Who we are - General Information
British Columbia enjoys a long association with the sport of minor ball hockey. The WCMBHA of BC is a registered non-profit organization officially recognized as the governing body of the minor sport in British Columbia by the Canadian Ball Hockey Association, International Street & Ball Hockey Federation, BC Hockey and Sport BC. WCMBH of BC provides the following administrative services:
- Office Services
- Annual General Meeting
- Organize Minor Provincial Championships
- Co-organize Western Challenge Cup with Alberta
- BC Teams for Junior Nationals for players under 19 years of age
- Past hosts of the Junior National Championships
- Assist new minor leagues in B.C. with start up kits
- Distribute rulebooks and balls for member associations
- Promote the sport of minor ball hockey across the province and country
- Organize First Aid, Coaches and Speak Out Clinics for member associations
- Set bylaws and regulations for members as a guideline
- Obtain Provincial sponsorships
- Resolve any disputes individuals or teams may have within their associations
- Arrange insurance program which includes general liability and medical/dental accident insurance
- Provide a provincial certification clinics for minor program officials
- Provide a provincial registration program for its minor members
- Distribute coaching materials.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the WCMBHA of BC is to foster the growth of the minor sport. This has been accomplished through the development of programs, provision of member services, local, regional and national tournaments and its commitment to:
provide a fun safe recreational activity for all minor levels of competition from house league to elite programs
creating and implementing leadership opportunities for officials, coaches, volunteers and administrators within the minor program
establishing standards of play and for quality of equipment to ensure good sport and safety for all minor participants
to maintain, distribute and uphold the rules and regulations of minor ball hockey in British Columbia
BASIC RULES
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). D-Gel orange balls are used for the games. For added safety, hockey gloves and helmets with full face cage are mandatory, and in National and International competitions shin pads are mandatory as well.
Any size or type of non-slip flooring can be used as a playing field. In Canada, most of our leagues operate in hockey arenas. All CBHA provincial, regional and national events are held in full sized hockey arenas (generally around 200 feet long x 85 feet wide, 60.96 m x 25.91 m). When played on the surface of a hockey rink, six players, including the goalie, compete against the opposing team's six players. Extra players are usually kept on each bench, outside the playing surface, and interchanged with the six on the floor either during play or at a stoppage of play.
When played on smaller surfaces, fewer players can be used during play. In its simplest form, the game can be played without floor markings and few rules. However, 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, icing, offside, or when the ball leaves the playing area.
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.
When an offside occurs play is stopped. Before entering an opponent team's zone (the area from behind their net to their blue line) the ball must cross the blue line first before the player or any of his teammates.
Flooring (in ice hockey it’s called icing) occurs when a team shoots the ball before the player physically crosses the center line and the ball passes the opponent's goal before any player, of either team, can touch it. A stoppage of play shall occur with the ensuing face off taking place in the end zone of the team that shot the ball. If the goalie touches the ball, or the shot creates a goal, there is no icing on the play.
"Floating Blue Line": expansion of the offensive zones occurs once a team crosses the opponent's blue line with the ball. The attacking team will then have half of the entire playing surface within which to control the ball, from behind the opponent's goal to the center line of the area. If the defending team sends the ball past center, the zone is reset to the blue line and their opponent must regain it as explained above.
To score a legal goal, it cannot be kicked in; struck with a stick above the shoulders; pushed in using the hand, or while offside.
Games may vary in length, for example two 15 minute periods, but are generally played with either two or three periods of equal time. Where a time clock is available, there is a stoppage in play, after a goal, penalty, offside, flooring, 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.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
All players must wear a CSA (Canadian Standards Association) approved helmet with full facial protection (CSA cage, full shield), ice hockey gloves and running shoes.
Although not mandatory, it is recommended that players wear soft elbow pads, athletic cup, soft knee pads and shin guards. Standard ice hockey sticks are used to play the game not plastic sticks or blades.
2 types of balls are officially recognized for play by the CBHA. It is usually orange in appearance and not much larger than a tennis ball. A hard (D-Gel Pro) version is recommended for warm/spring-summer climate play. The soft (recreation) version is recommended for younger youth age groups and all winter play. CBHA member leagues must use either version manufactured by D-Gel with product numbers (350) hard and (360) soft with the official CBHA logo, commencing in 2003.
A new line of ball hockey equipment is being designed by D-GEL in cooperation with the CBHA and has been launched to date, including a more flexible glove, padded shorts and shin pads. Go to www.d-gel.com for more information on these products.
WCMBHA of BC BACKGROUND
The Association was first born 10 years ago; it was formed by the presidents of each lower mainland ball hockey associations. This organization was formed to help each association with its rules and regulations, to help promote the sport of ball hockey and to ensure that each member followed the basic rules of fair play. Since its birth the WCMBHA OF BC has grown in many ways and continues to grow and develop many programs: referee training, coaches training, goalie program, along with other developmental programs for the 2008/2009 season. WCMBHA OF BC continues to keep in mind the main focus of ball hockey “FOR THE KIDS”.
In 2007 WCMBHA OF BC hosted the Junior Nationals. This event was monumental to British Columbia and its members. Domenic Di Gironimo president of CBHA stated in his speech during the Nationals Awards Banquet that “This year’s Nationals are the best Nationals that CBHA has ever been to and it will be hard to top Nationals next year.”
During the CBHA minor counsel meeting it was voted that BC would introduce the U15’s to the Nationals this year. There was much debate regarding the continuing growth of Nationals and it was stated that a foundation needs to be laid by all provinces before further growth can happen with Nationals. It’s important that BC lays a foundation that grows not only in member numbers, but a stable financial security to help our BC kids who make the team.