Broomball Canada


Broomball Canada, formerly the Canadian Broomball Federation (CBF), is the official governing body of the sport of broomball in Canada.[1]

Broomball Canada
SportBroomball
CategoryWinter sport
Team sport
Ball sport
AbbreviationBC
Founded1976; 48 years ago (1976)
ReplacedCanadian Broomball Federation
Official website
www.broomball.ca
Canada

The role of the organization is to provide leadership by promoting and developing broomball and developing and coordinating programs and services designed to meet the needs of the broomball community. The philosophy of the Broomball Canada places the athlete at the heart of the organization.[2][3]

The annual Canadian membership is around 19,000 registered players with another 15,000 who participate at the recreational level which includes all age groups and schooling levels including elementary school.

The Canadian national broomball teams have competed in every World Broomball Championships since its inception.

Competitive categories

Broomball Canada has four main competitive categories to classify the different sports levels and divisions that are available to all ages.[4]

Age categories
CategoryAgeDetails
U12 (Pee Wee)Boys or girls between 9 and 11No contact
U14 (Bantam)Boys or girls between 12 and 13Played with contact
U16 (Midget)Boys or girls between 14 and 15Played with contact
U20 (Juvenile)Boys or girls between 16 and 19Played with contact
Elite (Juvenile and Senior)Men or women 17 years and upPlayed with contact
IntermediateMen, women, and mixed teams
17 years and up
No contact

History

Antique Broomball - Petrolia Girls Team - Ontario, Canada - Early 1900s

The exact origin of the sport has been difficult to pinpoint.Broomball can be traced back to the early 1900s. The sport was played on icy surfaces about the size of today's hockey rinks, surfaces such as lakes, ponds and rivers.The First Nations peoples are believed to have passed the sport on to the settlers.

In 1961, the Fitness and Amateur Sport Act came into force in Canada whereby the Government of Canada made an official commitment to “encourage, promote and develop fitness and amateur sport in Canada.” A few years later, the Canadian government created two new directorates: Recreation Canada, which was tasked with improving the lifestyle of Canadians, and Sport Canada, which was responsible for developing competitive sport.[5]

The predecessor to Broomball Canada, the Canadian Broomball Federation, was founded in 1976, roughly 10 years after the enactment of the Fitness and Amateur Sport Act. During the 1975 "national broomball tournament" in Montreal, Quebec it was decided that the sport needed a governing body. The members of the Alberta Broomball Association met with representatives of other Canadian provinces and formed what became the Canadian Broomball Federation.[6]

In the 1980s, the organization developed the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) to focus on Canadian youth in the sport.

Current status

Over the past half decade[when?] the sport has seen a great decline in participation, evidence of which can be seen in all age categories and levels of competition. Schools are showing less team development in both elementary and high schools in every Canadian province.

At the Canadian Broomball Championships (CBC) there are fewer provinces participating.[when?] Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia/New Brunswick (together as Maritimes) currently hold the sport together. The remaining provinces, Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and British Columbia, were once big players in the sport but have taken a step back.

The lack of participation has been blamed[by whom?] on lack of leadership at the higher levels of the sport. Additionally, a lack of general awareness and knowledge of the sport in schools across Canada is considered to be another contributing factor. Adding to the problem is that broomball is sometimes confused with ringette and curling. Parents tend to sign their children up for mainstream sports such as ice hockey. Although broomball is more well known in rural areas, it lacks funding to become more popular and achieve growth in urban areas.[4]

Provincial Associations

Provincial Associations
Province or TerritoryAssociation
AlbertaAlberta Broomball Association[7]
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia Broomball Society
SaskatchewanSaskatchewan Broomball Association
ManitobaManitoba Broomball
OntarioFederation of Broomball Associations of Ontario[8]
YukonYukon Broomball Association
Northwest TerritoriesNorthwest Territories Broomball Association
QuebecFederation Quebecoise de Ballon sur Glace
Newfoundland & LabradorBroomball Newfoundland & Labrador
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
The Maritimes Broomball Association
(New Brunswick and Nova Scotia combined)

Broomball Canada executives

2022[9]
PresidentGeorge Brown
Vice-President Marketing and PromotionsChad Schneider
Vice-President TechnicalDanny Decourval
TreasurerGreg Mastervick
SecretaryBarbara Wlodarczyk
Referee in ChiefDoug Galt
Executive AssistantCathy Derewianchuk
High Performance DirectorRacim Kebbab
Sport Development CoordinatorVéronique Cayer
Coaching Coordinator

National Championship results

Senior Men's

Senior Men's[10]
YearHostWinner
2022Saskatoon, SKAs de St-Coeur de Marie (Quebec)
2021NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2020NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2019Cornwall, ONOttawa Nationals (Ontario)
2018Portage La Prairie, MBOttawa Nationals (Ontario)
2017Alma, QCPatriotes (Quebec)
2016Owen Sound, ONOttawa Nationals (Ontario)
2015Montreal, QCPalmerston Rookies (Ontario)
2014Calgary, ABPogos (Quebec)
2013Regina, SKBriquetal L’Assomption (Quebec)
2012Stratford, ONBriquetal (Quebec)
2011Blainville, QCOttawa Nationals (Ontario)
2010Arnprior, ONPogos Rancuniers (Quebec)
2009Saskatoon, SKOttawa Nationals (Ontario)
2008Blainville, QCFrost (Quebec)
2007Selkirk, MBBruno Axemen (Saskatchewan)
2006Leduc, ABBruno Axemen (Saskatchewan)
2005Prince George, BCFrost (Quebec)
2004Longueuil, QCBruno Axemen (Saskatchewan)
2003Cornerbrook, NLRang A Tangs (Ontario)
2002Ottawa, ONTitans (Quebec)
2001Calgary, ABRegina Silversceen Bruins (Saskatchewan)
2000Halifax, NSEmbrun Pluming (Ontario)

