Wellingtonians invited to watch some fast-paced Floorball   19 Sep 2014

Wellingtonians invited to watch some fast-paced Floorball action as the 7th annual tournament approaches

17 floorball teams from across the country and Australia will descend on the ASB Sports Centre in Kilbirnie from Friday 26 September to take part in the largest and longest running NZ floorball event – The Wellington Floorball Open tournament, hosted by the Wellington Storm Floorball Club.

Floorball is a type of hockey played indoors with carbon fiber and plastic sticks and a light-weight plastic ball with holes. Originating in Sweden in the 70s and played by over two million people worldwide, the sport was first introduced in New Zealand in 2008 and now boasts over 800 active players, across all age groups in the Wellington region alone.

The 2014 Wellington Floorball Open tournament will feature open/mixed, women and under 15 categories, with teams from Auckland, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Ohakea, and Australia joining a number of teams from the Wellington region. Entry to the games is free, with matches running from 12:00-17:00 Friday 26 September, 8:00-17:00 Saturday and 8:00-16:00 Sunday. Wellingtonians interested in following or getting involved in a new, fast-paced sport are encouraged to come along and see first-hand what it’s all about.

15 year old Wellington player from Island Bay, Matthew Bertschinger, who is set to appear in his 3rd Wellington Open, describes the appeal of the sport for him and his mates. “I love Floorball because it is competitive, fast, but not rough. It is easy to pick up so lots of my friends are now playing which makes it great fun.

Sven-Erik Sundin, a Wellington Storm Floorball Club player and member of the organizing committee for the tournament, notes that the growth of the sport across primary, secondary age players means the future of the sport within Wellington and New Zealand is a bright one. “Each quarter we’re seeing more and more young players and new teams join our competitions and take part in coaching and training sessions run by the club. At start of 2013 we had 55 Junior school teams competing – we’re now in the 90s and expect to go past the 100 team mark later this year. Unlike some other sports, the need to purchase expensive gear or to endure bad weather or cancellations are not barriers for kiwi kids looking to get involved in floorball, have a run around with their mates and keep fit.” The Wellington Storm Floorball club provides sticks that can be borrowed for trainings and games, has social and competitive leagues to cover all skill levels and age groups, and the impressive ASB Indoor Sports Centre in Kilbirnie is the hub of Wellington Floorball, hosting trainings and games.

With a growing player base locally and work underway to have Floorball recognized as an Olympic sport in years to come it’s a sport on the rise that’s peaking the interest of more and more kiwi kids and adults alike.

ENDS

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