History

History of ball hockey

Ball hockey is a relatively young sport based on ice hockey.

It is similar and very close to it in terms of form and content. The relationship to ice hockey is proved by the same hockey stick, the dimensions of the goals and, for the most part, the rules of the game. Crucially, however, from a psychological point of view, a ball hockey player ranks in line with an ice hockey player and considers ball hockey to be a sport that originated directly from ice hockey for a number of reasons.

(Photo source: hokejbal.tatran-tremosna.cz)

It differs from ice hockey:

  • it is not played on ice, but on a solid surface of the playground (asphalt, concrete, plastic surface)
  • skates are not used, ball hockey players have sports shoes
  • it is played with a classic hockey stick, but with a plastic ball
  • other equipment of a hockey player is simpler than in ice hockey, because such careful body protection is not necessary

(Photo source: www.snackdobrany.websnadno.cz)

Advantages of ball hockey:

  • it can be played by anyone, in a disorganized form the game has been widespread in our country for generations
  • is inexpensive, almost every child owns a hockey stick
  • it does not require covered sports grounds or large sports areas and thus financial resources for their construction
  • does not require a large number of players
  • is relatively safe
  • easy to organize
  • addresses the population of men of all ages
  • has a broad-based perspective, especially among youth

(Photo source: Přemysl Horák archive)

Ball hockey is already the 12th most numerous sport among more than 100 sports in our country and in the category of team sports, male ball hockey players rank 5th!

Video - History of hockey at the international level

1982

  • The first rules are written in České Budějovice and a tournament is organized for children from primary schools, the tournament was a great success

1983

  • The first children competitions according to simple rules

1984

  • Release of the first version of the official rules of ball hockey

1985

  • 1st year of the Czech Cup

1986

  • First modification of the rules
  • First republic championships in ball hockey

1987

  • The first regional tournaments in the South Bohemian region

1988

  • Ball hockey centers in Č. Budějovice, Pilsen, Zlín, K. Vary
  • 1st year of the Prague Cup

1989

  • The establishment of a preparatory committee of the hockey association

1990

  • Foundation of the Czech Ball Hockey Federation - CBHF (ČMSHb)
  • Karel Dvořák was elected chairman
  • National championships in the category of men, pupils and juniors
  • The TJ Stars České Budějovice club became the champion of the Czech Republic

1991

  • Vladimír Hnilička was elected chairman
  • Second rule modification (DEKHOCKEY model from the USA)
  • The TJ Severka Ústí n. Club became the champion of the Czech Republic

1992

  • Luboš Hotař was elected chairman
  • The club TJ Severka Ústí nad Labem became the champion of the Czech Republic

1993

  • 3rd place at the international tournament in Oshawa (Canada)
  • CBHF a founding member of the International Ball Hockey Federation
  • Third rule modification (Canadian rules model)
  • The club TJ Severka Ústí nad Labem became the champion of the Czech Republic

1994

  • Vít Řezáč was elected chairman
  • 3rd place of the national team at the international tournament in Oshawa (Canada)
  • 1st year of the European Cup of Cities
  • Signing of an agreement with the Slovak Ball Hockey Union
  • The SK Ekostavby Ústí nad Labem club became the champion of the Czech Republic

1995

  • 2nd place at the 1st European Championship in Bratislava
  • Issuance of amended rules and regulations
  • The SK Jihlava club became the champion of the Czech Republic

1996

  • Czech Republic European champion in ball hockey
  • 2nd place at the 1st World Championships in Bratislava
  • Signing a contract with a marketing partner for Extraliga
  • Entry into the European Ball Hockey Association
  • Year-on-year increase of the membership base by 26%
  • The SK Severka Ústí nad Labem club became the champion of the Czech Republic

1997

  • CBHF is the organizer of the 3rd Men's European Championship and the 1st Junior European Championship
  • Second place at the European Championships in both age categories
  • Year-on-year growth of the membership base 31%
  • For the first time, the playoffs are played in the men's highest ball hockey competition
  • The HBC Škoda Plzeň club became the winner of the Extraliga

