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University of Denver Broomball Rules
2007 - 2008

THE RINK

• The game is played within each blue line at the Joy Burns Arena.

TIME PERIODS

• All matches will have two 18-minute halves. Each half will be separated by a two-minute break.
• The clock will run continuously.

TEAMS

• Players can only be registered with one team per season and can only play with that team.
• Players must sign-in on the official scorecard prior to participation.
• Each team must identify their Captain to the referee prior to the beginning of each game.
• A team consists of 5 players (Co-Rec: 2 men, 2 women, and a goalie of either sex).
• Teams may substitute at anytime during play or during a stoppage of play.

EQUIPMENT

• All players must wear a helmet with a facemask at all times while on the ice.
• It is recommended that players wear shin guards, knee pads, and/or elbow pads for protection
• Helmets can be checked out from the equipment manager with a valid University of Denver ID Card.
• If a player is found to be deliberately misusing equipment, which is damaged or broken as a result, that player will be required to pay the full replacement costs of that equipment. This will be at the discretion of the referee, who will inform the Supervisor of the situation.

THE BROOM

• Each team will be given a total of seven (7) brooms per game.
• A player who has dropped their broom may participate without a broom until the next stoppage of play within the confines of the rules.
• A player shall not be allowed to throw, or propel a broom across the ice. Doing so will result in a 1-minute penalty. A penalty shot will be awarded against any player deliberately throwing their broom in the direction of a player in possession of the ball who has a clear cut breakaway in the attacking zone and obstructs this player from completing his/her play.
• A broken broom is considered a dangerous piece of equipment and under no circumstances is a player to continue playing with a broken broom. If the player continues with a broken broom a 1-minute penalty will be awarded. The player must drop the broom immediately. A new broom may be retrieved from the player’s bench. Only the referee may remove the broken stick.
• A player may at no time have more than one broom in his/her hands while play is in progress or a 1-minute penalty shall apply.

GOALTENDER

• The goaltender is defined as the designated player who is in the goal crease.
• The goaltender may wear form fitting gloves (i.e. batting, racquetball, cold weather) gloves; the goaltender may not wear a pocketed glove (i.e. hockey or baseball gloves).
• The goaltender may not wear hockey goalie leg pads.
• The goaltender may not take face-offs.
• The goaltender may not play the ball beyond their own blue line.
• If a team wishes to allow the goaltender to play offense, the referee must be notified during a stoppage in play. However, the goalie shall lose goaltender privileges until the next stoppage of play that the referee can be notified.
• A team may pull (substitute off the ice) their goaltender for an extra attacker at any time.  However, no player shall have goaltender privileges until the next stoppage of play that the referee can be notified.

SCORING

• A goal shall be scored when the ball has legally passed between the goal posts, below the crossbar, and completely across the goal line.
• A goal shall count if a player on the defensive team puts the ball into their own goal in any manner. The player of the attacking team who last touched the ball shall be credited with the goal.
• If the ball is deflected off the shoes of an attacking player and the ball goes into the net, a kick (either intentional or unintentional) should be called, and a face off or penalty should follow.
• Co-Rec: Goals scored by men will count as 1 point; goals scored by women will count as 2 points.

STOPPAGE OF PLAY

• When the ball goes outside the playing area, or strikes obstacles above the playing surface, with the exception of the sideboards or glass, play shall be stopped.
• When the ball becomes lodged in the netting on the outside of either goal and is not playable or if it is frozen between opposing players intentionally or otherwise, the referee shall stop play.
• If at any time while play is in progress a ball other than the one legally in play appears on the playing surface, the play shall continue with the legal ball until the play stops OR is affected.
• Play shall not be stopped if the ball touches the official anywhere on the ice.

THE FACE OFF

• A face off will be used at the beginning of each half, after a goal is scored, after a penalty or non-penalized infringement (i.e. a hand pass), if the ball becomes lodged behind the net, or if the official stops play.
• Players contesting the face off may move their sticks prior to the ball being dropped but the stick must not leave contact with the ice.
• No upward motion of the broom towards the opposing center man shall be allowed.
• The remaining players of both teams must stand at least 10 feet from the players facing off.
• The ball is to be dropped by the referee.  Play starts when the ball hits the ice.
• If the referee is unhappy with either of the players contesting the face off, the referee may order a new player to contest the face off.

