Tej Singh: We have to create the end game for floorball

During the past World Floorball Championships for the Men's U19 team USA Floorball where not only represented on the court but outside it as well.

Tej Singh, father of Team USA forward Brij Singh, was one of the doctors for the whole WFC in Helsingborg. He is also a very passionate man with a wide range of experience from many parts of the athletic world. Between games we took a moment to find out more.

So what are you doing in Sweden?
- So it's really a real honor for me as a doctor and also as a father to be in Sweden with the U19 World Cup for floorball. I represent many angles. I represent the US Olympic committee as a physician for them I also represent my  experience with USA diversity an US Olympic committee diversity but it's really juggling both the Olympic side of it, the medical side of it and at the same time being a father. So I am really juggling many hats at this tournament, says Tej Singh.

And you are helping out other teams than the US as well?
- When I was able to become the physician for the US national team the committee here heard of my interest to be a physician for the whole tournament. So now I am number three physician for the whole tournament I am the only US Olympic committee representative physician here and I am the only general trauma surgeon in the whole tournament. Hopefully not being used!

And what potential do you see for floorball in the states?
- In 1980 I was able to see the USA ice hockey program developed after the US won in Lake Placid in the Olympics and then I saw ice hockey grow in Chicago. Then I have been able to see field hockey grow in America and have some difficulties growing in America. I think floorball is that unique sport that is exciting, that has that world cup flavor to it and that has a great potential for youth in America. I think we have to put all these pieces together and really create the opportunity for young girls and young boys in America and that is really kind of a sport startup, Tej Singh continues.

And what do you think is needed for floorball to become strong in the states?
- The easy answer is that we need players, we need money and we need coaching staff and referees. All those are the easy issues. I think the biggest issue, based on my experience in other sports in America, has been called the end game. We have to create something to capture the kid's interest and passion after the age of thirteen so that when they go from 13 to 21 they have somewhere to play. That end game is high school, college and junior adult leagues and I think all sports in America struggle with the end game. We have to create the end game for floorball.

And how do we go about doing that?
- I think it is going to be a very important committee decision that if we create an end game, what is the end game? And I think personally that the end game should be not just the high end tournaments like we have here in Helsingborg. The low hanging fruit will be the high school scene and the college scene, the college intramural club scene. If you look at what roller hockey has done When Wayne Gretzky moved to Los Angeles roller hockey caught on in America and now while it isn't an Olympic sport or World Championships sport it is a huge college sport in America. Everybody gets together for the roller hockey championships, there are arenas built for this and roller hockey has a culture. We need to create a culture in floorball in America not just for the Swedes and the Finns in America and the Europeans in America. But for the Hispanics, for the African Americans, for the Indians who play all these other sports and want to play a great sport that keeps them in shape and also hopefully win some championships.

And will we see you helping drive floorball forward?
- Om my god that's a great question! I have met a lot of great men here. Daniel has done a great job and of course Adam. I have sort of got into the excitement of the culture of the sport and I look at opportunities and I think America is a ripe opportunity for this sport in our country. It's really going to be the key people at USA Floorball who are going to drive that vision and I will be glad to offer expertise, support and resources as much as possible, Tej Singh concludes.

With those final words he heads of into the corridors of the Helsingborg Arena. But be sure we have not heard the last from Tej Singh.