Daniel Williamsson steps down as Youth Director!

Daniel Williamsson stepped down as Youth Director of USA Floorball this past September and wants to share some final thoughts with the USA Floorball community.

As every journey reaches its conclusion, I reflect on my time with USA Floorball with immense pride and fulfillment, besides starting the Vikings youth program and coaching 4 teams in Orlando. My first involvement with USA Floorball youth was when the decision was made to include youth nationals event into adult nationals in Virginia 2019, we faced a major challenge. With only three teams initially, we pushed hard to form a fourth mixed team. This pivotal moment planted the seed for youth floorball in the USA as we see it today with many of those early players growing into some of the best talents in the country. Besides coaching the Vikings youth and playing and coaching the Vikings adult team, I was also asked to coach the women's team on the spot. It was a stressful weekend, I did not just have a lot to do but had no idea who was who in the community. I remember Utah community reaching out to start talking about youth and collaboration.

Still Utah youth and Vikings are a close community.

When joining the USA Floorball board, I had a clear vision: to foster growth in the U.S. with a primary focus on youth. I wrote my goals and vision to the board for the youth programs, and looking back now, I’m proud to see that we’ve achieved everything I had set out on paper.

We established the Y16 program to represent USA youth both domestically and in Europe Gothia cup, an idea that many thought was too ambitious. I still cherish the memory of our players’ smiles when Luke scored our first goal in our debut game against a Swedish team, even though we lost by just one goal. I remember our mixed team reaching the quarter finals, drawing enthusiastic spectators who cheered, "USA, USA." Emilynn’s rendition of the national anthem in Jönköping and the Swedish team's parents telling me that we had them singing the Swedish anthem were truly memorable moments.

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we persevered and prepared to attend the Storvreta tournament, though it was ultimately canceled. We returned the following year and participated twice more, including a successful Y16 event in Utah, which helped foster the U19 cycle for 2023. After three years of training, more than nine tournaments, and numerous camps, the team was ready for head coach and compete for qualifiers.

We also launched one of the only high-level two-week camps designed to elevate skills for ages 8-19, attracting players from across Europe and North America. This year marked our third successful year of the camp.

In 2023, we hosted the largest youth national event to date in the USA, with three age groups, and even managed to include a fourth age group with another club, but we couldn’t compete with just 2 clubs. Hopefully future youth will foster 4 age groups and beyond. From the beginning, we’ve supported other communities, helping to establish teams in Chicago, Nashville, and South Carolina.

Our motto, "think outside the box and only our imagination can stop us," has driven our growth. Now, as I step down from my role as Youth Director, I look forward to seeing new leadership take the youth program to the next level. While I’ll be stepping away from this role, I remain committed to developing and spreading floorball, focusing on my Vikings community, camps, international trips, our new bench, Clubs (both local and professional) and supporting the growth of floorball in North America, South America and beyond. I will also continue my work with the IFF Development Committee and supporting communities all over the world. All in the name of growing floorball.

I offer my guidance and support to whomever takes over the role as Youth Director.

Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey. Here’s to the future of USA Floorball!

/ Daniel Williamsson, Former Youth Director

USA Floorball would like to thank Daniel Williamsson for his endless efforts for floorball in the states.

“Daniel Williamsson and his family have put in endless unpaid hours into building floorball in the states and has done it with endless energy. Their dedication to floorball has been amazing to see and although he will be missed as Youth director I have no doubt Daniel and his family will continue building floorball in the states and do it amazingly well,” says USA Floorball founder Adam Troy.

“I would like to thank and honor Daniel's unwavering commitment and dedication to the growth of floorball at all levels. His exemplary contributions to the USA Floorball Board, particularly in fostering the Youth segment, are truly commendable. Youth need more than words; they need role models and tangible examples of what is possible. Daniel provided this by his vision and leadership on the bench and on the floor by assembling world class role-models playing at the highest level with the 2-time Troy Cup champions Florida Vikings FC. Thank you, Daniel, and let's continue to grow the sport!” Concludes former USA Floorball vice president David Nilsson.