1998

  • The World Championships took place in Litoměřice
  • Czech Republic world champion
  • Czech juniors European champions in Jihlava
  • Severka Ústí became the champion of European countries in 1998
  • The Junior Republic Championship has started
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC ORNA Kladno

1999

  • Czech Republic third at the World Championships in Zvolen (Slovakia)
  • The number of registered players exceeded 15,000
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club TJ KOVO Prague

2000

  • Petr Fiala was elected chairman
  • The Czech Republic is the European champion at the European Championships in Most
  • Czech juniors vice world champions in Kralupy nad Vltavou
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club TJ Radouč Mladá Boleslav

2001

  • Czech Republic vice world champion at the World Championships in Toronto (Canada)
  • 1st international tournament of youth and pupils - in Sudoměřice
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club TJ Radouč Mladá Boleslav

2002

  • Czech Republic world champion in the U20 category at the World Championships in Champery (Switzerland)
  • Czech Republic European Champion in the U18 category at the European Championships in Villach (Austria)
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club Laureta Auto Mladá Boleslav
  • The number of registered players exceeded 25,000

2003

  • Czech Republic vice world champion at the World Championships in Sierre (Switzerland)
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club TJ Radouč Mladá Boleslav

2004

  • Czech Republic vice world champion in U20 at the World Championships in Martin (Slovakia)
  • National teams in the category U16 and U18 European champions
  • The Elba club Ústí nad Labem became the winner of the Extraliga
  • Elba club Ústí nad Labem is the winner of the Champions Cup

2005

  • The Czech Republic fifth at the World Championships in Pittsburgh (USA)
  • National team under 18 years European champion
  • National team under 16 vice-champion of Europe
  • The HBC Škoda Plzeň club became the winner of the Extraliga
  • TJ Spartak OEZ Letohrad won the Champions Cup

2006

  • Czech Republic bronze in the U20 category at the Aosta World Championships (Italy)
  • Czech Republic European Champion in the U18 category at the European Championships in Villach (Austria)
  • Czech Republic European Champion in the U16 category at the European Championships in Villach (Austria)
  • Women third in the World Cup
  • The Elba Franklin Ústí nad Labem club became the winner of the Extraliga

2007

  • Czech Republic vice world champion at the World Championships in Ratingen (Germany)
  • Women bronze national team at the World Championships in Ratingen (Germany)
  • Czech Republic European Champion in the U18 category at the European Championships in Huttwil (Switzerland)
  • Czech Republic vice-champion of Europe in the U16 category at the European Championships in Huttwil (Switzerland)
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC Habešovna Gladiators
  • HBC Abyssinia Gladiators winner of the Champions Cup

2008

  • Czech Republic fourth in the U20 category at the World Championships in St. John´s (Canada)
  • Czech Republic third in category U18 at the World Championships in Zvolen (Slovakia)
  • Czech Republic vice world champion in the U16 category at the World Championships in Zvolen (Slovakia)
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC Habešovna Gladiators
  • TJ HBC KEB Kladno winner of the Champions Cup

2009

  • The World Championships took place in Pilsen
  • The Czech Republic is the world champion for the second time
  • The women's national team won bronze medals at the World Championships in Pilsen
  • The Czech Republic is the European champion in the U18 category
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club TJ HBC KEB Kladno

2010

  • Josef Kadaně was elected chairman
  • U20 junior national team finished second at the U20 World Championships in Villach (Austria)
  • The U18 junior national team finished third at the U18 World Championships in Most
  • The U16 junior national team finished third at the U16 World Championships in Most
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC ALPIQ Kladno
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Autosklo - H.A.K. Hradec Králové
  • The winner of the Champions Cup was the club HBC Autosklo - H.A.K. Hradec Králové

2011

  • Josef Kozel was elected chairman
  • The men's team won the World Championships in Bratislava
  • The women's national team finished third at the World Championships in Bratislava
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC ALPIQ Kladno
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Autosklo - H.A.K. Hradec Králové
  • Club HBC Plzeň placed third in the Champions Cup

