Rules & Regulations
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All members must follow the rules & regulations of the Port Dover Ball Hockey Association.
Any questions or suggestions should be channeled through your team captain. If you are unable to obtain the info you require, you may contact the PDBHA by clicking here.
The Game -
The object of the game quite simply is to strike the ball with the hockey stick and knock it into the opponent's hockey net (6 feet wide x 4 feet high, 1.83 m x 1.22 m) Typically a low-bounce type of ball is used. For added safety, hockey gloves and helmets are recommended.
Any size or type of non-slip flooring can be used as a playing field. The PDBHA operates at the ball hockey court located behind the Port Dover Arena. All PDBHA games are played on the ball hockey court located behind the Port Dover Arena. When played on the surface of a court, five players, including the goalie, compete against the opposing team's five players. Extra players are usually kept on each bench, outside the playing surface, and interchanged with the five on the floor either during play or at a stoppage of play.
In organized competition regular ice hockey floor markings are used, including goal lines, goal creases, blue lines, center line, face-off circles and neutral zone face-off dots.The following are additional rules:
• Face-offs (players are lined up facing each other in a designated area on the floor), are used at the start of each period of play and after goals, penalties, or when the ball leaves the playing area.
• A drop-ball (ball will be given to a player on the team that had the foul committed against them or if the opposing team deliberately made the ball leave the playing area). The ball will be dropped in front of the player. Any opposing player must give the player with the ball at least 1 second.
• Penalties are called when a player commits a foul. The offending player is then removed from playing for a period of time, depending on the severity of the infraction and the team continues play one player short until the penalty has elapsed.
• To score a legal goal, it cannot be kicked in; nor struck with a stick above the shoulders; nor pushed in using the hand, nor while offside.
Games may vary in length, but are generally played with either two or three periods of equal time, example 10 or 15 minute periods. Where a time clock is available, there is a stoppage in play, after a goal, penalty, offside, icing, ball out of play, or goaltender holding the ball for more than a few seconds. If a clock is not available, or the time available to play is limited, running time periods may be used, for example three 15 minute periods.
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*Adapted from the Canadian Ball Hockey Association Rules & Regulations