Spanish Floor Hockey

Healthy & Active
Healthy & Active

Cheer on your team and work on active listening skills while awaiting your chance to score your team a goal. The physical activity of each round is low to moderate and facilitates the improvement of body coordination, ensuring that most anyone can play!

Materials

  • 2 goalie nets
  • 2 hockey sticks
  • Ball
  • Hockey cage or basketball court (or other large paved space)
  • Whistle

Framing

Despite the name of this activity, it has nothing to the people of Spanish descent or the language, however it is an excellent twist on floor hockey that most people should be able to enjoy and participate in. 

Instructions

  1. Divide your group into two and have each group line up along the long edges of the paved field. They can stand or sit.
  2. Starting at one end of one team, number each player off beginning with, “1, 2, 3, etc.” until all players in the team have received a number. Move to the other team and do the same: starting at the other end of the group, number each player off beginning with, “1.” After numbering all players, there should be two participants assigned each number.
  3. Set up goalie nets for each team, one on either end of the paved field.
  4. Place a small (light) ball at the centre of the paved field.
  5. Place both hockey sticks on the pavement, each on either side of the ball (few feet from the centre).
  6. Assign each team one side of the paved field. They don’t need to move there yet, but will when the gameplay begins.
  7. The facilitator calls a number. The two participants with that assigned number must (get up, if sitting and) run to the hockey stick on their team’s side. The players grab their hockey stick and immediately use it to try and shoot the ball into the opposing team’s goalie net.
  8. When a player shoots a goal, blow the whistle to signify. They earn a point for their team. Both players return to their spot in their team’s line, signalling the end of the round and preparing for the next one.
  9. The players that aren’t actively playing should cheer their team and players on.
  10. Continue playing until at least every participant has had a chance to actively play.

Modify

  • You can also add 1-2 more hockey sticks for each team and call more numbers each round. The first number called becomes a goalie (positioned in a radius a few feet from their team’s goalie net), second number as defense (positioned midway on their team’s side), and third number as offense (positioned near the centre and to begin gameplay). As soon as the third number is called, they can begin trying to score a goal.
  • Encourage the participation of other volunteers and staff members. Divide them amongst the two teams and assign them letters instead of numbers. This way the gameplay is promotes fairness by not allowing adults to play against children.
  • To further encourage team spirit, consider awarding points each round to the team that best cheering their players on. Could also be used as a means to “balance” out extremely unequal point distribution.

Safety

  • Since the activity is played on pavement, there is an increased risk for injury like cuts and scrapes. To minimize this, be sure to scan the playing area for dangerous items and reiterate rules of safety with your group.

Wrap-up

  • Did you feel equally matched with the opposing player?
  • Did paying attention give you an advantage to scoring a goal first?
  • Did the cheers from your team give you more confidence to score a goal?
  • With extra hockey sticks: Did you prefer being goalie, defense, or offense? Why?


Obtained from: http://activeafterschool.ca/activities/healthy-relationships