Program Name

Floor HockeyCoaches Training

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IDAHO

Introduction

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Welcome to the 2016 Floor Hockey Coaches Training. This year, Coaches Training for Floor Hockey is going to be done individually. This will allow everyone the time to get the information they need at a time that works best for them. Throughout this PowerPoint we will cover important aspects of the Special Olympics Rule Book, Rule Modifications and the direction Floor Hockey is headed as a Special Olympic sport.

Required TrainingsCoaches Trainings- Each Level 2 Accredited Team must have a Certified Head Coach for each sport offered.

To be a Head Coach of a Special Olympics sports team you must complete all of the trainings on the list below, when they are provided. Some trainings are provided online and the others are provided by Special Olympics Idaho. Courses with ** will be provided by SOID and only required when made available.

Head Coach• Tactics Course- Sports-Strategies and Tactics**• Comprehensive Mentoring-Sports Mentoring and Assistance**• Principles of Coaching-Expanding the Sport of Sciences (Online Course)Assistant Coach• Coaching Unified Sports Course- Expanding the Season (Online Course)• Skills Course- Preseason Sports Specific Training**• Coaching Special Olympic Athletes (Online Course)Junior Coach• General Orientation and Protective Behavior (Online Course)• Skills Course-Basic Sport Skills and Strategies (Preseason)**• Class A Volunteer-Pass a background check• Class B (Under 18) Complete Volunteer Application

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Required Trainings Links

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Course Links- Below are the links to the required training courses for coaches. If you copy and paste the web address onto the internet search bar you will be taken either to the course or a registration page so you can create an account and take the course.

General Orientation & Protective Behaviorhttp://resources.specialolympics.org/protective_behaviors_training.aspx

Coaching Special Olympics Athletes Coursehttp://www.asep.com/courseInfo/purchase_courseinfo.cfm?CourseID=233&OrgID=64

Unified Sports Coursehttp://nfhslearn.com/courses/36000

Principles of Coaching Coursehttp://wvu.augusoft.net/index.cfm? method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=18423&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0- Search for Principles of Coaching Course in the class search tab.

2016 Statewide InvitationalFH Events Offered

• Individual Skills Competition • Traditional• Unified Competitive • Unified Developmental

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Traditional Competition

Traditional Team Competition allows Traditional Special Olympics Floor Hockey teams to compete against one another. A team is deemed a Traditional Sports Team if it is comprised solely of Special Olympics Athletes. Traditional teams can be comprised of all male teams, all female teams or co-ed teams. Teams are divisioned according to their ISC team scores, as recorded on Team Roster and Skill Assessment form. Teams will be pre-divisioned according to these scores in an effort to match teams with compatible skill sets.

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Unified Competition

Unified Sports Team Competition allows Unified Special Olympics Floor Hockey teams to compete against one another. A team is deemed a Unified Sports Team if it is comprised of Special Olympics Athletes and their Partners (Athletes without Intellectual Disabilities). Special rules apply to the number of Partners that can be on the playing surface at any given time, along with the age and ability of the Partners. Just as with Traditional Teams, Unified Sports Teams are divisioned according to their ISC team scores as recorded on the Team Roster and Skills Assessment Form in an effort to match their skills against the teams with which they will be competing.

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Unified Developmental

The Unified Sports competitive model requires that teammates be of similar age and ability. Unified Sports Player Development model is comprised of Unified Partners with higher ability who will serve as mentors to teammates of lower ability levels. Rules modifications will be employed, specifically, Unified Players do not score in the Developmental model, their primary responsibility on the court is to keep the puck in play and mentor the skill development of traditional athletes.

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Unified Competitive

Will be comprised of athletes and partners with LIKE ability. The important part to understand is that the partners should have like ability at their best of their ability. Using your partners to get way ahead in a game and then having them hold off so the other team can score a couple is not how it works, and does not keep your team in the spirit of Special Olympics. Teams will no longer be able to use partners to change the outcome of the game. We will be adding the appropriate rule modifications to fix player dominance issues and officials will be monitoring during gameplay. Please see Rule Modification slide for details on any new rule modifications.

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Unified Team ChecklistThis is helpful tool regarding the appropriateness of all team members for a particular Unified Sports team and/or a

particular Unified Sports model.

1)  Is there a player(s) on the team who, when competing to his/her highest ability level, would place other players on the team or on an opposing team at risk of injury?

2) 2)  Is the composition of the team such that ALL players without an intellectual disability are higher skilled than players with an intellectual disability?

3)  In order for a game to be played by the rules and at the same time allow for safe and meaningful involvement of all team members, must certain teammates significantly lower their level of play and not compete as hard as they are capable?

4)  Are there players on the team who are so highly skilled that no other member of the team could defend him or her in a competitive situation? (Specifically, this person could score at any time or control the game whenever he or she chooses.)

5)  Are there players on the team who do not have the sport-specific skills or understanding of the rules necessary to compete according to the rules in a competitive situation? Do they need significant assistance from teammates? Must the rules be significantly modified above and beyond Special Olympics Sports Rules adaptations?

6)  Are there players on the team who in a competitive situation rarely touch the ball or participate in competition because of their low ability level?

If the answer to any of the above questions is “yes”, the team is inappropriate for entry into official Special Olympics Unified Sports competition. It does not meet the Meaningful Involvement criteria for the Unified Sports competitive model. However, this team or the lower-ability players may be appropriate for the Unified Sports Player Development or Unified Sports Recreation options.

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Skills Competition

Individual Skills Competition (ISC) allows athletes/teams to determine their skill levels within a competitive environment. Athletes participate in five competitions; Shoot around the Goal, Pass, Stickhandling, Shoot for Accuracy, and Defense (refer to appendix 1 of this document). Each competition is scored to determine the athletes’ ability levels. If the ISC is used in conjunction with a competition the scores are used to determine award placements. The ISC is also used to assess a teams’ ability level for the purpose of divisioning the team prior to competition. The entire team performs the 5 ISC skills under the head coaches’ guidance. Upon completion the scores are recorded on the Team Roster and Skill Assessment Form and submitted to the Games Organizing Committee as part of the team’s official documentation.

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Program Name

RulesCourt/Equipment/Uniforms

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Court

The Floor Hockey Courts will be played on 24 meters x 12 meters (80 x 40 feet)(basketball court dimensions) and on a level surface that is properly marked for Floor Hockey.The rest of the court will be set up according to dimensions from Rules 101-107 from the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Rule book.

* Some courts will have flexible boundaries that will be 2 ½ feet high and other courts may be marked with tape only. For more specifics on Floor Hockey Court Rules see pages 5 & 6 of the Floor Hockey Rule book.

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Divisioning

In competition, teams are divisioned according to team scores compiled in the Individual Skills Competition (ISC) and a classification round that occurs prior to the start of the actual competition. Coaches must submit ISC scores for each player on their team’s roster, utilizing the Team Roster and Skills Assessment Form (available through Special Olympics International (SOI)) prior to conducting the competition. The team score is determined by adding all players’ scores and then dividing by the total number of players.

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Puck/StickPuck- Circular felt disc with a center hole and has the following dimensions:• Diameter of 20cm (8inches)• Center Hole is10cm (4inches) may be reinforced with leather.• Thickness of 2.5cm (1 inch)• Weight of 140-225 grams (5-8 ounces).Stick- Stick other than goalkeepers’ sticks must be a rod or dowel made of wood and/ or fiberglass conforming to the following dimensions:• Circumference of 7.5 – 10cm (3 inches – 4 inches)• Length of 90-150cm (3 to 5 feet)• The non-handle end (i.e. the bottom or floor end) of all sticks other than

goalkeepers’ sticks must be rounded- off. The stick must be of a uniform thickness over the entire length, however, tape or other materials may be added to the top .6m (24 inches) of the handle end of the stick to facilitate holding the stick. The handle end of the stick may be built up as much as .5cm (1/4 inch). No tape, string, or other object is allowed that will increase the diameter on the bottom 15cm (6 inches) of the stick.

