The Czech floorball world is losing one of its biggest icons. Eliška Krupnová, the national record holder and captain of the national team has decided to end her playing career. So far, she is the only Czech woman in history to win the title of the best floorball player in the world.
The native of Mariánské Lázně can without any exaggeration call herself a true legend, not only in the field of play, but also in the overall sports scale. Krupnová played exactly 141 matches in the Czech national team, which is an absolute record across all national teams. She has an incredible 176 points to her credit, she is the only one to surpass the goal of 100 goals for the national team (with 107 goals) and with 69 assists she leads this statistic as well.
Krupnová made her debut in the women’s national team in November 2010 at the Euro Floorball Tour in Ostrava. She scored the first of her 176 points and more than a hundred goals in April 2011 in St. Gallen against Finland. At the same place in December, she completed the first of seven Women’s World Floorball Championships and helped her team to a bronze triumph, which she repeated last year in Singapore. Before that, Krupnová also played in two U19 World Floorball Championships and at home WFC in 2010 in Olomouc, she and Team Czechia won the historical first medal on the women’s side.
Krupnová jumped into the world of professional floorball in the line-up of the then dominant Czech team Herbadent. She left her signature on four titles and five cup victories. She also twice took the second place in the Extra League. She made her debut in the top women’s competition on October 11th 2009 against Ostrava. In 2015, she moved to the Swedish club Pixbo Wallenstam, where she spent the rest of her career. In the very first season, she helped the foxes win the Swedish championship title and a year later won the Floorball Champions Cup with them. She also got four second places in the SSL with Pixbo, and last year she also added a trophy for winning the Swedish Cup to her collection. In 2020, her performances earned her first place in the Innebandymagazinet’s poll for the best female floorball player in the world, something that no one else from the Czech Republic has achieved so far.
Eliška Krupnová announced the end of her brilliant career during the Czech Floorball Gala. But what made her end up putting her floorball stick on the shelf for good?
— I am no longer the youngest, and behind the elite level performance that I have maintained for a long time, there is a lot of work, hard work and sacrifice of free time. My whole life has been prioritized towards floorball. On my own, I feel that I am slowly running out of inner fire and drive. But it’s not just about changing internal motivation. I want to finish with dignity, after a good season and on time. In short, positively, because I don’t enjoy myself when I play badly. Of course, the home World Cup is a huge motivation and that’s why I gave it three months after this season to think it over, to be able to ask the right questions, to get answers. I discussed it with a lot of people, not only from floorball, but also outside of it, Krupnová comments.
— I’m saying goodbye to floorball completely for now, I’ll take a break from the sled and then see if and how much I’ll miss it all. I’m open to another role in the future, but I’m in no rush. I’ll just let it sit and see if something fits together and makes sense to me.
Source: Český florbal
