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Rules & Responsibilities

BFHA Player Responsibilities

The Indoor High School League plays on Sundays at CCBC Dundalk prior to the Adult League. This means that the boards and cages are already in place and Adult play can start as soon as youth hockey ends on Sundays, typically at 3:30PM.

Since the Adult League is second, adult players typically should stay and help clean up after league play for the evening - this means putting away the boards and cages and generally picking up trash in the gym. The College does kindly supply a representative that takes care of the bulk of trash clean up and locking up.

If there is no high school play on a Sunday, then adult players should arrive early to help set up the boards and cages for adult league play, as well as plan to stay after play concludes to help clean up. Adult League Pick up play typically runs from 3:30 - 5:30PM.

The exception for Pick up players helping with clean up is if Adult Team play is scheduled that Sunday; if so, then the Adult Team players are responsible for remaining after play to clean up the gym. Adult Team play in 2010 will run from 5:30 - 8:30PM.

Thank you for your help - we want to keep our right to play at CCBC Dundalk!

BFHA Adult Indoor Rules

BFHA follows the USFHA rules; here is an overview:

• 6 players per team, including the goalie
• Usually play 2 forwards, 1 midfielder, 2 defenders, and 1 goalie
• There is NO driving in indoor hockey – you may only dribble or use a push pass
• You cannot lift the ball at all, except for a shot on goal (flicked or scooped)
• If not playing with a goalie (helmet, pads, etc.), shot must be on the ground (not lifted)
• There are no sidelines; 4" x 4" boards are used as side boundaries and the ball can be played off the boards
• Three point rule – players cannot put a hand on the ground (knuckles while holding the stick parallel to the ground are OK)
• If the ball goes over the end line, either off an offensive stick or unintentionally by the defense, it is a free hit by the defense (taken from within the circle)
• If the ball goes over the end line intentionally by the defense, it is a corner
• On a corner, any defender not behind the back-line must be beyond the centre-line
• On a corner, all defensive players except goalie must line up outside of the goal on side opposite of where corner is taken
• On a corner, the ball MUST travel completely outside of the circle, then brought back into the circle, before a shot is taken
• Self Pass: What this means is that after a foul is blown, it is permissible for a player to pass the ball to themselves and keep going.  You cannot just start running with the ball on your stick.  You must stop the ball close to the location of the foul, play the ball so that it comes off your stick and then you are off to the races.  If a defender is within three meters, they must retreat three meters without shadowing you, before attempting to play the ball.
• Free Pushes in the attacking half of the field: Everyone must be three meters (both sides) and the ball cannot be played straight into the circle.  If it comes off the boards, is played by someone on either team, or is moved three meters plus by a player taking a self pass before being sent into the D, everything is fine.  All fouls within three meters of the D must be pulled back to three meters outside.

Download all indoor rules