A new test standard for measuring skill levels in floorball has been developed in China. The standard test is aimed for testing youth players and was officially launched in the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology on November 26th.

China’s “Standard Test of Floorball Skill Level for Youth” (referred to as the”Standard”) was officially released at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology during a conference. Wang Tao, the Vice Director of the General Administration of Sport of China, Xue Mingyang, President of Shanghai University Sports Association, Ding Xiaodong, Principal of University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Wang Xingfang, Vice President of Shanghai University of Sports, major media reporters and representatives from Shanghai Education Commission, Shanghai Sports Bureau, Yangpu District Education Bureau, Yangpu District Sports Bureau and Heads of Sports Departments of the Universities in Shanghai attended the conference.

The Standard is the first domestic sport skill standard in floorball jointly developed by University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and Shanghai Institute of Physical Education with the support of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Shanghai Education Committee. It is the first version of both Chinese and English in the series of “Grade Standards of Sports Skills for Youth”.

The Standard has been endorsed by both the International Floorball Federation (IFF) and the Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC), and will be the only floorball skill level standard in China for this project. Both IFF and AOFC will recommend the Standard to the member countries for reference. Floorball is the first sport in China in its series of “Youth Sports Skills Level Standards” which has been endorsed by the international sport organisations and thus the standard will be promoted nationwide. The release will further standardise the development of floorball, improve the level of youth’s sports skills, and stimulate the enthusiasm of youth to actively participate in sports.

A summary of the Skill Level Test (level 1 – level 9) in English can be found here: Skill Test China. The Skill Test gradually advances from a more simple test (level 1) aimed for younger athletes to more challenging versions.

The Director Wang Tao also introduced the development background of floorball and its development in China to the participants at the conference. After a long-term follow-up and research, the center acknowledges that floorball has good prospects for development. Therefore, in 2018, the center officially designate the Chinese name of floorball as 软式曲棍球 (Ruan Shi Qu Gun Qiu) and authorise the Chinese Hockey Association to promote and assist in the restructuring of China Floorball. Wang Tao further believes that with the release of Standard, it not only can further standardise the development of floorball and enrich the connotation of extracurricular physical exercise for youth, but also contributes to the scientific evaluation of youth’sports and the training of talents of competitive sports.

– Shanghai University Sports Association will fully support the implementation of the Standard test work, and cooperate with the center and Chinese Hockey Association to promote floorball to more schools, so that students can have more sports to choose from and move towards a better future together, Xue Mingyang, President of Shanghai University Sports Association, said

Wang Xingfang, Vice President of Shanghai University of Sports, Ching SJ, Vice President of AOFC, also expressed the congratulations and fully affirms the significance of the official launch of the Standard and its influence on the standardising, promotion and development of the sport.

Finally, Peng Ning, Office Director of the center, announced that the Standards and Testing Methods for Sports Skills Level of Floorball for Youth were officially launched.

After the conference, the official website of the General Administration of Sport of China, Chinese Hockey Association and several mainstream media in China reported on the conference, further expanding the influence of floorball in China: