SSL referee Frans Dahlstedt has a full circle moment at Gothia Cup Innebandy

Ten years after his first Gothia Cup final, Frans Dahlstedt returns to share his refereeing journey.

Frans Dahlstedt had a formative experience during the early stages of his refereeing career while working at Gothia Cup Innebandy. Ten years later, he officiated an SSL match at Scandinavium during the Gothia Cup Innebandy opening ceremony.

It was in the A-hall at Valhalla where Frans Dahlstedt refereed his first Gothia Cup final. Now, a decade later, he stands in the same place, reflecting back on his refereeing journey.

Frans Dahlstedt, now a referee in SSL, the highest floorball league in Sweden, has been officiating since he was 14 years old. For a time, he balanced refereeing with playing floorball, before his passion for officiating took over.

- For me, it's the perfect challenge to stay in the sport, create fairness, and build relationships between players and coaches, says Frans Dahlstedt.

His first Gothia Cup Innebandy experience was in 2015 at the age of 21.

- At that time, my former colleague and I had been refereeing together for about a year. We lived in Norrbotten, a relatively small floorball district. Coming to Gothenburg to officiate at this tournament was a huge deal.

He notes that Gothia Cup provided an excellent opportunity to grow as a referee, with the conditions necessary for taking the next step in his career.

- Here, there’s a very active focus on referees, with coaching and feedback after every match, which was completely different from what we had back home, Frans Dahlstedt explains.

This was important, as refereeing an international tournament brings its own set of challenges.

- The matches here are more demanding. You face new teams, foreign teams, and officiate in English. There are many challenges you wouldn’t encounter at home. Especially with youth teams that might not speak much English, you need to find other ways to communicate.

How do you tackle these challenges while still learning the craft of refereeing?

- That’s why it’s so educational. You don’t have all the tools yet. You arrive here, face new situations, and there’s someone in the stands with much more experience who comes down to give you tips during breaks and after matches. This is where you develop the most, Frans Dahlstedt emphasises.

What would you say your experience as a referee at Gothia has meant for your career?

- A lot! Coming here left me wanting more. My colleague and I, who lived up north, eventually moved to Gothenburg, partly because of our experiences at Gothia. That says a lot.

He ended up staying in Gothenburg for several years. While there were many reasons for this, he acknowledges floorball's influence on his life choices.

- In terms of floorball, it has meant so much to be here and be part of something. It creates a small family of referees. We meet, develop together, encourage each other, and even compete with one another. It’s stimulating and challenging, says Frans Dahlstedt.

Now, ten years after his Gothia Cup debut, he returns—this time as an SSL referee officiating the match between Pixbo IBK and FBC Kalmarsund, held at Scandinavium following the Gothia Cup Innebandy opening ceremony. He also had the opportunity to exchange words with tomorrow’s refereeing talents.

- It was amazing. We got to meet all the referees, over a hundred of them, before the match.

It reminded him of his own journey.

- Hopefully, some of the young referees here today can think, ‘I want to stand there one day,’ just like I did. A kind of full-circle moment.

After the gathering, it was time for the SSL match, a thrilling encounter that ended 5-4 for Kalmarsund after a decisive goal in the third period. Over 12,000 spectators were present to witness the game.

- Standing in Scandinavium with that atmosphere was incredible. Everything feels more intense in a match like this. The teams are extra motivated, and the stakes are higher. It demands more from us, which is both fun and challenging, Frans Dahlstedt concludes.