Want to try something new and fun? Sign up for the broomball tournament in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — It’s time to grab your friends, neighbors, and family and hit the ice to try out a unique recreational sport in the area.
Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation is offering a “Broomball on Ice Tournament.” It will be on March 29 to 30 at the Joe Marmo/Wayne Lehto Ice Arena. The registration deadline for teams is March 11.
The idea behind it was to use the ice arena as hockey season winds down.
“We started to see the use of the facility (ice arena) drop a little bit as the hockey season comes to an end, and so we thought, ‘What could be a creative way that would be a new and different experience to utilize the facility?'” said Recreation Superintendent Chris Horsley. “I thought, ‘Let’s give this a whirl!'”
Broomball is a game similar to hockey, except players don’t wear ice skates on the ice, and there is no checking. Most hockey rules apply. The game is played with a broomball stick and broomball, which is a heavy plastic ball. Click here to learn more.
Watch the video above to see how it’s played.
“The idea of broomball is to hit the ball into the net and score a point. You have two teams that are playing against each other,” Horsley said.
Players wear tennis shoes or basketball shoes on the ice. Horsley is asking people to bring helmets too.
“We are telling people to wear helmets. We are going to provide the goalie helmet because that is a full-face shield,” he said.
It’s not an easy sport, Horsley said, but it is fun.
“From what we’ve played so far, just experimenting with it, it is kind of tough to get a goal!” he said. “I like that it’s challenging in a way that it almost makes you feel like that what skills you did have as an athletic person, you are back to ground zero because you are shuffling across the ice just learning how to walk or jog on ice.”
It will be a five-on-five tournament.
“We’ve partnered with Teton Toyota and Spud Kings. The t-shirt that you’ll get as a registered participant, we think, is pretty cool,” said Horsley.
There are adult and youth divisions, and it costs $250 per team.
“Friday (March 29) starts at 5 p.m. and runs late into the evening. Saturday, youth will start at 8 a.m. and finish around noon. Adults will jump on at 1 p.m. and finish,” Horsley said.
Horsley encourages anyone who has yet to try it or enjoys playing broomball to come out and invite the people they know.
“If you are an adventurer, you are a risk taker, you are outgoing, then this is for you!” he said.
Click here to register and learn more about the tournament.