Aside from the ball there are a few other pieces of equipment that prove to be necessary when one desires to play a game of broomball. However, this page will only cover the stick and the shoes. This two items have great conceptual designs behind them.

The Stick:

The broomball stick has a long shaft(usually 46 inches tall) with a hard head at the base, usually plastic. This head usually has a triangle-like shape, and has a thin side as well as a wider flat side. The 2 most popular sticks are wood or aluminum. Wood is popular for it's low cost, and aluminum for its light weight, which lends itself to providing better ball control. (Image courtesy of http://www.broomball.com/).

This stick is something to get very excited about. It is made out of alloy instead of aluminum, it weighs only 516 grams and can withstand 636 pounds of pressure. It costs $85, but is worth it considering what can be done with it. It is strong enough so you can play without worrying about it becoming bent, yet light enough so you can deliver real power shots. This is important when applying force to the ball. Most metalloid shafts come in an octagonal shape to better mold with the players hands.

As I touched on in the ball section of my page the edge of the stick provides more force per square inch to the ball thus allowing the ball to reach greater velocity. The flat edge is usually used for passing or "scooping" the ball. Here are some diagrams of the head. (Images courtesy of http://www.broomball.com/).

As you can see the overall design is the same with some aerodynamic differences between the top and bottom. The world speed record was set with the top head design.

The Shoes:

I would observe that the broomball shoes are probably the most underappreciated items design wise. I, however, find the design fascinating. The shoes are constructed to provide optimal grip to the ice. This is done by a layer of spongy material, with lots of little dots or lines (that are also spongy) over the bottom of the shoe.(Next 3 Images courtesy of http://www.broomball.com)

Side view of the shoes. Not spongy layer.

This, and the dots, are the sole designs that Ihave seen the most. They are simple yet effective.

I actually wasn't aware that they made soles like this. This design seems to prove effective however if one thinks about it. The larger holes appear they would make a vacuum between the top of the hole and the ice allowing the shoes to really grip the ice via suction.

As time goes on, and the popularity of the game increases I'm sure we will see a lot more advances in the way of equipment. But, as you can see the equipment is very effective and very efficient. Whereas a stick is required to play, unless you are goalie, the shoes are optional. From experience, however, I can tell you that a fast team with shoes can dominate the game because of improved mobility.