic shutdown. They are church gymnasiums. This church doesn’t want us to take slapshots, the other one doesn’t mind. Even so the players can really bring it with power. I have no interest in welts, so I wear normal goalie equipment. I wear the lighter of my two C/A and pants. I don’t wear my Maltese throat guard, PAW kneepads or goalie cup. Instead I wear a regular cup in a spandex pant, the dangler on my mask and no knee pads. My leg pads are tall and have an S-curve. 

I will be moving (Again) soon, so I likely won’t be playing ball hockey long term. If I were, perhaps I would investigate some sliding aides. Otherwise, I’ll make due with what I have. 

The other goalie is tall and plays standup on most plays. He also stays relatively deep. He’s pretty good at it. He also doesn’t have any sliding aide on his pads. He wears full equipment. 

As far as forums, I didn’t find any other location on the site for ball hockey. Where are you referring to? Isn’t this the proper section?

[Isles12]

I play ball hockey and roller hockey goalie. Only tried ice a few times so can’t help with the transition part. 
 

As far as playing style I would say I play a pretty hybrid/butterfly style, I do challenge aggressively which leads to diving head first to cover back door passes. As far as standup I try to stay on my feet as long as possible before I butterfly, but I don’t have much trouble moving across the net once I’m down.

Our league plays 5v5, on sport court tiles the arena isn’t full sized. I have played in full size arenas with the ice out and small gyms very similar to what you describe, but I don’t really change my play style at all.

For gear I’m in full ice gear at this point, I did use player pants and jock until I started playing roller. 
 

Hope this helps!

[havok]

Hey 

I've been playing ball hockey forever

My trick when I didn't have sliders I aimed the ball to the centre of my chest. I'd follow it that to take up as much space as possible.

The only real hard thing is rebounds and cross passes. That's where I'd go all 80s and just do desperation dives often towards the player with the ball to limit his shot ..

[Dumpy]

On 7/24/2020 at 8:52 PM, havok said:

Hey 

I've been playing ball hockey forever

My trick when I didn't have sliders I aimed the ball to the centre of my chest. I'd follow it that to take up as much space as possible.

The only real hard thing is rebounds and cross passes. That's where I'd go all 80s and just do desperation dives often towards the player with the ball to limit his shot ..

Wheres your 80s goalie pic?

[WillyGrips13]

Thanks for the responses. I played goal on ice tonight and it was nice to get back on a more familiar surface. Last time I played goalie in floor hockey then ice the next night, things didn’t go well. I was all over the place on the ice. Tonight I didn’t have the same problem and was relatively solid. 

If I do play in goal in my next floor hockey outing, I’ll keep all your suggestions in mind. 

[Ross]

If you are playing on hardwood floors put some adhesive backed Velcro on your pads and you will be able to slide. I’ve used it for years playing floor hockey. I use the hook side Velcro but I know several guys that use the loop side and it works well too. It’s easy to put on and cheap.  You can peel it off and any residue can be removed with isopropyl alcohol.  

[havok]

14 hours ago, Dumpy said:

Wheres your 80s goalie pic?

Here ya go!

[Dumpy]

1 hour ago, havok said:

Here ya go!

Thats the way you do it to it.

[Hockey School Dropout]

On 7/24/2020 at 3:40 PM, Colander said:

If I remember correctly, I think it was @Hockey School Dropout who played ball hockey in gear when he was on the old GCN forum. It seems @havok does as well.

Pivotal question: are you using regulation hockey nets or street hockey nets:

·        If the former, I would probably use full padding and get some roller-fly. I know you said you  wouldn’t use a sliding aid, but the benefit the position is too great to not consider it in a full-size net, IMO

·        If it is the latter, I would go gloves, some cool retro mask (modified Cooper HM7 or even funkier) and some hard surface well-padded knee pads. In that case, low stance, quick small shuffles, depth and as you said, an active stick (especially to block the backdoor) are your friends. I played all hockey a few years back on an outdoor court this way and even with a regulation net and it worked out quite well

BTW - there is a thread in the "Forums" section about Ball Hockey play...

Unfortunately I only played floor and street hockey in elementary school.  Only played on ice otherwise.

[WillyGrips13]

So I finally played in goal again at my weekly ball hockey outing. I did use a stand-up heavy methodology, keeping my hands out front, narrow stance and good knee bend. Ready to use the stick on low shots. I used lot of poke checking, paddle-down play, also. I had to be sure when I was going down that it was not going to leave me stranded. Played angles aggressively when no passing option was available. Worked well and I played well. 

[Maxpower29]

This is my favorite hockey to play

I play a couple times a week sometimes against some really really good players. Couple NHL drafted kids will come out sometimes too. 

