Foto: Dennis Eriksson

Interview with floorball referees Rickard and Thomas who will referee the World Floorball Championships starting this weekend!

Rickard and Thomas are two really experienced floorball referees. We at Spintso have followed them before, as they like our headsets and have been using our products for a long time now. On Thursday, these two referees will travel from Sweden to Finland to referee the World Floorball Championships. How cool is that?! We got hold of both of them and had a chat with them before the World Championships. Remember that you can watch the World Floorball Championships and find all matches live on Youtube via IFF's channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/iffchannel

– Let's start with you Thomas. Who are you?

Thomas

– My name is Thomas and I was born in 1977, I have been a referee since 1993. I have worked for Ericsson for many years now, but will start a new job in 2022. Then I'm also a floorball referee and I have a picture from my first match when I stand with far too short shorts and tube socks. At that time I started refereeing with my old colleague, referee colleague in floorball, Rickard is my second relationship on the floorball court. Rickard and I have been hanging out since 2009 now. But as I said, I started refereeing in 1993 together with my old colleague until 2009. We then had two Swedish Championship finals and a World Championship behind us. Then that colleague quit for personal reasons and Rickard was then in the same seat as me, single referee and solo. We were lucky enough to meet and decided that we would referee together. It has been super good and it's really fun! Next season will be 20 years as a referee for me in the Super League, in Sweden. The coming World Floorball Championship will be my fourth World Championship, which this time will be held in Finland.

– And Rickard then. Tell us a little about yourself!

Rickard

– Rickard, has three children and a wife living in Järfälla. Works with communication within the Police. I have also refereed floorball for a very long time, but it all started as a player. Both Thomas and I have played, but I have played as the highest in the second highest league in Sweden. As a floorball referee, I understood more and more that there I have better chances to get higher up. In 2009 when Thomas and I decided to referee together, I strongly remember two things from our first meeting. Number one was Thomas minced meat sauce and spaghetti at Thomas' home, to get a feel for each other and get to know each other. Number two was our high ambitions even then. We made a mind-map and in the middle of it, it says that we will be the world's best floorball referees. From there, we have worked with the things that have emerged from the center of that mind-map, the branches, where we have worked long-term with those things to improve ourselves.

– It feels like floorball in Sweden has always been relatively popular. But does it feel like it's increasing every year? What do you think?

Rickard

– This year, the Swedish floorball association celebrates 40 years. That says a lot, mainly that we are 100 years behind football approximately. Floorball in Sweden is the second largest sport, in terms of practitioners, and the largest indoor sport. With that said and that perspective, we are still a little behind. And to answer your question, I say Yes! It has become more and more popular, but on the "heavier" parts such as administration and so on, it takes a while before we are there and can increase even more. If we then compare with football for example. Another goal we have is to referee the Olympics in floorball, for me it is the end goal of my career. Next summer, floorball will be part of the World Games, which is the International Olympic Committee's multisport event, where you test sports that are on the rise.

Thomas

– Agree with that picture for Sweden, but here I also want to get a little involved about North America. It is growing more elsewhere than in Sweden and I have also helped train referees in North America, for about six years. One goal we had from the beginning was to get their first international couple and we have succeeded. The USA as a continent is big and ice hockey is very closely related as well. There is great potential here. The idea is also that next year they will start the NAFL which stands for the North American Floorball League, which will be the highest league there and like the structures they have for the NHL, NBA and so on.

– Okay, so the goal is first to get Floorball to the Olympics. Then to be referees in Floorball, in the Olympics?

Rickard

– Correct! We have set a high ambition, where we can not influence all that. However, we can make sure to be really prepared when it happens.

Thomas

– It even says so in your Profiling text Rickard, about and before the World Floorball Championship. We profile ourselves and in Rickard's text it is clear that he wants to referee Floorball in the Olympics. It really is to point a clear direction where we want to go!

– What do you refereeing more than in Sweden? Internationally?

Thomas

– Each national association of referees nominates referees every two years. Then you are approved by the international referees' committee. Rickard and I are nominated for 2021 and 2022. Of all those referees, they are categorized into three levels, gold, silver or bronze. Thereafter, tournaments along these levels are also equated. We are in the gold category and there are the World Championship and Champions Cup as the highest gold tournaments. The Champions Cup is equivalent of football's Champions League. In the Champions Cup, those who win the leagues in Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland are playing. In floorball and the Champions Cup, the last four years have been devoid of nationality-neutral referees, but the best referees can be a referee regardless of team and country. In the World Championships, there are so far nationality-neutral referees, like football, but in the Champions Cup this has been changed. Rickard and I have also had the privilege of refereeing three straight finals in the Champions Cup.

– What is the best thing about being a floorball referee?

Rickard

– All the meetings you get with all the different people, the joy you get from all different directions and that you dare to be infected by it. It inspires me to referee, but I also think we can spread it further to inspire more people to referee.

Thomas

– I agree with what Rickard says. But when I think about the stage in life I am and what friends and people I have around me, many of them come via floorball. So guaranteed that you meet people, and then not only on the pitch but outside and around. It is something that gives many memories and a lot of joy. There are damn nice people in the sport!

Rickard

– All World Championships are special in different ways, you can still say that. It is difficult to set them against each other. But it's special now, after Corona and without an audience. This sport has longed for this event more than usual and it will be great to be a part of it.

Thomas

– This is also one of the biggest sporting events in Finland and they have planned a lot for it. Therefore, maybe also a little extra special. A lot of people have trained for and from time to time, is towards the end now on Thursday. You have a packing list ready, the last running sessions have been done and I have two fitness sessions left before it's time to travel. It will be really fun to meet people in this context again and we are so ready.

Rickard

– Thomas, have you packed our football yet?

Thomas

– No, not yet, but I will.

– Football. Tell me more.

Rickard

– We always have a football with us and always warm up with it. Regardless of whether it is a training match or a competition, it is included. But we always run a competition and you have to let go of your thoughts a little, play a little at the same time you are warming up. Thomas lost last one, and the loser has to carry the ball and pack it for the next match. It is a Swedish and blue-yellow ball and we always write on the ball which tournament we are in and usually post a picture on social media with it.

Foto: Privat

– You are using our Headset, from Spintso. How does it work and is it a good tool?

Rickard

– Many other referees we meet know that we are using Spintso-Headset and often ask us how it works and if we are satisfied. For us, it has really made it easier and made the refereeing more fun for us. It is a good tool and we have a lot more fun on the pitch. Being a floorball referee is a little different from other sports and referees because we work so much in pairs. When Headset came to us, we felt from the beginning that "Wow, what a super tool this is for us and for floorball". We also do not have head referees and assistants like other sports, with one deciding and the others serving, but we use the headset equally throughout the match and have a more fluid responsibility throughout the field.

– Are there other technical tools, such as in football, for your floorball referees?

Thomas

We may use video review if we think the ball has been over the goal line. But only then, that is, if we think the ball was over. Then the team has a "Challenge" and I dare not swear how many they have now when it comes to this tournament, but it is usually one per match. That is, each team may ask for a Challenge if they think the ball was over or not. But it is only in this context that we are allowed to use it, not if it has been a high club or so.

– Shit how interesting these were guys! We at Spintso want to learn more about you and floorball. May we hang with you, in a match in the future?

Rickard

– Of course. We will fix it!

–Thank you for us and good luck at the World Floorball Championships!

Foto: IFF