Temperatures have dropped, the ice is here, and broomball is back at Michigan Tech! Ball drop for the 2022 season was held Jan. 18 at the Broomball Courts on Walker Lawn at 5:15 p.m.
While Michigan Tech is at Safety Level 2, there are no changes to typical gameplay or team size due to COVID. Players are not required to wear masks. The broomball committee is prepared to accommodate changes in the event safety level is increased to Level 3 or higher, but as of Jan. 20 the broomball experience should not be impacted by the pandemic. Free hot chocolate will be available to spectators.
Specifications for brooms include, but are not limited to: the original wooden broom handle must be attached to the broom head, tape is the only foreign material allowed on the broom, the external metal rings must be removed, slant of the broom head cannot exceed 30 degrees, bristled area must have some pliancy (be able to bend) once taping is finished, and no bristles may be exposed once taping is finished.
There are three recognized broom styles, the defensive flat, the offensive bat, and the offensive spoon. The defensive flat had bristles fashioned into a wide and narrow surface to provide a large surface area meant for blocking; the offensive bat is made conicaly, with a flat plane at the end to maximize force transfer for shooting; and the offensive spoon is a curved version of the defensive flat, made with a slight indentation to allow the ball to be launched up but must not be so curved as to allow the ball to be cradled.
A step-by-step guide to broom construction, along with helpful tips and specifications for the three recognized broom styles, is found in “How To Make a Broomball Stick” at https://broomball.mtu.edu/downloads/Stick_Making_Guide.pdf.
