SINGAPORE, 16 May 2015 – Floorball is a relatively new sport that was only introduced to Singapore in 1994. The game was played as a demo sport at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar. Due to its increasing popularity, today the game is now one of the 36 featured sports at the 2015 SEA Games.
Floorball is very similar to hockey. Comprising of five field players and a goal keeper in each team, the players wield metre-long sticks and score by striking the ball into the opposing team’s goal. The team with the highest score across three 20-minute sets wins.
The 20 members of the Singapore national men’s floorball team were selected through a three-staged rigorous training process – 2.4 kilometres run, beep test and on-court performance. The team that is ranked among the top in South East Asia and 18th internationally, is going all out to clinch the gold medal at the 2015 SEA Games right here on home grounds.
“Malaysia and Thailand are our strongest competitors. We often compete with Malaysia in the finals. We have not played with Thailand before so we are unsure of their playing style”, said Suria, SIT-Newcastle University undegraduate, and a member of the national men’s floorball team.
The Singapore national men’s floorball team, posing for a team photograph at Republic Polytechnic Sports complex (16 May 2015). Photo | SIT
Unlike many athletes who started their training at a very young age, Suria played his first game of floorball at the age of thirteen. Merely two years into the sport, the talented and tenacious young floorballer was selected for the combined schools floorball team which represented Singapore in regional competitions. However, he was eventually dropped from the combined schools team as he was struggling with his studies.
Although this was a major setback for him, Suria did not give up his passion for floorball. His indomitable spirit propelled him to improve in both studies and sports. In 2013, Suria’s efforts finally paid off when he was selected for the national men’s floorball team and represented Singapore at the 2013 SEA Games in Myanmar. Today, he is riding high, pursing his dreams of winning a gold medal at the upcoming 2015 SEA Games, and completing the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering.
When asked about his life motto, he smiled endearingly and said, “Be happy, always smile, and never get sad. Learn from mistakes and become better”. The cheerful 23-year-old Team Singapore floorballer will quickly charm you with his pleasant disposition and positive outlook in life.
However, if you are on the floorball court, do not be fooled by his unimposing demeanour and slender body frame. Suria quickly transforms into a formidable forward the moment he steps on court, striking goals with deadly accuracy.
Catch the national men’s floorball team in action from 11 to 14 June 2015! Get the detailed game schedule on the SEA Games website. Admission is FREE!