Senior Women's

Senior Women's[11]
YearHostWinner
2022Saskatoon, SKEastern Rebels (Ontario)
2021NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2020NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2019Cornwall, ONVipers (Ontario)
2018Portage La Prairie, MBEastern Rebels (Ontario)
2017Alma, QCEastern Rebels (Ontario)
2016Owen Sound, ONHuskies (Quebec)
2015Montreal, QCHuskies (Quebec)
2014Calgary, ABHuskies (Quebec)
2013Regina, SKHuskies (Quebec)
2012Stratford, ONHuskies (Quebec)
2011Blainville, QCHuskies (Quebec)
2010Arnprior, ONOSS (Ontario)
2009Saskatoon, SKHuskies (Quebec)
2008Blainville, QCMcMillan Sand & Gravel (Ontario)
2007Selkirk, MBHuskies (Quebec)
2006Leduc, ABHuskies (Quebec)
2005Prince George, BCHuskies (Quebec)
2004Longueuil, QCQuest (Quebec)
2003Cornerbrook, NLMcMillan Sand & Gravel (Ontario)
2002Ottawa, ONHuskies (Quebec)
2001Calgary, ABMcMillan Sand & Gravel (Ontario)
2000Halifax, NSHuskies (Quebec)

Mixed

Mixed[12]
YearHostWinner
2022Saskatoon, SKBroom-Shak Becancour (Quebec)
2021NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2020NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2019Cornwall, ONBroom-Shak Becancour (Quebec)
2018Portage La Prairie, MBBroom-Shak Becancour (Quebec)
2017Alma, QCBroom-Shak Becancour (Quebec)
2016Owen Sound, ONMisled (Ontario)
2015Montreal, QCBroom-Shak Becancour (Quebec)
2014Calgary, SBBroom-Shak Becancour (Quebec)
2013Regina, SKRegina silver Foxes (Saskatchewan)

U20 Boy's

U20 Boy's[13]
YearHostWinner
2022Cornwall, Ontario Blitx (Quebec)
2021NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2020NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2019Riviere du Loup, Quebec Sting (Ontario)
2018Owen Sound, Ontario Sting (Ontario)
2017Estevan, Saskatchewan Valley Gamblers (Ontario)
2016Arnprior, Ontario Valley Gamblers (Ontario)
2015Portage la Prairie, Manitoba As St-Coeur de Marie (Quebec)
2014Alma, Quebec Valley Gamblers (Ontario)
2013Cornwall, Ontario Valley Gamblers (Ontario)
2012St. Laurent, Quebec Sting (Ontario)
2011Portage La Prairie, Manitoba Valley Gamblers (Ontario)
2010Balgonie/White City, Saskatchewan Clippers (Saskatchewan)
2009Terrebonne, Quebec Odessa Bandits (Saskatchewan)
2008Windsor, Ontario Briquetal (Quebec)
2007Balgonie, Saskatchewan Sphinx L’Assomption (Quebec)
2006Carleton Place, Ontario College L’Assomption (Quebec)
2005Leduc, Alberta College L’Assomption (Quebec)
2004Regina, Saskatchewan College Laval (Quebec)
2003Joliette, Quebec Bruno Jr. Axemen (Saskatchewan)
2002Oak Bluff, Manitoba Bruno Jr. Axemen (Saskatchewan)
2001Palmerston, Ontario Seaforth Hitmen (Ontario)
2000Embrun, Ontario College Laval (Quebec)

U20 Girl's

U20 Girl's[14]
YearHostWinner
2022Cornwall, Ontario Debden Roadrunners (Saskatchewan)
2021NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2020NO EVENT HELD(COVID-19)
2019Riviere du Loup, Quebec Palmerston Terminators (Ontario)
2018Owen Sound, Ontario T-Miss (Quebec)
2017Estevan, Saskatchewan CAJ Centre du Quebec (Quebec)
2016Arnprior, Ontario CAJ Centre du Quebec (Quebec)
2015Portage la Prairie, Manitoba Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2014Alma, Quebec Eastern Thunder (Ontario)
2013Cornwall, Ontario Eastern Thunder (Ontario)
2012St. Laurent, Quebec Eastern Thunder (Ontario)
2011Portage La Prairie, Manitoba Eastern Thunder (Ontario)
2010Balgonie/White City, Saskatchewan Eastern Thunder (Ontario)
2009Terrebonne, Quebec Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2008Windsor, Ontario Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2007Balgonie, Saskatchewan Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2006Carleton Place, Ontario Eastern Thunder (Ontario)
2005Leduc, Alberta Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2004Regina, Saskatchewan Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2003Joliette, Quebec Seaway Valley Devils (Ontario)
2002Oak Bluff, Manitoba College Stanislas (Quebec)
2001Palmerston, Ontario College Stanislas (Quebec)
2000Embrun, Ontario College Stanislas (Quebec)

Funding

Broomball is recognized as one of the first 6 Canadian heritage sports and thus receives funding from Heritage Canada to the amount of $105,000. The funding is meant to develop and build the sport as it receives little sponsorship from companies, the remaining income to the sport is from membership fees and workshops. To continue to receive funding from Heritage Canada, the broomball federation must continue to actively seek sponsorship from corporate sponsors. While the sport is strongly supported by Heritage Canada it would prefer to reduce dependency in order to more readily finance other initiatives.[4]

See also

References