As Chairman for Koceni Municipality Council I am very pleased to welcome all participants in our neighborhood– Valmiera!

 

 

Floorball is a very popular sport in Koceni Municipality – 20 years ago in Vaidava parish was held first floorball training in our region. During these 20 years our floorball teams „Vaidava”, later „Rubene” have won all kinds of medals in Latvian floorball championships – starting from youth league till man and women elite leagues, played in international tournaments, and lot of our players have been presenting Latvian National floorball team in World Championships. One of our women's team „Rubene” player Baiba Jurusa have participated in all nine previous World championships. Also in this tournament half of Latvian National teams is our players from team „Rubene” and Koceni Municipality inhabitants. We are proud of them!

 

Today, nearly 250 women and men, girls and boys of all ages play floorball after school, after work or at elite level. This means that floorball is largest indoor sport activity in Koceni Municipality, hopefully after some years – also in Latvia. And we are impatiently hoping that in the year 2020 floorball will be played in Olimpic Games, and we'll see our boys and girls in the olimpic floorball fields.

 

Despite the fact that the floorball sport is relatively young in Latvia, it has managed to attract a lot of new players and progresed in high speed. It is a sport that is suited to be played at school, at outdoor fields - in fact, anywhere where there is an open area. Floorball is a relatively inexpensive sport, and also an important factor is fact that it involves both genders in participating.

 

International sporting events of this kind are important for maintaining and developing the great interest that exists in sport. Our children and young people - who of course are our present and future elite - must be able to believe that they can realise their dreams. A floorball world championship can inspire new generations of athletes at all levels, in all countries.

 

In the end I would like to wish all of you this great thought: „Sport will not solve all the world’s problems but sport can contribute to a better world.”

 

I wish you and your national teams a successful, enjoyable and memorable tournament. You are heartly welcome to visit Koceni Minicipality and we are proud to share with you treasures in our nature, culture, history and sports!

 

Jānis Olmanis

Chairman of Koceni Municipality Council