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Goalie Stick

Goalie Stick- The goalkeeper’s stick shall be a regulation ice hockey goalkeeper’s stick. The blade of the goalkeeper’s stick must not exceed 8.9cm (3 1⁄2 inches) in width at any point except at the heel where it must not exceed 11.4cm (4 1⁄2 inches) in width; nor must the goalkeeper’s stick exceed 39.3cm (15 1⁄2 inches) in length from the heel to the end of the blade. There is to be no measurement of the curvature of the blade on the goalkeeper’s stick. All other elements of the stick are subject to a measurement and the appropriate applicable penalty. The widened portion of the goalkeeper’s stick extending up the shaft from the blade shall not extend more than 66cm (26 inches) from the heel and must not exceed 8.9cm (3 1⁄2 inches) in width. *For more specific rules see Rules 201 & 202 or page 7 of the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Rule book

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Mandatory EquipmentAll Items listed below and required to participate in any Special Olympics competitions. All Equipment

will be check by the Head Official at Uniform/ Equipment check.

Mandatory Equipment- All players must wear:

• Helmets with full face masks• Gloves (i.e. padded gloves, street hockey gloves, field hockey gloves)• Shin Guards (street hockey, ice hockey, soccer guards) the goal keeper will be allowed to wear

regulation size ice hockey goalkeeper pads not to exceed 31 cm (12inches) in width.• Proper athletic footwear (i.e. running shoes)

Recommended but NOT required Protective Equipment• Elbow pads• Athletic supporter• Knee Pads• Goalie chest protector• Mouth Piece*Prior to each game the Officials will check for proper equipment.17

Competition Rules

Competition Rules can be found on pages 8 - 15 of the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Rule book. All rules will remain the same unless the rule has been modified. Rule Modifications can be found in the Coaches Handbooks and will be sent out to LPC’s along with the Floor Hockey Rule book. We will go over the standard Rule Modifications for Idaho in the following slide.

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Unified Team Competition1. The roster shall contain a proportionate number of Special Olympics Athletes and

Unified Sports Partners.2. During competition, the line-up can contain no more than three partners on the

court at any one time. Equal playing rules as outlined for traditional Floor Hockey teams in section E, 1, apply for all players including the goalkeeper.

3. Each team shall have a non-playing head coach.4. Selection of Special Olympics Athletes and Unified Sports Partners of similar age and

ability is required for Unified Sports training and competition in Floor Hockey. Significant risk of injury could result from teams where athletes and partners are poorly matched.

* See Rule Modifications for Player Dominance rule modifications.** Head Coaches must have completed the Coaching Unified Sports course on the

NFHS website.

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Rule ModificationsFloor Hockey: Sport Rule Modifications

Unified Division Goalies: If a team enters a Traditional Athlete into the competition as the goalie, the other team must enter a Traditional Athlete as their Goalie. At no time, should a Unified Player be competing as a Goalie against an opposing Traditional Athlete Goalie.

Player Dominance: Teams must be based on “like-ability.” When an athlete exhibits player dominance, it is clear their sport skill is higher than the athletes on their team, giving them an unfair advantage on their own team and against the opposing team.  These Unified Partners must be used in another way, such as Junior Coaches or in the Developmental Division, where they do not score points, and play a supporting role mentoring athletes and keeping the puck in play.

Player Dominance Rule Modification: In keeping with the Spirit of Special Olympics and to ensure Unified Teams are divisioned based on like-ability, Unified Players may score no more than two goals in any line shifts. Any subsequent goals scored by the player shall be disallowed, and an end zone face-off of the scoring team shall be held upon subsequent goals. Similarly, a player may score no more than five goals during the course of a game. Any subsequent goals shall be disallowed.

Coaching Unified Sports Training: If there is any confusion about why we have Player Dominance Rules, how to appropriately utilize Unified Partners or what the Spirit of Special Olympics means in relationship to Unified Sports, please refer back to the Coaching Unified Sports Training that is required for all Unified Floor Hockey Coaches prior to Regional Competition. Coaches must be recertified through this training every three years. 

