Here Is Where You Can Play Broomball In The Duluth Area
Looking to participate in a winter sport, but not so hot on ice skates? Did you know that broomball was available in the Duluth area?
According to Broomball.com, Duluth may have been the birthplace of US Broomball. The website even shared an old-time photo of a group of men with brooms posing for a picture. Legend has it, that the group of men in the picture would gather and play the sport on the ice by the docks in Duluth as early as 1910.
Why have I never heard of this before?!
The website also went on to say that organized broomball in Minnesota began around the 1960s, with the first state championship in 1966. The sport originally started with 10 players on the ice per team, which included:
- Three forwards
- Three mid linesman
- Three defensemen
- One goalie
That number was reduced to 8 players on the ice around 1967, and in 1980 it was reduced again to just 6. Throughout the US and Canada, you can find leagues and groups of people that play just for fun.
There is a group in Duluth called Twin Ports Broomball. They gather every Wednesday at the s Duluth Heritage Sports Center to play pickup games. Game times vary and normally around 12 - 18, people show up. They split the group up evenly into teams and play ball. The cost is $8 for about an hour of play and they even provide the equipment for you. Looks like this season goes until the end of March.
I heard there is also a league in Superior, but I couldn't find much info on it. If you have never played broomball before (its a lot of fun), you can check out some examples of gameplay below: