Broomball enthusiasts lament sport's decline in Thunder Bay

Broomball is a lot like hockey. But instead of skating, players run on the ice wearing special rubber soled shoes and instead of a stick and puck, players chase a ball with a "broom."

Bruno DiGiacinto started playing in Thunder Bay, Ont. in the 80s. He loved it, and he played for close to 20 years. But he doesn't play anymore. 

While the sport is still popular in many parts of Canada, the game has largely fizzled out in Thunder Bay, and some other clubs in northwestern Ontario are also worried about the decline of a much loved sport.

"It was tough," said DiGiacinto, who explained that before the league in Thunder Bay folded, players were aging and numbers were dwindling. Efforts to recruit younger players, "just never took," he said. 

Attracting young players a struggle

Len McInnis helped form the league in Kenora, Ont. in the 90s. The sport appealed to him as someone who would have loved to have played hockey, but wasn't a strong skater, he said. 

Over the years his passion for the sport hasn't waned a bit. McInnis owns a "BRMBALL" license plate. He even has a broomball tattoo. 

"It's just awesome," he said. "The tattoo looks great. There's a stick and a ball and a Canadian flag right there and it says 'broomball, get in the game.'"

But over the past decade or so in Kenora, more and more people have been getting out of the game. 

The league that once boasted 16 teams, now only has five, said McInnis.

He worries that without an infusion of younger players, it will continue to dwindle. But he's also hopeful that given time, his beloved sport could make a comeback. 

First Nations players keep the sport alive

While the days of big competitions in Thunder Bay may be long gone, the sport is holding its own in other parts of northern Ontario, including in many First Nations.

And when players from those northern communities move to Thunder Bay, they're bringing their enthusiasm for the game with them. 

Dennis Franklin Cromarty, the First Nations High School in Thunder Bay, has an all-girls broomball team, that's growing. 

"It's very popular," said Sharon Angeconeb, the school's vice principal. "We have quite a few girls out now which is awesome to see."

Other people are taking notice, said Angeconeb, who mentioned that they often get questions about the sport, and the unfamiliar equipment, from curious spectators who spot them at the hockey rink. 

"People are very interested," she said.