Swampscott Resident Headed to Switzerland with U.S. Ball Hockey Team

Photo: ASHIhockey.org

Swampscott resident Mari Creatini and her USA ball hockey teammates will head to Switzerland in June for the 2015 ISBHF World Ball Hockey Championships.

According to Wikipedia, ball hockey is patterned after ice hockey, but isn’t played on ice. Additionally, players don’t wear skates and use a ball rather than a puck.

“Ball hockey can be quite challenging from a technical point as well as from a strategy perspective,” Creatini told The Boston Globe. “The rules and stick skills are very similar to ice hockey. However, I believe the explosive nature of the off-ball movement and endurance are more in line with field hockey.”

The 31-year-old Creatini played field hockey in her native Argentina and ice hockey at Newton North High School. She returned to field hockey at Northeastern University where she holds the single season scoring record, 29 goals, in the university’s program.

Check out The Boston Globe for more.