Singapore women’s floorball team set sights on top-8 finish at World Championships
Ranked 13th in the world, the team hopes to ride on the momentum from the SEA Games in Cambodia, where they clinched their third straight gold medal.
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SINGAPORE: From rehearsing the national anthem and the pre-match huddle to sparring with professional referees, the Singapore women's floorball team have simulated match-day conditions to a tee for the World Floorball Championships.
They hope to clinch a top-eight finish in the 16-team tournament, which kicks off on Saturday (Dec 2) and lasts until Dec 10 at the Singapore Sports Hub. The team’s previous best showing at the World Championships was 12th place during the 2019 edition that was held in Switzerland.
Ranked 13th in the world, the team wants to ride on the momentum from the SEA Games in Cambodia in May, where they clinched their third straight gold medal.
“The SEA Games has definitely given us a boost in confidence and I think it's a good build-up and preparation towards the Floorball World Championships,” captain Michelle Lok told CNA.
She added that the team have the homeground advantage of familiarity with the venue, and the physical presence of family and friends to provide support.
Singapore will kick off their campaign against France, who are ranked 27th in the world, and the team will also play against Australia and Germany in the group stage.
TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA
The team trained in Perth, Australia in the lead-up to the tournament and that has better prepared them for the upcoming matches against their competitors, said Lok.
“Playing against Caucasians is definitely (on) a different level because physically, they are definitely bigger and stronger, and maybe faster as well,” she said.
“Going against the Australians recently has definitely prepared us to go against the other Caucasian teams in our group.”
The five-day training camp, a change from the camps held in Malaysia or Japan ahead of the SEA Games, was not just about honing their skills, but also about team bonding, Lok added.
"Getting the players all together, staying together, and I guess spending a lot of time together has really helped bond the team. And I think with that, it will help us throughout the competition, having each other's backs, uplifting each other,” she said.
Better communication and understanding also means better morale within the team, she added.
Singapore will be fielding several debutantes in the championships, including 20-year-old Nasha Jeffri, who will be playing in just her second major competition.
While she is nervous, the SEA Games and training in Perth have made her feel more prepared for the big stage.
“The seniors have definitely helped a lot … let's say if I have any doubts on the tactics or anything, they will always be there to answer my questions. And also if they have any feedback regarding what I can do better, they'll always drop me a text, and screenshot from our training videos (to show) which area I can improve on,” she said.
ORGANISERS HOPE TO BOOST SPORT
Organisers are hoping that the action on and off the court will boost not just the local floorball community, but also bring in new fans.
When Singapore first hosted the tournament in 2005, floorball only had a small following in the country, said Mr Kenneth Ho, chair of the Women’s World Floorball Championships 2023.
However, the sport has grown and is now practiced in many schools, he noted.
“We expect a stronger following for the championships. Floorball has developed globally also, so we expect lots of tourists from various participating countries coming over to watch the games,” he said.
Witnessing world-class action firsthand in Singapore will boost morale for school teams and those playing in their own adult leagues, he said.
"Besides having the main action, we also have fringe activities, like try-out courts outside the arena for the public who have not held a floorball stick before to try (it) out,” he said.
The championships will also provide Singapore’s floorball associations to establish better contacts with others from the region, which will in turn allow them to cooperate on promoting and raising the level of the sport together, said Mr Ho.
“Floorball is ever-growing, so we are also hoping to use this to reach out to more schools in Singapore for the sport … to invite them to come and watch the action live."
