Sport for all ages & levels
Broomball for All Ages & Levels
Broomball is hockey's shoe-wearing cousin: a broom instead of a stick, a ball instead of a puck and rubber soles instead of skates. Anyone can play.
Updated 2026-10-28
What broomball is
Broomball is played on ice, indoors or on an outdoor rink. Players wear rubber-soled shoes, pass a small ball with a broom and try to score past a goaltender. Without skates, a beginner can join a game the first evening.
- The broomA shaft with a moulded head.
- The ballSmall and usually orange.
- The shoesSoft rubber soles that grip the ice.
- The teamSix a side, goaltender included.
How a game works
A game starts with a faceoff at centre ice and runs in timed periods. Faceoffs, penalties and line changes feel familiar to hockey fans; details differ by league, so check your association's rulebook.
| Division | Who plays |
|---|---|
| Men's and ladies | Adult single-gender teams |
| Mixed | Men and women on the ice together |
| High school mixed | School-age co-ed teams |
| Juvenile | Youth teams below senior age |
Getting started
Most players start at a weekly scrimmage or learn-to-play night. You need a helmet, gloves and broomball shoes; clubs often lend brooms. Leagues, tournaments and provincials come later.
Read on: the history of broomball, what equipment you need, how men's and ladies provincials work and what happens at mixed provincials.
From the team to the club meeting
A broomball team belongs to a club, and a club runs on meetings. Before the season the members gather in the arena lounge to book ice times and elect a captain. Each member is expected to stand up and speak there: to propose a change, run for a role or report on last season.
Players who are fearless on the ice often go quiet in that room. The National Institute of Mental Health notes that anxiety can arise only in performance situations such as giving a speech or competing in a sports game. Talking at a club meeting gets easier with regular practice in front of people, which is what public speaking groups offer.
Prepare for the club meeting in a group
- Give your season report as a prepared speech first.
- Use impromptu rounds to rehearse questions from members.
- Ask for feedback on pace and eye contact.
Source: NIMH, Social Anxiety Disorder
Public speaking groups compared, from publicspeakinggroups.com
Public speaking groups
Public speaking groups mostly differ in the kind of pressure they put on you, not in what they teach. A club springs surprise table topics, a support group starts gentler, an online room lets you practice from home.
Impromptu table topics, prepared speeches, evaluations and feedback, local or online: compare formats and costs, then find a group near you.
- Impromptu Speaking ("Table Topics")
- Prepared Speeches
- Evaluations
- in-person or online
Top public speaking groups and organizations
| Group type | Format | Cost | Program | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toastmasters club | In person or online; an Ah-Counter notes filler sounds | Check current dues with the club | Pathways: 6 learning paths, more than 300 competencies | Regular practice with set roles |
| Meetup public speaking group | Local groups listed under the Public Speaking topic | Varies by group | Set by each organizer | Practice with people nearby |
| National Speakers Association | Professional association with local chapters | Speaker associations run about $150 to $1,000 a year (AmberWillo's figure) | Business and speaking education | Building a speaking business |
| AmberWillo | Online video rooms; you and fourteen others at most | Free to start | Feedback per round: confidence rating, coaching tips, next milestone | Best for anxious speakers who want a group from home |
| Therapy or support group for social anxiety | Local rooms or video calls | Varies; ask the provider | Honest feedback on how others see you; not a replacement for treatment | Strong fear, before a club If the fear is strong (glossophobia), a support group can come first. |
If walking into a club room is the hard part, start in AmberWillo's online rooms: same idea, smaller group, from your couch. Provider facts checked October 18, 2026.
Typical Meeting Structure
A public speaking group meeting is a regular session where members take turns speaking and giving feedback. A typical club meeting has three parts:
- Impromptu Speaking ("Table Topics") A short, unprepared answer to a surprise question, to build impromptu speaking skills.
- Prepared Speeches Planned talks; members learn from one another's speeches.
- Evaluations Evaluators give spoken and written feedback; a General Evaluator reviews the whole meeting.
Roles vary by club. Size matters too: AmberWillo's group guide puts an ideal meeting size at five to nine people.
How to join
Find a Club
- Open the club finder on the Toastmasters site.
- Filter by location, schedule and format.
- Message the officers or schedule a visit.
Find a Group
- On Meetup, open the Public Speaking topic for your local area.
- Check how often it meets and the cost.
- Online instead? Join an AmberWillo session from home.
Prefer a teacher? Compare public speaking classes.
Do public speaking groups help?
Group practice is a form of exposure. In a 2013 trial of 97 people whose main fear was public speaking, exposure group therapy helped as much as virtual reality exposure, and gains held at 12 months. In a 2008 study, online self-help worked with or without five added live group sessions. The NIMH says support groups give honest feedback on how others see you but don't replace treatment.
AmberWillo's support group guide describes a structured, supportive setting with constructive feedback and a sense of community. Between meetings, follow a plan for how to improve public speaking.
Reader questions
Is Toastmasters still a thing?
Yes. Its club finder is live, with clubs meeting in person or online.
How to join Toastmasters?
Use Find a Club on the Toastmasters site, then message a club or book a visit.
How to get better at public speaking as an adult?
Talk in front of people often, with feedback. A weekly group gives you an audience, and a one-minute answer to a random prompt on Confidently keeps you sharp between meetings.
Why do I struggle so much with public speaking?
You're far from alone. A 2019 review calls fear of public speaking the most commonly feared situation, reported by up to a third of people. Among 1,851 speakers surveyed by AmberWillo, 38% named a blank mind as their main problem.
Sources
- Social Anxiety Disorder: What You Need to Know, NIMH.
- Virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder, Anderson et al., J Consult Clin Psychol (2013). PMID 23796315.
- Treating university students with social phobia and public speaking fears, Tillfors et al. (2008). PMID 18729147.
- Psychological Interventions for the Fear of Public Speaking, Ebrahimi et al. (2019). PMC6428748.
- About NSA, National Speakers Association.
- Public Speaking Support Group, AmberWillo.
- Find and Join a Public Speaking Group, AmberWillo.
- Public Speaking Groups, AmberWillo.
- AmberWillo homepage data: answers from 1,851 speakers.