The ball hockey event held in recent years at Tremblant Resort is modifying its format and becoming an international festival under the aegis of the North-American Ball Hockey Player Association (NBHPA).

Founded by Patric Ducharme and former NHL player Alex Burrows, the association has as its mandate the overseeing and representation of the players, both men and women, and the promotion of ball hockey so that it becomes an Olympic sport.

According to the NBHPA, the popularity of ball hockey, often called deck hockey, is growing and Quebec has more than 75,000 proponents. The term deck hockey is probably derived from the fact that military personnel played it on the decks of ships during WWII.

Six bright blue surfaces are set up in the P1 parking lot at the base of the pedestrian village. Families will undoubtedly enjoy the giant screens, music and inflatable games – “bouncy castles”. More than 200 teams are registered. Teams are made up of three or four players plus a goalie and are distributed among 17 categories – including a mixed category – according to player classification.

Every type of stick is accepted and the players wear protective equipment. The gel-filled ball rolls quickly. Depending on the temperature, the officials select the type of ball that bounces least.

A game is made up of two, 12-minute halves. A new game starts every 30 minutes. Without timeouts, the game is fast and the small surface means that reaction times are quick. Strategically, a good passing game is preferable to running off in all directions.

Producer Patric Ducharme is proud to announce a first for the 2022 event: there will be a World Cup-calibre international component with the participation of national teams from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Great Britain, the United States and Canada, as well as a team each from Quebec, Ontario and North America.

June 10 to 12.

tremblant.ca/quoi-faire/evenements/tournee-alexburrows

championnatsnbhpa.com

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