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Penalties

Minor penalties - shall result in a 1-minute penalty for the offending player. The resulting face-off must be taken in the face-off circle of the offending team’s defensive end. Major penalties - any player receiving a major penalty shall be ruled off the playing surface for two minutes during which time no substitute shall be permitted. Any player receiving a “Major” penalty is ejected from the game. The referee will stop play. The timekeeper will stop the game clock. The head coach will adjust the roster/line rotation so that each player, excluding the goalkeeper, will play within one line of each other. The player shall be substituted for by a teammate who shall serve the 2-minute penalty. The resulting face-off shall be taken in the offending team’s defensive end. Even if a goal(s) is scored while the team is short-handed for the major penalty, the player serving the 2-minute penalty may not return to the game before the two minutes have elapsed. Note: If the goalkeeper is assessed a major penalty it shall be recorded on the game sheet and a substitute player will assume the position in goal. The score sheet shall be adjusted according to the equal playing rules as defined above. See Rules 301-318 in the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Rule book for specific penalty details.

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Divisioning1)  Teams will be divisioned according to a team score compiled utilizing the (ISC) skills as recorded on the Team Roster and Skills Assessment Form.

‣ 2)  Coaches must submit Individual Skills Competition scores for each player on their team’s roster, utilizing the Team Roster and Skills Assessment form (available through Special Olympics Idaho) prior to conducting the competition. The team score is determined by adding all players’ scores and then dividing by the total number of players.

3)  Teams are initially grouped in divisions according to their Team Roster and Skills Assessment scores.

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Individual Skills Competition The Individual Skills Competition is for athletes whose ability may be just below the level needed to be able to compete in the team competitions. This is a good way for athletes to groom their skills and work at their not so strong points so that maybe one day they can compete in the team competitions. There are 5 different drills that emphasize different aspects of floor hockey that the athletes will compete in. These 5 drills, their description and purposes can be seen on pages 16-18 in the Special Olympics Rule book.

Drills:1. Shoot Around the Goal2. Pass3. Stickhandling4. Shoot for Accuracy 5. Defense

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Ending NotesBelow is a list of important things that coaches and LPC’s should be aware of to help assure a successful competition for the athletes we put them on for. More detail for the information below can be found in the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Rule book or you can email micah@idso.org.

• Coaches must read and follow the Coaches Code of Conduct at all competitions.• Only head coaches may file a protest for games and will only inform the Venue Director and fill out

the proper paperwork according to Special Olympics Rules. No disputes will be discussed between coaches, officials, score keepers or parents. Failure to follow proper guidelines will result in the dispute being void. Coaches will be allowed 30 minutes following a match to file a protest.

• Player Dominance in Unified Developmental or Competitive Divisions will no longer be a reoccurring issue as we will have zero tolerance for Unified Player Dominance moving forward. There are required courses for coaching unified sports and several other informational sites that will educate and inform coaches on how unified competitions and teams are properly managed.

• Teams are required to have all uniforms and equipment checked at the scheduled Uniform/Equipment check. Any athletes not able to attend will need to have their coaches get uniforms and equipment checked at the scheduled Uniform/Equipment check. There will be no exceptions.

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Test QuestionsTo help us track the coaches who take the test, please answer the three questions below on the Floor Hockey Coaches Attendance sheet and then either mail, fax or email them to the State Office. These questions can be found in the Floor Hockey Rules, Floor Hockey PowerPoint or the 2016 State Floor Hockey Invitational Agenda.

1. How much time does a Head Coach have to file a protest after a game?2. What date and time is the Uniform/Equipment Check for the 2016 FH Invitation?3. What is the maximum length a stick can be?

These questions should encourage you to read the Floor Hockey Rules and ask anything that may not be completely clear to you. You can also find more information at http://resources.specialolympics.org/Taxonomy/Sports_Essentials/_Sports_Info/Floor_Hockey.aspx

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