The UP Floorball Club History
In 2008, Athletes in Action (AIA), an international Christian sports organization, started Floorball in the Philippines. Floorball was introduced to AIA by a Scandinavian missionary while the International Floorball Federation (IFF) provided the equipment. AIA followed up by offering free clinics and trainings - coaching and sharing how the sport can be relevant in l
ife in the process - by introducing the sport to different universities and schools, including University of the Philippines, University of Makati, Lagro High School, and Bethel International School in Tacloban and their community. After two semesters and one summer term of PE Floorball classes, the number of Floorball enthusiasts increased drastically and a club was needed to channel the students’ hobby. In summer 2011, 71 of these PE Floorball students envisioned an organization which sought to promote and develop Floorball in the UP community. This led to the establishment of the UP Floorball Club (UPFLBC). In July 12, 2011, the UPFLBC was duly recognized as a sport organization in the UP Diliman based in the College of Human Kinetics. Having more than 70 members, the UPFLBC was formed to create a community of Floorball players and enthusiasts from the University, who are committed to victory beyond competition. Activities of the Club include regular Floorball training and games, hosting Floorball tournaments, and holding Floorball clinics in various communities. As of the moment, the UP Floorball League (UPFL), a club tournament composed of 6 teams and an exclusive event for Club members, aims to develop competitiveness among its members. The Club also aims to expand the number of League teams and hopes to inspire other teams to be formed for competition. FLOORBALL
Floorball is the sport of today and becoming the sport of tomorrow. During the 30 years of floorball history, the development and growth of the sport has been amazing. Since the first Floorball Federation was founded in 1981 in Sweden, the sport has spread all over the world and it is now played in over 60 countries. Floorball is the fastest growing sport in a number of countries and now has a total of 300,000 licensed players and approximately 2 million
recreational players in the world. There are no signs that this positive development would slow down in the near future. Although floorball is a professional sport amongst the elite players requiring their fulltime involvement, it is still also a sport for all. Floorball is widely played in schools, among youth and adult recreation and corporate sports groups and it has become the alternative team sport for both men and women in a number of countries. One of the great advantages of Floorball is the easiness to start playing and the relatively low costs. Floorball is a sport for short and tall, young and old, boys and girls as well as disabled players – Anyone can play the game! FLOORBALL HISTORY
Some roots of floorball have been found as far back as from 1958 when an industry in Minneapolis, USA introduced plastic sticks under the name Cosom. Cosom floor hockey was played in the USA and Canada. In the 1970’s the floorball sport we play today was developed in Sweden and in 1986 the International Floorball Federation was founded by the Swedish, Finnish and Swiss Floorball Associations. INTERTIONAL FLOORBALL FEDERATION
The International Floorball Federation, IFF, is the head organisation of world floorball. The IFF is a rapidly growing sports federation, with 55 Member Associations from all continents. In July 2011 the IFF was granted the full recognition of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which opens new doors for Floorball worldwide. The IFF has been an ordinary member of Sport Accord since 2004 and also cooperates with the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the International Schools Sport Federation (ISF), the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA), the International Master Games Association (IMGA), the International Committee of Electric Wheelchair Hockey (ICEWH)
and the Special Olympics. The Strategic vision for the upcoming decade is defined as follows
in the IFF Vision statement:
“To be the internationally approved sole owner of the dynamic sport of Floorball and to ensure all its different forms and identities and to serve as an attractive sport for all. Being a healthy organisation with sufficient human and financial
resources, with over 100 international member associations, which are having and organising their own national championships, and with five continental confederations. Floorball is adaptable to be played on a global level taking into consideration all the different infrastructural conditions, according to the standardised game rules, with a World Floorball Championships played with participants from five continents, based on the qualifications and being on the
program of the Universiade, the World Games and/or the Olympic Games until 2020.”
