St. Olaf Recreation offers a multitude of intramural sports for students to play. One, however, is superior: broomball.
I first learned about broomball my first year at St. Olaf. As someone from North Carolina, there’s barely hockey, let alone broomball.
My first broomball season was in the winter of my sophomore year. Now, I’m in my fifth season — the sport is addicting.
Broomball is basically hockey with a hint of soccer: players wear boots, use sticks, and play on ice. The objective is to get the ball in the other team’s goal. You are able to kick and hit the ball with your stick. Unlike soccer, players are able to use their hands to hit the ball down while it is in the air.
While the rules are rather simple, playing on ice makes balance, agility, and coordination more difficult. It does, however, level the playing field. Former high school athletes aren’t able to dominate because most high schools don’t have a broomball team.
There are some people who have pure athletic talent, but the majority of broomball intramural players don’t. The ragtag teams are made up of friends, classmates, and co-workers which make games more fun. I highly recommend friends to try out the sport together.
I would have never guessed that this sport would have this much of an impact on me. I’m not an athletic person by any means, and I have never had a regular workout schedule. The weekly games are a great way to find time for physical activity, while also hanging out with people I like.
I have become closer to many of my friends through the sport, and it really has been a valuable part of my St. Olaf experience. I am going to truly miss our team, Vroom Brooms, after graduation. In the meantime, I’m going to make the most of my last two broomball seasons.
