Go, Where the Game is Going! not to where it's been.

Hockey is different now.

Since the big introspective Ice Hockey Summit in 1999, we've seen quite the progression in Hockey. We are encouraged that the skill levels are hitting impressive new heights of creativity, speed, and safety. Overall participation is up across a wider, more diverse base of people, fun factor is high, education for coaches, players, officials, volunteers is strong...but Wow, some elements of the hockey lifestyle and program development, are badly broken.

Our company Modern Hockey was formed 20 years ago, and added in Floorball+ 15 years ago. We decided early on, to focus on innovation, education, fun, inclusivity, accessibility, affordability and we've always had our roots in innovation and skill development.

We've worked in all levels of hockey from youth development to elite Hockey, to pro Hockey to beer league Hockey and everything in between. From cradle to the grave, and from the womb to the tomb. We live and breathe Hockey, it's in our DNA. Our model is athlete centric, kid-friendly and sustainable.

We loathe the expensive, pay to play, elitist, win at all costs, early specialization, rep hockey at 9, hockey factory model that we see so prevalent today, geared to get your son / daughter in to the Show! We do understand the economic pull of that world and why so many ex-hockey pros get pulled in to perpetuating the myth of "making it" and selling families on the bad math that supports that dream. We prefer to help the 99% that will play sports for all the right reasons like friendship, fun and fitness. We stress mental health, social well being and the value of humane kinetics. If one our students or athletes end up getting a scholarship or a pro contract, well that's just an added bonus!

We've spent thousands of hours, working directly with athletes of ALL abilities across every socio-economic demographic. We've also spent thousands of hours in the boardroom, working with coaches, administrators and officials analyzing and anticipating where the game is going, and how we can best contribute to the overall health of the sport.

For nearly twenty years, we have been focusing our energy on the solutions to many of the issues the off-ice game has faced, and we've built our platform on successful, viable, and logistical friendly ways that we can get more kids playing the sport we love.

LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO HELP GROW HOCKEY!

Here are our Top Ten thoughts and recommendations for How Floorball Can Help Hockey moving forward:

1. My First Stick and Jersey. Introduce the sport of Hockey through lightweight, safe and user-centric hockey sticks and a ball, at home and in the learn to play hockey programs in Rec Centres. A young child with a colourful, lightweight, ergonomic stick with a safe lightweight floorball, make the entry point to hockey, so much smarter. Gifting a young child a Jersey from your local pro team , says "I can look the part and be a fan" and gifting that same child a stick and ball, says "I can play hockey" We believe that ALL fans of hockey deserve to play as well.

