WHAT IS THE NBHL?

The National Ball Hockey League, which began in 2021, is a league for amateur ball hockey players to play against teams from other parts of their state and, if they are good enough, across the country.

For its 2023 season, the league has 165 teams across 30 states and Canada, with 1625 players on each team roster. Those teams are broken down into 27 divisions across three skill-level tiers. Tier one is the closest thing the sport has to a professional level. Tier two is competitive, but a step down. Tier three is the lowest level, including some players who have not previously played ball hockey. The Florida division, which has five teams, including the Lakewood Ranch Manatees, is a tier two league.

The NBHL states a goal of making every athlete in the league feel like a professional athlete. To that end, every NBHL game is taped, and the league creates highlight packages so players can relive the games. Stats are kept at TheNBHL.com, and video, including some full games, is shared to the league’s social media channels and YouTube page.