Men’s Team wraps up AOFC Cup with valuable lessons and sixth-place finish

He pānui pāpāho | News release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, 30 October 2023

NZ Men’s at Asia-Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC) Cup 2023 in Singapore

The Men’s team has concluded their rollercoaster journey in the Asia-Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC) Cup 2023 with a commendable performance, finishing sixth in the tournament.

This journey, marked by highs and lows, showcased the remarkable potential of the young development team.

The team entered the AOFC Cup 2023 with the intention of nurturing young talents and gaining invaluable international experience. Facing well-established teams like Thailand and Singapore provided an exceptional learning opportunity for development of the team.

The experience of playing shoulder-to-shoulder with seasoned players has been transformational, especially for our young athletes, and this international experience will undoubtedly shape their floorball careers.

Head Coach Andre Ballantyne is extremely proud of our players, particularly the young athletes who played hard in every game.

"The AOFC Cup 2023 has been a crucial milestone in the development of our young athletes,” says Coach Andre. “Our goal is to use this opportunity towards building a competitive team for WFC 2024, and this tournament has exposed our players to high-level competition, which will undoubtedly aid in their growth and development."

The Men’s Team AOFC Cup 2023 journey began with a thrilling 4-2 victory against Malaysia, demonstrating the team's potential. While they faced challenges and two losses against Singapore and Thailand in the middle of the tournament, the boys remained steadfast in their commitment to the long-term vision. The subsequent 3-0 victory against Philippines when they fielded our youngest goalie to date, 16-year-old Lachlan Pitchford in his first international match, demonstrated their resilience.

The presence of seasoned players in the likes of Captain Jonathan To, Jordan Boyle, Angus Stallman and Connor Weston in the team has been instrumental in mentoring and anchoring the younger players.

Captain Jonathan To shared that the seasoned players have worked hard to provided leadership, share knowledge, and create a sense of unity for the team.

“The importance of this international experience cannot be overstated,” says Jon. “It's about developing the complete athlete, both on and off the field,"

Although the tournament ended with an 8-6 loss to Malaysia, the team remains proud of their journey. The experience will serve as a foundation for their future aspirations and endeavours.

We want to acknowledge Head Coach Andre Ballantyne, Team Managers David Elkin and Sian Macfadyen, Equipment Manager Stevie Greeks and Physiotherapist Thomas Paget who looked after the Men’s team in their AOFC Cup journey.

We also want to thank the commitment of Floorball New Zealand’s continuing national team sponsors TBI Health and Comprendé Property Management. We would also like to thank the campaign sponsors Unicorn Factory, Andrew Black optometrists, Castle Tattoo, Classic Kitchens, and Dyhrberg Drayton Employment Law for their unwavering support throughout our AOFC journey.

Lastly the Men’s Team extends their heartfelt gratitude to their family, friends and fans for their unwavering support and encouragement.