2012

  • The U20 junior national team finished second at the U20 World Championships in Písek
  • The U18 junior national team finished third at the U18 World Championships in Písek
  • The U16 junior national team finished second at the U16 World Championships in Písek
  • The HBT Vlašim club became the winner of the Extraliga
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the HC Kert Park Prague club
  • HC Kert Park Praha took second place in the Champions Cup
  • The winner of the 1st year of the Czechoslovak Super Cup was the HBT Vlašim club

2013

  • Men's team finished second at the World Championships in St. John's (Canada)
  • The women's national team finished third at the World Championships in St. John's (Canada)
  • The HBT Vlašim club became the winner of the Extraliga
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Autosklo - H.A.K. Pardubice
  • The winner of the Club World Cup (formerly PMEZ) was the HBT Vlašim club

2014

  • Josef Kozel was elected chairman
  • The U20 junior national team finished second at the U20 World Championships in Bratislava
  • The U18 junior national team finished second at the U18 World Championships in Bratislava
  • The U16 junior national team finished third at the U16 World Championships in Bratislava
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC ALPIQ Kladno
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Rondo Teplice
  • The winner of the Club World Cup was the HBC ALPIQ Kladno club

2015

  • Men's team finished third at the World Cup in Zug (Switzerland)
  • Women's national team finished second at the World Cup in Zug (Switzerland)
  • The organization of the 2017 World Championships was assigned to the city of Pardubice
  • Ball hockey participated for the first time in the Children and Youth Olympic Games, which took place in Pilsen
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC ALPIQ Kladno
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club Elba DDM Ústí nad Labem

2016

  • The Czech Ball Hockey Federation was recognized by the Czech Olympic Committee as the exclusive representative of ball hockey in the Czech Republic
  • Martin Komárek was elected chairman
  • Ball hockey was presented at the Rio Lipno Olympic Park
  • U20 junior national team finished third at the U20 World Championships in Sheffield (Great Britain)
  • U18 junior national team finished third at the U18 World Championships in Sheffield (Great Britain)
  • U16 junior national team finished fourth at the U16 World Championships in Sheffield (Great Britain)
  • The winner of the Extraliga was the club HBC Autosklo - H.A.K. Pardubice
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Autosklo - H.A.K. Pardubice
  • The winner of the 5th Czechoslovak Super Cup was the HBC Autosklo club - H.A.K. Pardubice
  • HBC Highlanders Prachatice placed third in the Club World Cup

2017

  • The Czech Republic - Pardubice hosted the World Championships
  • Record in the number of spectators at the match of the World Championships - 7,592 (semifinals of the Czech Republic - Slovakia)
  • The men's team finished third at the World Championships in Pardubice
  • The women's representation won the World Championships in Pardubice
  • HC Kert Park Praha became the winner of the Extraliga
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Hradec Králové 1988

2018

  • U20 junior national team won the U20 World Championships in St. John's (Canada)
  • U18 junior national team finished second at the U18 World Championships in St. John's (Canada)
  • The U16 Boys and U20 Girls World Cup took place in Zlín and Přerov
  • The U16 boys' team finished in third place at the World Championships in Zlín and Přerov
  • The U20 girls junior national team won the World Championships in Zlín and Přerov
  • HC Kert Park Praha became the winner of the Extraliga
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Hradec Králové 1988
  • The winner of the 7th Czechoslovak Super Cup was the HC Kert Park Prague

2019

  • The men's team finished fourth at the World Championships in Košice
  • The women's national team finished third at the World Championships in Košice
  • The U16 Junior and U18 Junior Girls World Cup took place in Litomyšl and Česká Třebová
  • The U16 junior national team finished in third place at the World Championships in Litomyšl and Česká Třebová
  • The U18 junior girls national team won the World Championships in Litomyšl and Česká Třebová
  • HC Kert Park Praha became the winner of the Extraliga
  • The winner of the Czech Cup was the club HBC Hradec Králové 1988

2020

  • In January, a gala evening was held to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Czech Ball Hockey Federation
  • The global pandemic of COVID-19 ended prematurely ball hockey competitions
  • All competitions of the competition year 2019/2020 of all categories were canceled
  • The 2020/2021 competition year was interrupted in the autumn