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Floor Hockey – Court 5’s

Any issue that arises that is not covered in the league rules should be settled by the two team captains. The issue should then be brought to the attention of JAM so information can be added to the league rules. This rulebook will cover Mixed and Open programs. 

JAM is for Everyone – Inclusion Statement

Our program offerings are designed to be inclusive for all members of the JAM community. Our goal is to create a welcoming gender policy that uplifts and supports each player where they are at. To ensure we can offer something for everyone, our programs may be offered in the following formats: Mixed-Gender, Women's, Men's, and Open.

Many of our league rules specify gender-based roster requirements, the goal of which is to ensure that each player has an equal opportunity to be included in gameplay.

Everyone participating in a JAM program is welcome to compete based on their gender identity and gender expression; regardless of their gender assigned at birth. Members whose gender identity does not align with the binary man/woman construct are welcome to play in all our mixed-gender and open programs.

Nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, and all other players who identify as a gender minority can count towards the roster minimums for either men or women in our mixed-gender leagues.

Game Time

All Floor Hockey games are approximately 52 minutes in length. Please arrive early to ensure you get full use of your allotted court time. Regardless of when your game begins, your game will always end on time to allow the succeeding games to begin at their scheduled time.

Time Keeping: If you’re playing without an official score clock, the JAM Ambassador on site will be keeping track of time and will determine the end of your game. In this instance, you will receive a warning indicating the final five (5) minutes of your game and a final signal for the end of your game. Once the final signal occurs your game is over.

Halftimes: There are 4 minutes between each 24 minute half allotted for halftime. If both teams agree to take the time, halftime will occur. If both teams agree to skip halftime, the second half will begin. 

Switching Sides: If one side of a venue has a potential advantage (i.e. stage at one end, etc.), teams should agree BEFORE the game that they will be switching sides at approximately the mid-point of the game (and agree on the time to switch). A captain that requests a switch pre-game MUST be accommodated.

Players

Teams are comprised of five (5) players on the court at a time. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 10 minutes after the official start time.

Roster Numbers: All teams must have at least two (2) men or gender minority players and two (2) women or gender minority players on the court at all times, excluding the goalie. Your team may have a woman, man or gender minority goalie. This means that the goalie does not count towards the roster number requirements, you must still have 2 women or gender minority players and 2 men or gender minority players playing at all times.

Defaults: A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad of a minimum of 4 players 10 minutes after the official start time.  If shorthanded, a team must have a goaltender and thus be one player short on the floor. roster rules still apply (for Mixed-Gender leagues, you can play with a minimum of 4 players, as long as the roster minimums are met.)

Exceptions: Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding roster requirements but this should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!

Playing Area

For all formats of JAM Floor Hockey, the net and court will always be set up for you when you arrive. All gymnasiums will vary in size, so the dimensions of the playing area will vary per location.

Equipment/Set Up

Equipment including nets, sticks, and balls will be provided and set up each week. It is the TEAM'S responsibility to bring any additional goalie protective gear. Players must wear appropriate court shoes. Teams should bring both light and dark coloured shirts to each and every game.  There are two types of balls available to play with “Hard” and “Soft”.  The official ball of JAM Floor Hockey is the ‘Hard” ball.  Teams may choose to play with the “Soft” ball if both sides agree. The “Hard” ball bounces much less and we have found results in a cleaner game with more control and less hacking. Players may bring their own sticks, but they MUST be the same make and model as the ones provided (DOM Elite). DOM Vision, wooden, and aluminum sticks/shafts are not allowed.

Uniforms

Teams are required to bring both light and coloured shirts to every game. Team colours are posted on the JAM website in your schedule. If two teams have the same colour the team captains should contact each other to ensure that each team knows what colour to wear.

Defaults: There is no default for players that don’t wear the right colour. However, that player must do everything they can to ensure it’s not confusing for the opposition. Whether this means wearing a pinny, a hat, a teammate’s shirt, etc. Under no circumstances can a player purposely deceive the opposition.

Facilities

JAM rents facilities in order to provide our leagues. Facilities are rented from the City and from privately owned facilities. Please respect the facilities so we can continue using them. If we lose our permits, the season will be canceled. There are absolutely no outdoor shoes in any facility or no marking shoes. You must leave the gym the way you found it.

Officiating

All games are self-officiated. Players are responsible to make their own calls and keep their own scores. Teams must call their own penalties. Teams can call penalties on their own team, but cannot call a penalty on the opposition. Any reckless, aggressive, threatening, or unsportsmanlike behaviour will result in being ejected from the game. If this behaviour is repeated the player will be ejected from the league. If this is a team-wide issue, the entire team may be ejected from the league. The JAM Ambassadors are not referees. They are there to supervise the games, keep the games running smooth, and to ensure players are making the correct calls. They have the right to ask a player to sit out or leave the gym. If asked to do either, you must do so immediately.

Game Rules

• Unsportsmanlike play WILL NOT be tolerated. Experienced hockey players should leave their notions of physical play as being an integral part of hockey on the ice: IT IS NOT WELCOME HERE.  It is inevitable that there will be some accidental contact among players. However, any other contact (i.e. pushing, picks, bumping, etc...) is not allowed. You may not touch any other player with your body or your stick at any time on purpose, and you should do your best to avoid unnecessary contact with your body and your stick.  If you find you are frequently coming in contact with your opponents, you must adjust your style of play to minimize this from happening. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the games are played safely, and any dangerous or reckless behaviour is not acceptable.

• When the goalie has covered the ball they can either play the ball with their stick or drop the ball behind the net. The opposing team must give the player 3 seconds to put the ball in play.

• A goalie may only leave their crease a maximum of 3 feet to make a save or cover the ball. Leaving the crease to play the puck or further than 3 feet will result in a penalty. 

• A goal cannot be scored by kicking or throwing the ball.

• Players must back off five feet from any player chasing the ball into the wall or in a corner. The player must also give three seconds for the player to play the ball.

• Players ARE allowed to lift the sticks of their opponents in an attempt to take the ball away - please use minimal force when doing this. However, players CANNOT hit the top of their opponent's sticks or pin their opponent's stick down.  Players may not lift or touch an opponent's stick when they are not making a play on the ball (i.e. if you are in front of the net but the ball is in the corner) but may have their stick in the area in anticipation of a pass.

• The entire gym is in play except for any stairs, stage, curtain, bleachers, etc.

• A ball that has gone out of play is awarded to the team that did not touch the ball last. Play commences with a player either passing the ball in from the line where the ball went out of play or stickhandling the ball their self from that point. A player opting to carry the ball MUST make a pass before shooting (i.e. the player cannot score directly). If the ball is passed/shot towards the net and goes in (either directly into the goal, off the post and in, or off of the goalie and in) then it is not a goal.  If the ball is passed/shot towards the net and the goalie makes a save, or if the ball hits the post and is played by another player, then play is now live.  Opposing players (and their sticks) must be at least 5 feet away from the ball (i.e. you cannot put your stick directly in front of the ball) until the player either passes or begins to run with the ball. If the ball goes out of bounds with the offensive team getting possession, play re-starts in the corner (i.e. if the ball goes out on a stage, the offense takes control of the ball in the corner, not behind the net).

• If a team or player calls their own penalty, the player that committed the penalty must sit out for 2 minutes. However, the team does not have to play shorthanded. If the team or player does not make the call and the JAM Ambassador is forced to make the call then the player that committed the penalty must sit out for 2 minutes and the team must play short 1 player for those two minutes.

• The following actions result in a penalty

  • High Sticking: Players are not permitted to lift their stick above their waist at any time - 2 min penalty

  • Slashing/hooking/tripping - 2 min penalty

  • Goalies are not permitted to leave the crease - 2 min penalty

  • Reaching around a player when chasing them or hooking the stick - 2 min penalty

  • Reckless play - 2 min penalty

  • Aggressive play - 2 min penalty

  • Body contact - 2 min penalty

  • Any threatening or unsportsmanlike behaviour - Game ejection

 
Playoffs

All teams get two playoff games regardless of where you finish in the standings or the result of the first playoff game. The top four teams in each division will play for the division championship. All other teams play for the final standings. 

           Ties in the playoffs will be settled using a shootout. Three shooters from each team and one must be man or gender minority and one must be woman or gender minority. Teams rotate shooting. The team that scores the most goals wins. If the game is still tied after the shootout a sudden death shootout will take place. Three shooters from each team and one must be a man or gender minority and one must be a woman or gender minority (can be the same or different players). If one team scores, the other team must score on that same turn. For example, If Team 1 scores on their first attempt, then Team 2 must score or they lose. If Team 1 misses on their first attempt and Team 2 scores on their first attempt then Team 2 wins.

 
Game Scores

Both Team Captains should confirm the score with the JAM Ambassador throughout the game and after the game to ensure an accurate final score.

Alcohol

There are absolutely no alcoholic beverages permitted at JAM venues. Any offenders will be asked to leave the league without a refund. No exceptions.