Bucks and Does came out on top to take the top prize in the mixed broomball league finals at the Haldimand Community Memorial Arena in Grafton.
Bucks and Does team beat out the Tractors in 2-1 in overtime to take the championship game. Bucks and Does also won the regular season and were the favourites going into the finals.
Broomball league has been happening at the Haldimand Community Memorial Arena in Grafton with both a mixed league along with a men’s league.
“It’s basically hockey on shoes,” said chair of the league Greg Tozak.
“It started on the streets of Montreal in the early 1900’s during lunch hour where they played with actual brooms and a ball.”
Broomball is very similar to hockey with three forwards, two defence and a goalie. The ball is smaller than a soccer ball that is used during play.
The shoes have a foam rubber bottom which grips the ice much better than regular footwear.
Tozak said it is a very inexpensive sport with the shoes costing approximately $150, the broom/sticks anywhere from $50 tp $200.
“If you can run or walk, you can learn to run on the ice.”
Ages for the league are 15-years-old and up with Tozak being the oldest at 58-years-old.
The average age of the league is approximately 28-30-years-old.
“You can play forever if you stay healthy.”
The league started in Grafton in the middle of October and play until the end of March.
Because of COVID, the league was extended until the final games on Thursday, April 1, 2021.
“Everybody knows each other. You play, you knock each other down – but it’s fun.”
Ryan Giroux scored both goals including the winning goal for Bucks and Does with assists by Lyndsey Dewdney and Sasha Woodbeck.
A overtime penalty called on the Tractors had them at a disadvantage. Bucks and Does had four players on the ice with the Tractors only having three. With no goalies, it didn’t take long for Bucks and Does to pot the OT winner.
On the winning team with Jessica Hadwen, Chris Thackeray, Megan Giroux, Matt Lehman, Beth Greenly, Sean Kelly, Sasha Woodbeck, Garrett Miller, Ryan Giroux, Lyndsey Dewdney and pick up goalie Greg Tozak.
If anyone would like to participate in the league gtozak@cogeco.ca.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
