Rink

September/October 2018

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40 / SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2018 USICERINKS.COM I N THE EARLY 1900s, streetcar workers in Canada often spent the long, frigid winter months with brooms in hand—stirring up dust and competition. Corn brooms freshly frozen and taped solid, they'd use them to pass around a ball while trying to score points. Broomball, they called it. By the 1930s, the sport had spread into Minnesota, the birthplace of USA Broomball, but it would be another 30 years before leagues began to f lourish. W hile still vague in its origins, the sport continues to evolve and grow, attracting competitive athletes and those just look ing for a little recreational f un. Specialized broomball sticks with wood or aluminum shafts have replaced corn brooms, and players wear broomball shoes that allow them to run around on ice with proper traction. For Minnesota native Kevin Denesen, the sport was intriguing. He tried it, and the rest is history. "It's really just a cult sport," said Denesen, a volunteer with USA Broomball since 2000. "It's one of those where if you try it, you're hooked on it. Watching it you're like, 'I don't know, I might get hurt.' But once you play it, the reaction is, 'Man, I love this game; this game is awesome. I want to keep playing it.' It's one of those that you've got to keep trying to get into." Like Denesen, individuals around the world have taken a liking to the often lesser-known cousin to hockey. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; MINNESOTA SPORTS FEDERATION USA Broomball looks to grow and evolve A Clean Sweep by ELIZABETH BOGER REAL PROGRAMS Broomball

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