Is Floorball the New Pickleball?
Why does this Tortoise care?
Floorball IS the Pickleball of Hockey, according to the Addingtons. The only equipment you need is a stick and a ball. You can play anywhere. All ages, genders, and skill levels play. Importantly, similar to Pickleball, Floorball is easy to pick up and inexpensive to play. The hockey fanatic and the hockey novice can both play Floorball. But why have you never heard of it? Floorball is popular around the world, but the sport is just taking off in the United States and the Addington family is absolutely here for it.
Keene H. Addington III, lifelong Chicagoan, Tortoise Supper Club owner, and former ice hockey, soccer, tennis and racquets player, eventually discovered Floorball in 2014 through a Swedish friend and never looked back.
Flash forward ten years, and Addington’s love of the game has taken the family all over the world playing Floorball in Sweden, Denmark, Austria, and Czech Republic. Addington and his family organize two adult Floorball Chicago teams the “Dogs” and the “Mad Dogs”, two youth floorball teams, led by son, Nunu Addington (age 13), the “Bulldogs” and the “Pitbulls”.
Back in 2018, son, Keene IV, (age 19) was recruited at age 13 to play for USA Floorball’s U-19 Team USA. Not eligible until age 15, followed by a Covid complicated cycle, Keene IV’s only shot to qualify to compete at the World Floorball Championships was successful. The moment captured here by @adamtroy went viral in the International Floorball community. Ultimately, Keene IV competed at the World Floorball Championships in Denmark in the Spring of 2023. Mother, Megan Addington, and sometime goalie, chronicled the family floorball journey, and a floorball journey of her own, on her TIK TOK stories if you care for that level of detail.
Addington Passion
The Addington family loves the game so much, they play anywhere they can. Traditionally played 5 versus 5 with a goalie, the Addingtons can be found playing a family game of 2 versus 2 at the Latin Soccer Field in Lincoln Park, or on the beach with their house guests during their summer vacation. Ski vacations, they play apres ski in their driveway. Most recently, on a trip to Austria, Keene IV found a 3 v 3 tournament hosted by Floorball Deutschland in the main transportation center in Salzburg. Keene III and sons competed in the 8 team tournament and won the silver medal! Generally, the family’s usual game of Floorball is the 5 v 5 Floorball Chicago Sunday scrimmage. Which brings us to today…
Come Watch Floorball Live Labor Day Weekend 2024
This Labor Day weekend, the Addingtons and Floorball Chicago are hosting the USA Floorball 2024 Adult Nationals Tournament and they want you to come see Floorball Live!
Competition weekend begins with USA Floorball founder, Adam Troy, and Swedish Based USA Floorball Coach, Joel Olofson hosting a mini development camp for men and women ages 14+ who want to try to get a spot on one of the National teams in the future. No Floorball specific experience necessary. If you are wondering if you should register, you should!
Saturday 8/31 and Sunday 9/1 tournament games will be played from 9:00am until 7:00pm at the LoVerde Center in Niles. Monday 9/2 competition begins at 9:00am with the Championship game beginning at Noon.
Everyone Can Play Floorball
Per Wikipedia, Pickleball started in 1965:
According to Joan Pritchard, Joel Pritchard’s wife, “The name of the game became Pickle Ball after I said it reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.”[4]
Some of the best Floorball players from around the country are former athletes in hockey, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, so the pickle boat sentiment definitely applies to Floorball.
When you ask the Addingtons why they started playing Floorball, they will tell you a story about parenting, opening Tortoise Supper Club, and not being able to get their NHL Blackhawk fanatic son on the ice.
Ask any Addington why they currently dedicate so much of their lives to Floorball today, they will tell you – quite simply – they just love the game, and the people they have met along the way. The Addingtons – all of them – just want to play floorball.
Floorball Future
Keene III has just been named the General Manager for the Men’s Under 19 TEAM USA! While he is actively recruiting players for his team with birthdates in 2008, 2009, 2010. Floorball Chicago is actively recruiting players of all demographics.
Son, Keene, is a critical player for the Chicago Dogs and recent Men’s U19 assistant coach.
Son, Nunu, is an early recruit for the Men’s U19 Team USA development team.
Megan, continues to be a back up goalie, jumping in – with both feet – when needed.
The Floorball future that most excites the Addingtons is getting Floorball in the Chicago Park District programming and the local schools to give the kids of Chicago an opportunity to be involved early in this new sport, quite possibly on the international stage!
At the very least, this Chicago family will continue to ride the wave of the new pickleball, wherever it may take them. Contact them at Floorball Chicago to get involved in the Sunday scrimmage.
Oh, and Floorball is not played with a puck. It is played with a ball that looks like…well…a pickleball.