Oarball is a sport which combines elements of ice hockey, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse into a fun, physically demanding game that is accessible to everyone.

Teams of 5 players equipped with wooden sticks work together to get the ball into the opposing team’s goal. The game is played on a grass, turf, or dirt field.

 

 

Basic Rules

Before you play or watch, you should know the basics of the rules.

Equipment: Players need a long wooden paddle and cleats to play. Any other equipment is optional. Other than shin pads and protective cups, any protective equipment that a player decides to wear must be soft to prevent injuries to other players.

Two touch rule: Players can touch the ball with any part of their body (including their hands), but only once before someone else touches it. They can use the stick as much as they want.

Two line pass: The ball can’t be passed directly to a player who is two parallel lines away. In the middle square, the ball can be passed anywhere on the field.

Goal Crease: In front of each goal, there is a small rectangular area called a goal crease. The offensive team can’t step into it unless the ball goes in first, and players on the defensive team can’t be in it for more than 5 seconds at a time.

Free hits and face-offs: For minor infractions like two line pass or putting the ball out of bounds, the non-offending team hits the ball wherever they want on the field. They can hit it with their stick or their foot. Wherever it comes to rest, there will be a face-off, where both teams have a chance to get the ball.

Contact: There are no violent collisions in oarball, but it is still a physical game where powerful and tough players thrive. Hip contact is permitted to try and dislodge an opponent from the ball. Players who are standing still or walking are also allowed to push each other with their hands.

Fouls: Any contact other than a legal hip check or hand check, touching an opponent with the stick, or swinging the stick dangerously are common fouls. For minor fouls teams get off with a warning the first time- after that, minor fouls net the offending player five minutes in the sin bin. More serious fouls can get players in the sin bin for ten minutes or even kicked out of the game. After every foul, the non-offending team gets to take a penalty shot. A player on the field gets a 1 on 1 against a defender on the opposing team, with all of the other players chasing behind them.

 

 

Positions

A team has 9 players on its active roster. Of those 9, 4 are on the field at a time.
 

Fullback: Like a goalie in other sports, but more involved on offense. They are the last line of defense and expected to block lots of shots. A fullback who can control the offense like a point guard is extremely valuable, since they can help their team stay on offense longer.

 

Halfback: A powerful, physical defensive player. The halfback protects the fullback from opponents and defends the prime real estate in the middle of the field. If the halfback can kick well enough to be a threat to score anywhere on the field, that's a bonus to the team.

 

Forward: Teams have two forwards on the field at a time. The forwards lead the attack, pushing the ball up the field and defending from the front. A wide variety of players can play forward, from small speedy runners to big, strong bruisers. Forwards are usually paired up in a "line" of a left and right forward, and substitute at the same time so that they are always playing with the same forward teammate.