My elbows are not throbbing, my knees feel great when I walk to class and there is not a mark of black and blue on me anywhere.
That's all soon about to change - broomball season is coming.
I still remember my freshman year when I took the ice for my first broomball game. As a hockey player for 15 years, I figured I would be crazy good at this hockey-esque game.
When I took the ice, literally, falling seconds later, I figured something else out - broomball doesn't care about your skills at any other sport. Broomball is a harsh mistress, and the ice is unforgiving.
Still, I look forward to the co-ed intramural season every year because the game is a blast to play. People with little athletic experience can dominate ex-jocks of superior sports experience with one simple feat - not falling on their ass every two seconds.
During the last few years, as the teams I've played on have made it progressively deeper into the playoff bracket each season, my teammates and I have started to adopt strategies and take the game far too seriously.
However, the most important part of having a good season is choosing the right team, and I'm here to help you out with that a bit.
Goalie: Have someone in the net that not only has quick reflexes, but a decent arm as well. I would like to think ex-soccer and hockey goalies work best, but there's also something to be said for ex-softball pitchers as well. What sex the goalie is depends more on your overall team strategy, so choose accordingly.
Defense: You really only need one defenseman, and on our team it's always a dude. He doesn't have to have breakaway speed, just the ability to read opponents running at him and to embarrass them by slapping the ball away easily.
It's also important this person has the ability to clear the zone when things get hectic or to find teammates breaking down the ice with a pretty pass. Good awareness of where opponents are on the ice is also a plus so he can step into passing and shooting lanes, helping out the goalie. Having the ability to join the rush is also a bonus.
Flagrant use of profanity when the refs are not around is optional, at least on our team.
Offense: When you're looking for scoring, this is where you need to spend some time finding people to fit in. You will have one guy - or two if a female goalie is your fancy - at your disposal, and their role is simple: they need to be fast and not fall down. Having a good shot is a plus, but mostly you need speed and awareness on offense.
True offense is not really a man's game in this sport. Smart teams have the guys lead rushes down and then dump the ball off to a girl with a good shot who can bury it into the back of the net. Having girls who know where to stand and how to shoot quickly can make your team one of the best in the league. Ladies with speed and good hand-eye coordination are a good find and key to a winning broomball season.
In the end, get a bunch of your friends together - that alone makes for a good time - and go see what you can do. I never thought my friends and I would put together a decent team, but it happened.
See you on the ice, broomballers.
- Mark Shugar is a junior journalism major and sports editor for The Post. His team needs skilled ladies for the upcoming season. Send him an e-mail at ms314803@ohiou.edu.
17 Archives
Mark Shugar
