Student Coach on the Floorball Bench

In floorball games, a student acts as bench coach: managing subs so everyone gets equal playing time, calling a timeout and giving feedback to each player coming off. An observer counts positive, corrective and negative messages to analyze the coach's leadership style.

How to play

1. Explain the bench coach's tasks and the golden rule: specific, positive messages with a correction when needed (4 min).
2. Four teams of seven; each team picks a coach for the first game, who plans the subs on the worksheet (3 min).
3. Game 1: 8 minutes of 4-on-4 floorball with subs every 2 minutes and one 30-second timeout; an observer records the coach's messages (10 min).
4. Rotate coach and observer and play game 2 (10 min).
5. Each coach gets their record: the ratio of positive, corrective and negative messages, and the team says which message helped them most (8 min).

Rules

• The stick never goes above the waist, and nobody hits an opponent's stick.
• The coach can't keep anyone off the floor for more than one shift in a row.
• Bench messages go to your own players, never to the opponent or the referee.
• Timeouts are called with a clear signal, and play stops.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: may coach or play in a protected zone with a slower ball.
• Hearing impairment: the coach uses a whiteboard or agreed-upon gestures with the team.
• Autism: starts as an observer with a highly structured worksheet before coaching.

Learning goals

• Lead from the bench with specific, positive messages.
• Manage playing time fairly.
• Analyze one's own communication style using an observer's data.

Equipment for a class of 25

• floorball sticks: 16
• floorball balls: 4
• goals: 4
• pinnies: 14
• worksheets: 8

Teacher tip

Research on youth coaches recommends several positive messages for every correction; show it with the record. Without floorball equipment, the task works just as well in handball or futsal.

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