Bandy
What is Bandy?
Bandy is played on an ice surface the size of a soccer field. It is best described as field hockey on skates. Each team is made up of 11 players including a goalkeeper. The aim of bandy is to score goals by hitting an orange ball the size of a tennis ball into the opposing team's net with a curved stick four feet in length.
The goal measures seven feet by eleven and a half feet. Games consist of two 45 minute halves. The rules of bandy are very similar to the rules of soccer. A variation on bandy is rink bandy. Rink bandy is played on a hockey rink with four skaters and a goalie. The rules are generally the same as those for regular bandy.
A Brief History of Bandy
Bandy was being played in northeast England in the mid 1800s. Bury Fen, England, is considered the home of modern bandy. Cave paintings in Egypt suggest that a game similar to bandy was being played there 4000 years ago. The word bandy is Welsh in origin and means "a curved stick."
The National Bandy Association was established in England in 1891. The NBA was the first governing body of Bandy and the first to develop official rules for the game. Prior to the founding of the NBA, teams established the rules before matches started. The first international Bandy match took place in 1891 between England's Bury Fen club and Haarlem of the Netherlands. Bandy was introduced to Sweden by a Bury Fen player in 1894. Bandy soon caught on throughout Europe. Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, and Norway all became active in bandy. Between the 1890s and 1955, no formal governing body for international Bandy existed. This changed with the creation of the International Bandy Federation in 1955. Since 1957, the World Championships have been held every two years.
Hall of Fame
The United States Bandy Hall of Fame was dedicated in 2014, to be America's bandy showplace to honor the legends of the game who helped build bandy in America through their efforts on the ice, "behind the bench," or promoting the game.
Bandy at the OVAL
The Guidant John Rose MN OVAL is home of The American Bandy Association (ABA), the USA Men’s & Women’s Bandy teams & an Adult Recreation Bandy League. Bandy is played on the outdoor OVAL surface during the OVAL season, November - March.
American Bandy Association
ABA is the governing body of the sport of bandy in the United States and its representative in the International Bandy Federation. Objective of the ABA is to sustain and improve the quality and scope of bandy in the United States. ABA oversees various adult leagues throughout the winter months. For additional information about the American Bandy Association, please visit their website.
Please visit www.usabandy.com for more information or contact Neal Logan at 952-270-7486 if you are interested in playing. You can also follow along with Neal on his travelblog to see World Bandy from a referee's point of view.
Adult Recreation Bandy League
ABA in collaboration with Roseville Parks and Recreation offers an Adult Recreation Bandy League. Bandy is a race-paced, non-checking game played with a ball and stick similar to field hockey. Games are typically played at 3:00pm or 4:00pm on Sundays at the OVAL November - March.
For additional information, visit our online registration.
