The first Floorball tournament for adults was organised in Bosnia and Herzegovina last week in connection with a Floorball education seminar.

The Floorball education course for players and coaches was held in Banja Luka with twenty participants from Tuzla and Banja Luka. The instructor was Mr. Timo Koskela, an experienced player and coach from Tampere, Finland. The course included both theoretical lectures and practical exercises on the playing field.

For the most of the participants, playing on a full size floorball field (20m x40m) five against five was a new and interesting experience. An actual topic during the course, that was actively discussed, was the establishing a floorball association in Bosnia, which will be a big challenge in the future. Right now there are two clubs in the country: “The Lightnings” in Banja Luka and “3:16” in Tuzla.

In connection with the course a short Floorball tournament was organized for the participants – it was actually the first adult tournament ever in Bosnia (there are tournaments for children three times a year).  The results were the following:

Series:
Lightnings I – 3:16    4-4
Lightnings II – International team  5-5
3:16 – International team   1-10
Lightnings I – Lightnings II   7-3
Lightnings I – International team  2-6
Lightnings II – 3:16    5-4

Bronze game:
Lightnings II – 3:16    7-3

Final game:
Lightnings I – International team  8-4

Srđan Vučić, the MVP of the tournament and the head coach of the Lightnings, was satisfied with the floorball education:
” For me the most rewarding part was to follow the work of an experienced coach, especially how to prepare the team for a game.”

Also Timo Koskela was satisfied: ” The participants worked really hard during the whole seminar and they were admirably enthusiastic! I hope that a floorball association will soon be established and that the sport has come to Bosnia for good.”

Text & Pictures: Miika Kurkkio/Bosnia & Herzegovina