Bertschinger to lead men’s floorball team
- Dave Worsley
- Apr 7
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 9
The sport of floorball in New Zealand has a new men's head coach with Christian Bertschinger to take on the role.
Bertschinger has been a key figure in the development of floorball in New Zealand since its inception.
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With a long-standing commitment to the sport, he has previously coached a number of our national teams at both Qualification tournaments and World Floorball Championships.
In a statement the national body in New Zealand said "His understanding of the New Zealand floorball scene, combined with his experience and knowledge of international game play, makes him ideally placed to lead the Men’s team into its next phase of development.
Christian’s appointment signals a renewed focus to connect our local players with the ones based overseas and lead the team preparation in New Zealand"
Bertschinger explained that kiwi players had an identity of their own in the sport.
"My goal is to combine New Zealand’s unique strengths with the pace and tactical precision of international gameplay,"
"I have also secured the assistance from an experienced top level Swiss coach who will function as an Assistant Coach.
"This coach brings a vast amount of coaching experience from top level European club teams, national age group programmes, and high-performance environments.
"His guidance will introduce fresh tactical perspectives and strengthen the link between New Zealand and European floorball."
This international connection will not only benefit the national team but also provide New Zealand players—especially those currently based in Europe—with greater support and exposure.
It will create new opportunities for more New Zealand-based players to gain international experience through playing in Europe and grow their skills in one of the sport’s most competitive environments.
Together, the coaching team is set to focus on progressing the standard of men’s floorball in New Zealand, expanding player development opportunities, and driving the national programme to new heights and the upcoming World Floorball Championships Qualification 2026.
Floorball is a type of indoor hockey played inside a rink with carbon-shaft sticks and a plastic ball.
The International Floorball Federation (IFF) was founded in 1986 and is the head organisation of world Floorball, which is spreading rapidly around the globe.
A floorball team consists of five field players and a goalie. Teams also have many substitutes, as you can sub at any time during a game and quick subbing keeps the game at a high level of intensity throughout.
No protective gear is required by the field players however the goalkeeper has protective gear, but plays without a stic