1. Schools - Re-Boot Gym Hockey, aka Floor Hockey. Floor Hockey has a tarnished reputation, and rightly so. Some School Districts have banned it, outright. The inferior, heavier, all plastic, old floor hockey stick make the activity unsafe, promotes an aggressive style of play and mostly caters to the "hockey kids". No governing bodies, and a random set of rules that differs from school-to-school, and thus becomes a free for all, keep away session that mostly sets up a few for success, and many for failure. The proper gym hockey model is wildly successful in leading ice hockey nations, like Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. We have to ask ourselves, what are they doing right? and what are we doing wrong?
2. Skills Training- Augment, and optimize on-ice training and development, with a healthy mix of off-ice training, skills training. Ice time is more expensive than gymnasium time. Gymnasium time, will build team bonding, and bring more diverse character and personalities out to the forefront and that will produce more on-ice magic. Don't be fooled that Floorball is strictly for stick-handling wizardry. True and well run Floorball skills training will teach defensive skills, body position, shooting, footwork and processing hockey with speed. We work with youth hockey organizations, teams and coaches to build skills programs that expand on these key fundamentals.
3. Inclusivity- We must remove barriers to entry. Hockey is a sport that deserves to have an equal number of girls and boys playing, athletes of all abilities and those with neuro-diversity. We also feel Floorball is the very best way to have cultural immersion through safe and affordable, inclusive team sport. The best and easiest way for new citizens from non-traditional ice hockey cultures to experience Hockey in all its' greatness, is to join in on a Floorball game. Too many sponsors, programs and initiatives practice the fine art of window dressing without really getting to the core of the matter. Inclusivity is not merely a photo-opportunity, we need to see more action! Floorball sticks are the smart way in to get more people actually playing!
4. Accessibility- If you are a wheelchair, manual / electric, or a neuro-diverse athlete, Floorball is the absolute best way to enjoy making friends, making plays, having fun, scoring goals while enjoying all the great aspects of the sport of Hockey. Again, we emphasize that hockey is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone, on the ice and off through our successful adaptive, safe and low-cost, play strategies. Sometimes ICE can become a logistical barrier and an added expense that often prevents the widest variety of players, from enjoying the PLAY part of the game. We need to let everyone PLAY!
5. Flexible Places and Spaces- Floorball rink boards, provide a flexibility that evades an ice-arena, or the outdoor dasher board systems that works well for inline hockey and competitive ball hockey. The lightweight boards, set up in 5-10 minutes on any outdoor or indoor, dry-flat surface. They can be transported easily in a trailer or cargo van and they stack and store well. The other unique characteristic of Floorball is that in can be played in public plazas, open spaces where families and spectators are roaming freely about, without risk of injury to those in close proximity of the game play. Other variants of off-ice hockey, like ball hockey, street hockey and inline hockey require boards or protective fencing with high glass to separate the viewers from the players, or else it is too dangerous. Floorball can be played and viewed, seamlessly, without the need for heavy, protective barrier systems. One key advantage of Floorball, is that it can be played in School Gyms, Rec Centers, and Outdoor spaces, like tennis courts smooth asphalt play spaces, and even turf fields.
6. Inspiration- With the explosion of social media and its influence on bringing newcomers in to the sports arena, Floorball is brilliant to help highlight the creativity, skill, fashion and lifestyle of the game. Through this inspiration, we are ultimately, encouraging PLAY, movement, joy, friendship and the healthy spirit of challenges through online entertainment and spring and summer outdoor tournaments. This breaks down many barriers and blurs the lines between being a fan, and being a player! Hockey is better off when more people are inspired to PLAY, and thus create a healthier, more respectful environment that fosters even greater appreciation of our hockey heroes.
7. Lead / Educate- The NHL, Hockey Canada and USA Hockey should consider to bring Floorball growth and expansion under its' mandate and here is why. Since the 1999 Summit, we've been hearing about Hockey is for Everyone, and yet, the leading governing bodies and sports leagues are NOT investing in strategies that allow for the greatest number of people to enjoy being a part of the game. If we are to truly open up the sport to Everyone, then we must give equal energy and financial support to athletes that don't have access to ICE. Floorball is the most successful and versatile, cost effective and logistically sensible variant of off-ice hockey, globally, and is recognized by the IOC as a Summer Olympic sport, currently played in the World Games, Master Games, University Games, SEA Games, Youth Olympics, and Special Olympics. Our leaders in Hockey in North America are failing to usher in the new, while they invest and support the same old and tired ways. Not all off-ice hockey types are created equal and it's important to follow Long Term Development (LTAD) frameworks like Canada 'Sport for Life' to see what constitutes, fair play and accessible team sport.

9. Gateway Sport - In our experience with our own programs, families who may be hesitant to sign up their kids to the 'hockey lifestyle' will often start with Floorball. With quality instruction, and proper grasp of the fundamentals of hockey, the spirit of the game can be taught off the ice. In many situations, Families have been led, directly to the ice, through building up a love for the sport via Floorball! It is after all, a great way to learn the sport AND build up all the skills necessary to play, except for the skating! Although, much of skating fundamentals is about balance and footwork, and Floorball certainly addresses those locomotor skill sets. A good way to look at it is this: Futsal is to Football, what Floorball is to Hockey.

10. Recreational Co-ed Team Sport - As more and more corporations, clubs, and communities make health and wellness a priority, we have an opportunity to share a quality- Sport for Life- team sport to the masses. Once again, NO variant of hockey can provide a full service solution to adults the way Floorball can. Floorball checks ALL the boxes of what recreational team sport can be, to so many different groups of people. Safety and cost being two extremely important pillars to build from, it would be very hard to find a team sport that has less risk than Floorball. Ball hockey, Floor hockey, and inline hockey cannot boast the same versatility.

Floorball Tournaments played outside are a staple activity of nordic summers. Outdoor Floorball events are 50/50 Male/Female in participation

Floorball is an excellent way to have the Pros play with kids, and for mixed ages and abilities to play in the same game as the Mascots!! (notice the lack of protective equipment, no gloves, shinguards or helmets)

NHL PROSPECTS building skills with Floorball

HIT the ROAD with our Portable, Mobile Floorball+ Hockey Experience!