Quick answer
Game understanding in floorball is the ability to read the situation before you receive the ball: where your teammates are, where the space is, and where the opponents are. You train it by scanning (looking up every 2–3 seconds), playing small-sided games with constraints, and asking a decision question after every drill: "What did you see before you passed?" Technique gives you options; game understanding picks the right one.
Key takeaways
- Good decisions start before the ball arrives, with a quick scan of the space.
- Small-sided games (2v2, 3v3) give far more decisions per minute than 5v5.
- Constraints such as two touches or a pass before shooting force players to read and react.
- Positioning matters: be a passing option at the right distance and angle.
- You can train scanning at home by keeping your head up during stickhandling.
- Watching matches with a purpose, such as following one position, builds understanding too.
What is game understanding in floorball?
Game understanding means knowing what is happening and what to do next. It is not talent or magic. It is a skill built from three habits: scanning, positioning and decision-making. Most players I coach have good technique but get into trouble when two opponents close in. Their problem is not their hands, it is that they decide too late.
| Habit | What it is | How to train it |
|---|---|---|
| Scanning | A quick look at teammates, space and opponents before you receive | Head-up stickhandling, shoulder checks in drills |
| Positioning | Being where a pass is possible and where space opens | 3v3 games, spacing drills |
| Decision-making | Choosing to pass, shoot, dribble or hold | Constraint games, video review |
How do I train scanning?
Scanning is a habit, so you train it with repetition. Start at home. Handle the ball and, every third touch, glance at a point in the room and name what you see. A friend or parent can hold up fingers for you to count. Over time, move from every third touch to every second touch.
- Look-up stickhandling (3 x 1 minute). Side-to-side touches. Look up and call out a number your partner shows. Cue: eyes up, ball in your peripheral vision.
- Shoulder check passing (3 x 20 passes). Before each pass, look over your shoulder and tell your partner what you saw. Watch for: looking after the ball arrives. The look must come before.
- Colour calls (3 x 1 minute). Place coloured markers around you. A partner calls a colour and you move the ball toward it.
Read more in our guide on heads-up stickhandling and passing and scanning.
Which games build game understanding?
Small-sided games place you in many decisions per minute. Play them in a space of about 15 x 10 m, with small goals or full-size goals, and use these constraints.
| Game | Constraint | What it trains |
|---|---|---|
| 3v3 with two goals | Max two touches | Quick reading, passing options |
| 3v3 with a neutral player | Neutral always plays with the team in possession | Support angles, spacing |
| 2v2 | Must pass before shooting | Give-and-go, timing |
| 3v2 attacking | Attackers have 8 seconds | Decision speed in overload |
| 4v4 | One player per team must stay wide | Using the full width |
Our small-sided games guide has full set-ups for coaches.
How do I improve positioning?
Positioning is simple to describe and hard to do: be available, but not too close. As a rule of thumb, a good passing option is 4–6 m from the ball carrier, at an angle, not directly behind a defender. After you pass, move. Standing still after a pass makes you easy to mark.
- Triangle shape: three players should form a triangle, not a line.
- Open your body: stand so you can see both the ball and the goal.
- Move to space, not to the ball: run into the open area, not toward the player who has the ball.
Coach Erik's tip: After each game or practice, ask yourself just two questions: "When did I make a good decision?" and "When did I decide too late?" Writing the answers down in two lines is more useful than rewatching the whole game.
Can I build game understanding at home?
Partly. Technique and scanning habits can be trained alone, and decisions can be simulated with a partner. A rebounder lets you practise receiving and passing under a simple time limit. The Extreme Floorball Passer Pro (€149) returns passes with two slots, so you can work on both straight and volley passes. To practise decisions on target, the Extreme Floorball Shooting Targets (€34) let you call a target before the shot: "top left", "bottom right". Both products are Made in Europe, designed in Sweden and tested for maximum durability.
A 25-minute game understanding session
- Warm-up (5 minutes). Light passing and movement.
- Look-up drills (6 minutes). Stickhandling with number calls.
- 2v2 constraint game (8 minutes). Pass before shooting, rotate partners every 2 minutes.
- 3v3 two-touch game (6 minutes). Short rounds of 2 minutes with a 30-second break.
How do coaches and parents help?
You do not need to be an expert to help a player build game understanding. The best tool is a good question. After a drill or a game, ask: "What did you see before you passed?" or "Where was the free space?" Wait for the answer. If the player says "I did not see", you have found the next training goal. Avoid giving the answer straight away; the player learns more by finding it.
| Question | What it trains |
|---|---|
| What did you see before you received the ball? | Scanning |
| Where was your closest teammate? | Spacing and options |
| What else could you have done? | Decision-making |
| What will you look for next time? | Self-correction |
Keep the questions short and calm, and ask no more than two per session. Younger players especially benefit from fewer words and more play.
How do you review a match to build game understanding?
Game understanding grows when you think about decisions after the match, not only during it. Spend five minutes after each game, or while watching a recording, and answer a few short questions.
- Where did I get the ball, and was there a free teammate I did not see?
- When I lost the ball, did I look up before receiving it?
- Which spot on the floor did I stand in when the team attacked?
- How many times did I move into space after passing?
- What is one decision I would make differently?
Write down just one lesson and test it in the next game. Players improve faster by changing one decision at a time than by trying to fix everything at once.
Common mistakes
- Looking at the ball only. Fix: set a rule to look up before every pass and every third touch.
- Holding the ball too long. Fix: use a two-touch limit in games.
- Standing still after passing. Fix: pass and move into a new space.
- Always forcing the shot. Fix: ask whether a pass gives a better chance.
- Only drilling, never playing. Fix: add at least one small game each week.
FAQ
What is game understanding in floorball?
It is the ability to read the situation, find space and choose the best action, such as pass, shoot or dribble. It combines scanning, positioning and decision-making.
How can I improve my floorball game sense?
Play small-sided games, scan before you receive, use constraints such as two touches, and review your decisions after games.
Can game understanding be taught?
Yes. It is a skill built through repetition and good questions from a coach. Talent helps, but habits matter more.
How do I practise scanning at home?
Stickhandle with your head up and call out numbers or colours shown by a partner. Aim to look up every third touch, then every second touch.
What age should kids start learning game sense?
From the beginning, through play. Simple games such as 2v2 teach positioning and choices naturally at any age.
Does watching matches help?
Yes, if you watch with a purpose. Follow one position for five minutes and note where they stand and when they move.
Summary
Game understanding is trained by scanning, positioning and making many small decisions in small-sided games. Start with look-up stickhandling, add constraint games each week and review your decisions with two simple questions. Explore more in the Floorball Training hub and the guide on floorball positions. Follow us on Instagram @better_floorball.
