Ball hockey (on feet)

I used a set of catcher shin guards, catcher chesty, catcher mask, a baseball mitt and a street hockey glove as my blocker and a regular stick but that was a while ago. They actually sell some cheap street hockey gear that you could still use standing, I'd look that up at like a play it again sports(used gear store) or something of that nature. Might have even seen them at walmart during the summer, been a bit though.

Definitely look at the sports resale shops like Play It Again or your local hockey store to see if they have the really cheap street pads. No sense in ruining perfectly good, expensive ice hockey pads. Given that mobility is difficult enough on feet and you don't have the benefit of sliding, your best bet is just to get some street hockey pads. If you can find some OK used ice pads from Play It Again that would be about the same money then you can go with that, but I certainly wouldn't demand it; the need for protection against that little ball just isn't there. Make sure you're still using a good helmet, though; guys can't aim for crap with that ball, and that could still hurt.

I've played alot of ball hockey. That ball sure can hurt! And syn, if a player has played ball hockey for a long time, their aim is impeccable. I've even seen guys who know how to curve the ball around a defender to hit the net. It's actually quite ridiculous how good they can get. Guys get to know their own curves too (Everyone curves the ball differently when shooting), so they know exactly where it's going to go, even if it looks like it's going wide at first.

Anyways, I use full gear, but I don't play outdoors. They take the ice out of quite a few arenas here due to Lacrosse, so the league rents those arenas, as well as a dry-floor arena used for roller hockey (It's got these grippy tiles instead of cement, alot of the players don't like it cause they roll their ankles while stopping). The full gear gets really hot, but you get used to it, just like roller hockey.
The league I play in is a sanctioned CBHA league, so I think they have to use arenas.

The thing with the helmet is, the ball doesn't have the weight, but the helmet sure is loud when hit. Honestly, I don't feel the hits to the head, but I hear them loud and clear and that can mess you up. Hopefully the ref sees it and blows the play dead (CBHA rule, not always enforced)
If you can, try to get shoes that don't have alot of grip on them, if you're used to ice hockey. I didn't have such shoes so I put hockey tape just on the ball of my big toe, and left the rest of my shoe with grip. Helps to get in to the butterfly, but also stay standing up if need be, or get up from the butterfly.
You will want to play more of a standup style, and only use the butterfly if the shot is a low one, which it usually isn't. The ball is alot easier to raise than a puck, and in ball hockey, the 80% rule is out the window (80% of shots are along the ice...or is that goals?)

The other goalie for my ball hockey team has coated the toe of his ball hockey shoes with I think it's fiberglass, or some hard material, because toe shots HURT BADLY. I don't do that, and I've been hit HARD in the big toe many times. To give you an idea of how little damage the ball will do, none of my toes have ever been broken, but the ball sure does sting!!

[Been goalie for the last four years in a women's league and I wear full goalie protection except skates. I use a street hockey goalie helmet which is fine with the women but when I play with the men then I should be using a real hockey goalie mask. Especially if slap shots are allowed.

Originally Posted by Alan#35

I've played alot of ball hockey. That ball sure can hurt! And syn, if a player has played ball hockey for a long time, their aim is impeccable. I've even seen guys who know how to curve the ball around a defender to hit the net. It's actually quite ridiculous how good they can get. Guys get to know their own curves too (Everyone curves the ball differently when shooting), so they know exactly where it's going to go, even if it looks like it's going wide at first.

Anyways, I use full gear, but I don't play outdoors. They take the ice out of quite a few arenas here due to Lacrosse, so the league rents those arenas, as well as a dry-floor arena used for roller hockey (It's got these grippy tiles instead of cement, alot of the players don't like it cause they roll their ankles while stopping). The full gear gets really hot, but you get used to it, just like roller hockey.
The league I play in is a sanctioned CBHA league, so I think they have to use arenas.

The thing with the helmet is, the ball doesn't have the weight, but the helmet sure is loud when hit. Honestly, I don't feel the hits to the head, but I hear them loud and clear and that can mess you up. Hopefully the ref sees it and blows the play dead (CBHA rule, not always enforced)
If you can, try to get shoes that don't have alot of grip on them, if you're used to ice hockey. I didn't have such shoes so I put hockey tape just on the ball of my big toe, and left the rest of my shoe with grip. Helps to get in to the butterfly, but also stay standing up if need be, or get up from the butterfly.
You will want to play more of a standup style, and only use the butterfly if the shot is a low one, which it usually isn't. The ball is alot easier to raise than a puck, and in ball hockey, the 80% rule is out the window (80% of shots are along the ice...or is that goals?)

The other goalie for my ball hockey team has coated the toe of his ball hockey shoes with I think it's fiberglass, or some hard material, because toe shots HURT BADLY. I don't do that, and I've been hit HARD in the big toe many times. To give you an idea of how little damage the ball will do, none of my toes have ever been broken, but the ball sure does sting!!

Bingo brutha...I've been playing ball hockey for years as well here in Windsor. Our team has gone to the Provincial championships for the past 4 years. I love playing it still....even at 40 with all the young kids. We have a ton of junior A,B and C kids out with their stacked teams that get man handled by some of the specialist ball hockey teams. It's a different game altogether. The teams in the Toronto area are insane...they play year round and have major sponsorships for out of town tourneys. As for our arena...we play in the same 6500 seat bowl that houses the Windsor Spitfires which is pretty rad!

As for the toe...I use a material called Tough Toe or something like that...I bought it from a safety show place and it's primarily used on workboots to prevent the toe from wearing out when on your knees nailing boards down or what not. Works very good.

I wear full equipment as well...I've got 2 entire complete sets. One for ice and one for ball hockey. I just wish the OBHA here in Ontario would let us wear our cateye cages, but nope...not allowed. Booooo!!!

When I played ball hockey at my afterschool place I never used any pads. Don't do that. I got a black eye, broke my glasses, cracked my shin, broke a finger, and had bruises all over myself. I loved it because I'm weird like that.

I thought they called that floor hockey?

Originally Posted by synesthete

Definitely look at the sports resale shops like Play It Again or your local hockey store to see if they have the really cheap street pads. No sense in ruining perfectly good, expensive ice hockey pads. Given that mobility is difficult enough on feet and you don't have the benefit of sliding, your best bet is just to get some street hockey pads. If you can find some OK used ice pads from Play It Again that would be about the same money then you can go with that, but I certainly wouldn't demand it; the need for protection against that little ball just isn't there. Make sure you're still using a good helmet, though; guys can't aim for crap with that ball, and that could still hurt.

Two things:
1) Inexperienced players can't aim for crap with that ball, experienced players are insanely accurate

2) Ice hockey pads don't tear up too badly, they just turn yellow after a while.

I would never be caught wearing those Mylec street hockey pads, they are SO ugly!!