Swiss national team player Andrea Gämperli has played floorball for 15 years. For the past few years, she has been part of the Swiss Top League team UHC Dietlikon and has been part of the Swiss Women’s national team since last summer. Besides playing floorball, she studies Accounting and Finance at the University of St.Gallen.
How does Men’s Floorball and Women’s floorball differ in your country?
As in every sport, men’s floorball is much faster and more physical due to the natural differences in athleticism. In addition, there is also a difference in the performance density since more men than women are playing floorball.
How do you practice floorball?
I practice with the club three times a week for about two hours. Additionally, I do up to two physical trainings (strength and stamina trainings) per week on my own. During the pre-season, I had even more individual trainings because we didn’t have games at the weekends.
How did you become a national team player?
After playing two U19 World Championships in 2012 and 2014, which was an unforgettable experience, I had the dream to get a spot on the Swiss Women’s National Team. In the following years I put much effort in improving my game as well as my mental and physical strengths. In summer 2016, I got my first nomination for the national team.
What has been the most peculiar situation that has happened to you during a floorball match?
There is one situation which I will never forget. While playing one of my first games with the U19 National Team, I made two times a header which was, of course, penalised. I always say that it happened due to my height ? I have never got another penalty for playing with the head since then anymore.
How will you prepare for the WFC?
As a team, we have a few training camps and we will take part at the Euro Floorball Tour in Malmö, where we will play against Sweden, Finland and Czech Republic. Personally, my goal is to be in the best possible form. Hence, I focus on every single practice session and try to improve my game as well as my fitness as much as possible until December.
Photo: Per Wiklund
