Students from Marshall University’s Baptist Campus Ministry drove to Charleston Saturday Nov. 2 to put their skills to the test through an activity called broomball.  Students from BCM play broomball once a semester, and it is an event that is highly looked forward to. 

“The whole atmosphere of broomball is just really exciting,” said Tanner Keen, a sophomore political science major who served as a captain for this semester’s event. “Everyone is excited, and there is a ton of energy, and everyone is really into watching all of the games.”

Broomball is a mix between soccer and field hockey and is typically played on the ice. However, due to a mix up with the ice rink, BCM had to find somewhere else to play on such short notice, and Oakwood Baptist Church allowed the students to use their gym to play.

“The rules are basically the same as hockey, but instead of a puck, we use a ball, and instead of a hockey stick, we use a broomball stick, which is like a piece of rubber attached to a stick,” said Jacob Davis, a junior finance major who plays broomball with BCM each semester. “You’re allowed to either kick the ball or use the stick to get the ball around, and the goal is to get the ball into your goal to score, but you can’t score off of a kick.”

Broomball is one of the most exciting events of the semester for BCM students, and students always look forward to it, according to Keen.

“There’s just so much energy and excitement, and everyone is really into it,” Keen said. 

Teams are chosen by a draft, and even though it is all for fun, it is taken seriously, Keen said.

“It was pretty cool to be able to draft a team, and it was kind of funny how serious we took it,” Keen said. “It took a long time, but it was really cool to be on that side of things.”

Keen had the opportunity to be a captain this semester, and it ended up being a different experience for him, compared to when he was just a player. 

“I got to be the person for my team that got to hype everyone up and get them excited, and I quickly realized that the team starts to match the energy of the captain,” Keen said.

Broomball is unique because it is unlike any other game, according to Keen.

“It’s something that some people are just randomly good at,” Keen said. “Sometimes, unathletic people are good at broomball and athletic people just aren’t. It’s probably because it’s not a real sport.”

It is also a good way to partake in some friendly competition, according to Davis. 

“It’s fun because you get to take a break from school and go compete against your friends and make some memories,” Davis said. 

Julianna Everly can be contacted at [email protected].