AIK Innebandy

Infobox International Floorball Club
club_name = AIK IBF
bg_color = #000000
text_color = #ffff00
logo_

league = Swedish Super League
founded = 1891, floorball since 1996
also_known =
general_manager =
head_coach = Ulf Hallstensson
captain =
player_rep =
championships = 2006

AIK IBF (often referred to as AIK or AIK Innebandy) is a Swedish floorball club and a department of AIK, that is currently playing in the highest Swedish floorball league, Swedish Super League (SSL). They debuted in SSL in the 2000/01 season and have played 7 seasons so far. AIK IBF won their first and only championship in 2006 when they defeated Pixbo Wallenstam IBK in the SSL final.

Info

[ [http://www.innebandy.se/templates/IDA/Team.aspx?id=8811&TeamID=20639&epslanguage=EN - AIK info on innebandy.se ] ]
Founded: 1891, floorball since 1996
Home arena: Solnahallen, capacity 2 100
Uniform colors, home: Black, black
Uniform colors, away: White, white
Main Rivals:
Swedish Championships won: 1 (2006)
Eurofloorball Cup Gold: 2 (2007, 2008)

History

AIK Innebandy was founded in 1996. In their first season, 1996/1997, AIK played in the Swedish Division 1, but they directly got relegated and played the next year in Division 2. AIK won that division - but they still had to play in Division 2 the next year. This was because of a change in the Swedish league system. In the 1998/99 season AIK, once again, won Division 2 and now got to move to Division 1. The second season in Division 1 in the club's history started with Solnahallen becoming their home arena. The season ended with AIK taking the first position in Division 1 and got to play the coming season in the Swedish Super League (then called Elitserien).

The inaugural season in SSL started with AIK making a new attendance record for league games, when they played at Hovet in front of 3000 viewers. In that game AIK beat the then reigning Swedish Champions Haninge IBK 3-2. Even though AIK was the leagues newcomer that season, they managed to get to the playoffs, where they lost in the quarterfinal against Balrog IK in the 4th game of their best-of-5 series (3-1). The next season, 2001/02, also become successful when AIK won the regular season, 3 points before Haninge IBK, after 21 victories in 30 games. They once again lost in the playoffs against Balrog IK, but this time in the semifinal which was the first semi in the club's history. The regular season 2002/03 was average, with AIK finishing in 5th place. For a third time AIK and Balrog IK met in the playoffs. This time AIK took the lead by winning the first 2 games, but Balrog IK won the next 3 games, taking the best-of-5 series 3-2.

In the next season AIK managed to go all the way to the final, that was played in Hovet, Stockholm. They faced Balrog IK in the final and played in front of a new attendance record for club floorball of 8064 viewers. This game has been called by many in Swedish floorball the most entertaining game that ever has been played. Balrog IK took the lead with 4-1, but AIK managed to reduce, equalize and even take the lead with 5-4 deep into the third and last period. With 83 seconds left Thomas Brottman, a defender for Balrog IK, scored and the game was once again even at the score of 5-5. With 12 seconds left on the game clock, Balrog IK's Adam Grane shot the goal that ended the game at 6-5 to Balrog IK. AIK got the silver. The 2004/05 season ended with another final for AIK. There they faced Warberg IC a game played in Globe Arena for 14 656 spectators. But for the second year in a row, AIK lost and Warberg IC won 3-2. Finally, in the 2005/06 season, AIK won the final and their first ever Swedish Floorball Championship. The final was contested between AIK Pixbo Wallenstam IBK and the end result was 6-2 to AIK in front of 12987 åskådare.

The regular season in 2006/07 went well - AIK finished second. For the quarterfinal AIK picked Caperio/Täby FC to be their opponent. Caperio/Täby FC won the two first games in a series of five games. The third game ended with the score at 8-6 in AIK's favor and they still hoped for a semifinal. But the fourth game, AIK lost on penalties (3-3 at full time). This is viewed in Sweden as on of the biggest upsets in Swedish floorball in a long time - maybe even the biggest.

Roster

"As of 14 July, 2008." [ [http://www.aik.se/innebandy/index.html - Roster on AIK.se ] ]

Rreferences

External links

*http://www.aik.se/innebandy AIK IBF's official web site