Hockey Adventures in the Alps

The ISBHF AGM in Visp, Switzerland

Alessandra Glista, Assistant Director of Hockey Operations, USA Ball Hockey

This past January, I traveled with Chris Banks, President of USA Ball Hockey (USABH) to represent the United States in Visp, Switzerland at the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation’s (ISBHF) Annual General Meeting (AGM). 

If the gorgeous setting for the meeting wasn’t enough, it was also held at the sparkling new Lonza Arena where the ISBHF U20 and U18 Boys World Championships will be played this summer. In addition to the amazing opportunity to visit the beautiful town and facility, the AGM meeting is critically important. The meeting provides an opportunity for all the delegates of the ISBHF nations to meet in person and review events from the ball hockey world from this past year and plan what is to come for 2020 and beyond.

Honestly, it was a bit of a whirlwind trip. I left the U.S. on Thursday evening, met Chris at the Zurich Airport on Friday, and took a beautiful 2 and 1/2 hour train ride to Visp. That evening, we attended a reception at the Lonza Arena where representatives from the ISBHF, the Junior World Championship hosting committee, and local dignitaries of Visp to discuss the upcoming Junior event this summer. While there, we interviewed with the junior hosting committee, and watched a SwissLeague Professional ice hockey game between EHC Visp and HC Biasca Ticino Rockets. We even had a chance to try fondue, which, by the way, IS AMAZING. 

Saturday was the official start of the AGM meeting. It was a full day of hockey talk that lasted from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m and we discussed all the 2020 upcoming events. After that discussion, all the ISBHF committees had a chance to present on the past year’s initiatives and future projects. 

Among the key takeaways is that the ISBHF is very committed to having ball hockey as an event in the Olympics. In order for that to be done, each country needs to follow specific guidelines to be fully recognized as a participating nation. It was fascinating to learn about this process and how committed they are at helping countries gain official status so we can take the required steps to pursue this goal. 

We also learned that Hockey Canada officially recognized the Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA) as the official governing body of Canadian ball hockey in their country. It is another huge step forward for our sport and one that many other countries hope to emulate soon. Another highlight was hearing all the work being done by the International Development Committee to help identify new member nations who want to become a part of the ISBHF. The meeting also focused on discussions regarding future events and also the ISBHF elections for staff. 

At the conclusion of the meeting, we all gathered for dinner and shared stories of some great ball hockey memories and said our goodbyes. The next morning we were up before the sun and took the train back to the airport and sadly left this amazing city for home. It was a very quick trip, but so much was accomplished. Anyone who has had the privilege of attending one of these meetings quickly finds out just how many people there are who love our game and volunteer their time to grow the sport. Our amazing ball hockey family continues to grow all over the world! It’s an exciting time and I feel fortunate to be able to represent the United States and help make decisions to keep our sport moving forward.