Eight teams are playing in the Men’s U19 World Floorball Championships B-Division: Poland, USA, Japan and Russia in Group C and Germany, Canada, Slovenia and New Zealand in Group D.
The 10th Men’s U19 WFC 2019 will be held between 8th-12th of May in Halifax, Canada. This will be the first time that the Men’s U19 WFC has been held outside of Europe. 16 teams will compete in A- & B-divisions. All A-division teams directly qualified based on results from U19 WFC 2017. In B-division, three teams directly qualified, while the remaining five teams were decided through regional qualification events held in September 2018.
Group C
This year team Poland has practically many new players who are very talented and hungry to play. They are motivated and aspire to improve the result from the last U19 WFC. The goal is to be promoted to division A.
Players to watch:
Player with good technical skills. He can play one versus one very well and is always fighting hard on the field.
One of the most experienced players in the team. Dawid will make good use of his fast shots from difficult positions.
A player with great potential and with good scoring qualities. He has a very good precise shot and he always gives everything on the field.
Team USA has a healthy mix of returning and new players who are determined to help the team reach new heights at the WFC. The team’s goal is to come together as a team, compete hard in every period of every match, improve each match, and advance to the B-Division playoffs.
Players to watch:
A solid defender that makes his second appearance in the U19 championships. Great stick handling and passing game.
Leading top scorer two years ago. A two way centre with a great shot.
Also making his second appearance in the U19 championships. A physical defender that is hard to get by.
Japan is a powerful team with great team work. They will prepare for the U19 WFC in the same way as they did at WFCQ.
Players to watch:
He has guts, and he can lead his team clearly and positively. The reliable captain.
He loves floorball and he went to Finland by himself to improve his skills. Hard-working goalkeeper.
He is the oldest player in the team and stays calm on the field. He supports the team with full force and spares no effort to win the game.
The updated team is preparing to return to international games. The World Championship is a new challenge for both the team and the coaching staff. The absence of important players should make the team motivated enough to be victorious.
Players to watch:
Denis plays for the Russian champion Nizhegorodets. Fast, tactically competent “destroyer”. It will be very difficult for a forward to pass him.
One of the leaders in the Russian national team. Vladimir is not afraid to make difficult decisions on the field and raises confidence in other players. Able to create scoring chances for himself and his teammates.
Ilya is a versatile player who can play well in any position and be one of the best on the field. Ready to create and implement and work hard for the team.
GROUP D
A young and talented team. The aim is to reach the B-final and, of course, to win the last match.
Players to watch:
Nils Hofferbert
Great scoring skills and one of the most experienced players.
Gabriel Bonifacio
Team leader and a play maker. Has experience from the U19 WFC in 2017.
Maximilian Spohle
Forward with very fast and dangerous shooting skills.
Canada returns to the Men’s U19 World Championships after a 14th place finish in 2017. The coaching staff is comprised of two national team players, Matt Smith and Tyler Brush, and the team will count on players with international experience from the 2018 World Championships in Prague to lead the way against the top teams in the world. The team looks to feed off the energy of the home crowd in Halifax and aims to be playing in the B-Final game on May 12.
Players to watch:
Returning U19 player scored 2 goals and 4 assists in 4 games at 2017 event, also participated in the 2018 World Floorball Championships in Prague. He has a quick release on his shot and is expected to lead the team in scoring.
Also participated in the U19 World Floorball Championships in Sweden in 2017 and the 2018 World Floorball Championships in Prague. He is very calm with the ball and a natural leader.
Local player making his first appearance at the U19 level. Has quick reflexes and good positioning which will allow him to be the “last line of defence” in goal for Canada.
The players from team Slovenia are not so experienced in international games but they have done a great job, especially the surprise in the qualifications in Moscow. They qualified for the U19 WFC 2019 where they are aiming to win some games in the preliminary group and qualify to the semi-finals.
Player with great individual skills and good technique.
Team captain and most experienced player in the team.
Player with great shot and the will for scoring.
The New Zealand team is excited to be at the World Floorball Championships for the first time. They are willing to gain a lot of experience and looking forward to playing teams from the other side of the world. The squad has trained hard and is ready for the challenge. Having an U19 team at the WFC is an important step to further build the level of floorball in New Zealand and will provide a great base for the years to come.
Players to watch:
Caleb is a tough defender and takes preparation for the WFC very seriously. He has recently spent a few months training with Ad Astra Sarnen in Switzerland to work on his skills and game play.
Connor is new to the team and has worked very hard to secure his spot. He is a fast and hardworking forward with a good shot and is dangerous in front of the goal.
Dylan has made immense progress as a goalie over the past 15 months. His fitness paired with some MMA experience comes in handy, he is clearly a fighter and not afraid to put his body on the line.
*All team and player information is provided by the teams themselves and only edited by IFF.
More information about the U19 WFC available here