I play an aggressive odd style sort of what you are saying. I go down EVERY single shot into the butterfly and then react from there. The ball is way harder to track than a puck and goes much faster than normal puck shots and you often dont see it. 

I usually use an older wore out set of soft pro pads (simmons 995 here), use an older style thinner chesty (heaton helite 4700 right now) and then the lightest ice hockey gloves and other stuff (Bauer something and CCM something now). I also have a Bauer NME 5 mask that I drilled the holes much bigger and a couple new ones to cut the weight down a few hundred grams. Its pretty light. Always use a loose dangler

If Im playing some serious games I have a pair of steel toe shoes I use because people hack a lot. 

I poke check like crazy because there is not often people get a clean break from Dmen so they are usually pre occupied with the defender to notice. 

Its super fun and with higher skilled players its very challenging  

Here is a screen shot from an old go pro, not good quality but thats me with the gear Im using

Edited March 19, 2021 by Maxpower29

[BadAngle41]

On 8/14/2020 at 11:42 PM, WillyGrips13 said:

So I finally played in goal again at my weekly ball hockey outing. I did use a stand-up heavy methodology, keeping my hands out front, narrow stance and good knee bend. Ready to use the stick on low shots. I used lot of poke checking, paddle-down play, also. I had to be sure when I was going down that it was not going to leave me stranded. Played angles aggressively when no passing option was available. Worked well and I played well. 

Jut reading through this topic and while I'm going well past 1980 here... look at that boot flex... how wrenched down those pads are to Guy's skate... and the puck foils. I truly feel for anyone who didn't get to experience Heaton Pro 90z.

[RichMan]

On 7/24/2020 at 12:29 AM, WillyGrips13 said:

So I’ve been playing ball hockey with a group for about a year or so. Mostly as an out player. But I always bring my goalie gear in case I’m needed. I’ve probably played goalie a half dozen times over that span. Each time I play goalie, I experiment with what to wear (Or more importantly, what not to wear to increase breathability) and on how to play. 

I’ve had mixed results. As an exclusively ice goalie for the last twenty years, playing ball hockey on a gymnasium floor isn’t fully translatable. I’ve been some sort of bizarre Hextall-Hasek-Brodeur-Fuhr mashup because the lack of sliding ability or being unable to kick out a leg once it’s down. I’ve been aggressive with depth. I do a lot if paddle down, poke checking, lunging, diving, rolling over, generally flailing. 

Since the pads I’m using are my ice pads, I don’t plan on altering them with anything to enable sliding. Therefore, what would be the best methodology for success? Mostly standup, with moderate depth? Hip-width stance with the expectation to make kick saves like Bill Ranford? Just keep experimenting and ad-libbing?

FWIW I am having fun, I’d just like to have a reliable system for success. 
 

Picture included, because why not?

Nice touch with the pic ;D

Here is my take...remember when you played road hockey, in the fall before the snow dropped, you couldn't slide your feet or pads in anyway possible without ruining your gear, or clothes, or some skin in the process. THAT is how you have to approach your game in a gym environment, kinda like you pointed out already. If anything it helps you think more about your angles and depth, not to mention some sweet '80s highlights  

Here are some tips I found out when I gave gym hockey a shot...wear wool socks over your shoes, the cheap grey work ones, helps with sliding your feet across and in split saves. Wear steel toe shoes or boots to avoid that painful toe shot or slash. Finally, get some shorter pads, 1"-2" shorter. Since they are resting on a lower surface than your skates, it makes them rise higher and becomes cumbersome, your mobility will be that much greater.

Have fun!

[keeper_13]

1)Pre-hydrate!  If I'm playing ball hockey at all, but especially inside, and especiallier in a small gym, I will start drinking water when I wake up, and will generally drink 1-3L of water.  A good rule of thumb is the colour of your urine - if it's clear, you're hydrated.  This will help your endurance, recovery time, reaction time, and more.  If you don't plan to show up with lots of fluids in your system, you are planning to get lit up.  If you want to get scientific about it, weigh yourself before you play and after you play.  You can expect to lose 1-3% of your body weight to fluid loss.

2)Be aggressive on your angles!  Good shooters can make a ball curl, bend and dip in some pretty funky ways.  

3)Remember that most of the work you do to make a save happens before the shot is taken.  Make sure that you are always centered in your net.

4)Work on your anticipation.  Ideally, you should know what your opponent wants to do before they do it.

5)Exploit every 'mini-break' as much as possible.  In a full-size rink, you will get between a dozen seconds and several minutes of rest in between sustained bouts of pressure.  In a tiny gym, your 'rest breaks' will almost always be less than 10 seconds.  Breathe deeply using your diaphragm and try to avoid panting and gasping for air.

  Cause all the cool kids are doing it.