BALL CROSSING BLUE LINE BOUNDARY

• If the ball goes outside the playing area across the blue line boundary, it shall be put back into play by the team that did not last touch the ball.
• A goal cannot be scored from an inbound pass
• The defensive team must be at least 10 yards away from the player making the inbound pass.

THE PENALTY SHOT

• The penalty shot will be taken from center ice. The player will dribble the ball towards the net and attempt to score.  Only one shot will be permitted – no rebounds.
• Immediately after the ball has been played, and either a goal results or the goaltender touches the ball, the ball is declared dead and no further play may take place.
• The face off irrespective of the result of the penalty shot will take place from the centerline.

SUDDEN DEATH

• If at the end of regulation time in a regular season match, the scores are tied, a tie will be the result.  If at the end of regulation time in a playoff match, a five-minute sudden death overtime period will be played.
• If the score is still tied after the overtime period, there will be a shoot-out. Five players from each team will alternately take shots (Co-Rec: Teams will alternate men and women). If there is an even score after that, then there will be a sudden death shoot-out where one player from each team will shoot and the first time one team scores and the other misses, then the scoring team is the winner.

OFF-SIDE

• There will be no Off-side rule in effect.

ICING

• No will be no Icing rule in effect.

KICKING THE BALL - FOOT PASS

• A player shall not be allowed to play the ball with their feet.
• A ball played with the feet unintentionally will result in play continuing.
• A ball played with the feet intentionally will result in first a stoppage of play and a warning and subsequently a 1-minute penalty.

HANDLING THE BALL – HAND PASS

• A player shall not be permitted to carry the ball with any part of the body.
• A player is allowed to stop the ball with his/her hand and direct the ball to the ice.
• A pass with the hand or hands by any player to any other player, other than themselves shall result in a stoppage of play. The goaltender shall be allowed to make a hand pass only when throwing the ball to a teammate inside their defensive third.

INTERFERENCE

• Deliberate interference on an opponent’s body shall result in a 1-minute penalty.
• If in a clean breakaway situation, the goalie comes out to tackle the oncoming player and the referee is convinced the goalie played the player and not the ball, then a penalty shall be called on the goaltender and a penalty shot shall be awarded to the player infringed upon.  However, if the goalie fouls the attacking player but the referee determines the goaltender was trying to play the ball, then a standard interference call will be made with a 1-minute penalty applying.

HIGH STICKING

• High Sticking should be called at the waist.  A high stick can be called on either the fore swing or the back swing, regardless of whether there was contact with the ball or not.  High Sticking shall result in a 1-minute penalty.
• A goal scored from a high broom shall not be allowed, except from the broom of a defensive player into their own net.

BOARDING & CHECKING

• A penalty at the referee's discretion is to be assessed to players who body check, cross check, elbow, charge, or trip an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown into the boards. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.
• Cross checking is prohibited. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.
• No checking is permitted. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.

TRIPPING

• A penalty shall be assessed against any player who places their broom, knee, foot, arm, or elbow in such a manner that causes their opponent to trip or fall. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.
• When a player has a clear breakaway, in full control of the ball, with no opponents between themselves and the opposing goaltender and is tripped from behind, a penalty shall be assessed and a penalty shot shall given to the offended player.

SLIDING

• Sliding will not be allowed.  Any deliberate slide by a player, which puts another player at risk of injury will result in a 1-minute penalty.

SLASHING

• Any player who prevents or attempts to prevent the progress of an opponent by slashing with their broom or slashing a player while challenging for the ball, shall receive a penalty.  Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion. 

CHARGING

• A penalty shall be assessed to any player who uses the momentum of their run to increase the impact of a body check on an opponent or charges an opponent from behind.  Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.

ELBOWING AND KNEEING

• A penalty shall be assessed against any player who checks an opponent with their knee or elbow. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.

HOLDING

• A penalty shall be assessed against any player who holds an opponent with thier hands or in any other manner. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.

UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS

• A penalty shall be assessed against any player who uses unnecessary roughness on an opponent. Penalty duration (one or five minute penalty) will be at the referee's discretion.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

• A penalty shall be assessed against any player who uses abusive language, who persists in arguing the referee's decision, or who shows no regard for the officials. Penalty duration at the referee's discretion.  Penalty duration (one minute penalty, five minute penalty, or ejection) will be at the referee's discretion.

BENCH PENALTY

• A player off the ice may still be penalized for any rule breach regardless of their being off the ice.