Floorball: Stick Below the Waist with Team Self-Tracking

A 5v5 game with no referee in which each team polices itself: a safety monitor from the team records every stick above the waist, and the team gives the opponent a free hit. The goal is to move stick control from the referee to the players themselves.

How to play

1. Explain why high sticks are the main cause of injuries in school floorball (face, teeth, eyes) and the rule: no part of the stick above the waist, neither when loading nor when finishing the motion (3 min).
2. Form four teams of seven: five play, one is the team's safety monitor and one is the substitute; each team sets a maximum target of high sticks (2 min).
3. First 7-minute game: when the monitor sees a high stick by their own team, they call it, the team stops play and gives the opponent a free hit (7 min).
4. Timeout: each team reviews its sheet, identifies in which action the high stick appears (shot, pass, battle) and agrees on a fix (3 min).
5. Second 7-minute game with roles rotated to check whether the fix works (7 min).
6. Compare data between games and reflect on self-regulation versus external refereeing (3 min).

Rules

• No part of the stick goes above the waist; if it does, the team itself gives a free hit.
• A high stick that hits another player stops the game, and the player sits out 2 minutes to talk with the teacher.
• No body contact except shoulder to shoulder without pushing.
• The monitor only records their own team, never the opponent.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair user: is the team's monitor in the first game and plays in the second with a protected zone.
• Hearing impairment: the monitor raises a pinnie as well as calling the high stick.
• Autism: the monitor job is explained with a video example, and the student takes that role in the first game.

Learning goals

• Keep the stick below the waist on their own.
• Take responsibility for the safety of teammates and opponents.
• Analyze their own data to change a risky behavior.

Equipment for a class of 25

• floorball sticks: 28
• floorball balls: 4
• floorball goals: 4
• pinnies: 14
• worksheets: 4

Teacher tip

Step in only if a team stops recording itself; trust is part of the learning. If there is no goalie, use small goals to avoid hard shots at face height.

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