By David Nagel
Pakenham is fast becoming the boutique centre of excellence for Floorball in Australia with a staggering seven locals helping their nation qualify for the World Championships in Switzerland in November.
Floorball is basically Ice hockey without the ice and skates, where five field players and one goal-keeper play a fast-paced and physical sport, over three 20-minute periods, that is very attractive to the eye…and a professional sport in Europe.
In 2010, two locals from the Pakenham Floorball Club, Ben Monckton and Gavin Staindl, made the Australian team that qualified for its first World Championships in Finland.
Fast-forward 12 years and Staindl remains a key figure in the team, with the 33-year-old qualifying for his fifth World Championships.
Joining him at the recent Asia-Oceania Championships in Singapore – that double as World Championship qualifiers – were six players from the Pakenham Squishees that formed part of the 17-man squad.
Staindl and Australia’s two goal-keepers, Ryan Alexandrakis and Daniel Valenti, were joined by fellow locals Dylan Clutterbuck, Jordan Noel, David Noney and Ray Staindl on the trip to Singapore.
Gavin Staindl found it difficult to explain why Pakenham was having such a huge impact at the elite-level of the sport
“Pakenham is definitely not the epicentre of floorball, there are other states that have a lot more players and a lot stronger competitions, but we’ve just been very fortunate to develop some really good top-end talent,” Staindl said.
“It’s funny, because as a sport we’ve actually struggled since coming back from Covid.
“A lot of sports got hit really hard, but we got decimated and basically have to start from the ground up again.
“But the top-end talent has remained really good.
“I think it’s club culture, we’re mates, and have been for a long time and that drives us to get better for each other…and we play for each other.
“It’s the same in any sport, if you’re playing for your teammates, you’re always going to do much better than what you would otherwise.”
Staindl, who has worn the Coat of Arms of his country on more than 60 occasions, said the dedication of his teammates was inspiring.
“I admire the determination and grit of a lot of the guys, because we don’t get paid for this,” he said.
“We are looking to attract sponsors, but it’s difficult. Teams like the Philippines, Thailand, they get everything paid for and it’s almost semi-professional…but for us it’s not.
“In the last 10 years…I reckon I’ve put in over $100,000.”
Pakenham’s standing in Floorball received a further boost on Friday 8 July when the club defended its under-19’s title at the Junior Australian Floorball Open (JAFO) held at Woy Woy in New South Wales.
The Squishees won a thrilling final 2-1, in golden goal overtime, against the home team…Peninsula Thunder Storm.
In a sport where scores can reach double figures, the grand final was level at 1-1 after full time.
But after sitting a bench penalty only moments earlier, captain Jesse Justice returned to the court to score the golden goal three minutes into overtime and hand Pakenham the thrilling walk-off win.
It was a remarkable effort given Pakenham, a Victorian-based team that has played very little floorball over the last two years, were coming up against many other clubs from around the country that have managed to continue playing mostly uninterrupted.
The Pakenham Squishees last won the under 19’s title in 2019 but due to travel restrictions the annual tournament had twice been cancelled.
The win capped a successful tournament with the under 13’s clinching silver and the under 9’s claiming bronze.
