A rush of blue and green tracksuits floods the courts at Ākau Tangi Sports Centre – laughter bouncing off the walls and smiles wide. The air hums with gratitude, disbelief and joy. This is the Solomon Islands men’s national floorball team, the Basiotos – and for the first time in history, they are competing on the international stage.

Wellington is hosting the men’s floorball world championship qualifiers for the Asia-Oceania region, until January 19.

The sport has been described as ice hockey without the ice. It’s indoors, five-a-side, with lightweight sticks and balls.

There are 10 teams competing, including New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, China, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and the Solomon Islands. Just four qualify for the main event in Finland.

For player and coach of the Basiotos, Adam Olofsson, this experience feels sentimental. “For me personally, it means a lot, it has been my dream since I was 16 years old,” he says.

Olofsson, who travelled from Sweden and largely funded the journey himself, helped introduce floorball to the Solomon Islands just a few years ago. Many of the players hadn’t heard much about the sport before he arrived. “Its such strong bonds that you build up, and to teach someone a totally new sport is unique as well, and to see them enjoy it, and having fun, that;s the most important thing. They bring joy when they come to trainings, and we fight together for a target.”

For player Brendan Jacob Satu, representing his country still feels surreal. “I never thought I would represent Solomon Islands, especially playing floorball. It’s an honour.”

Their journey to the sport began unexpectedly. The team recalled how Olofsson turned up unannounced to one of their skill sessions with equipment in hand, trying to introduce them to the sport – until their coach said he had to wait.

Vice-captain Nyrick Zuna has been documenting the journey through short vlogs, sharing everything from coffee culture to city walks.

Team captain Ricky Fai’ramoa says Wellingtonians have been kind and welcoming, especially their host and team liaison Emma Wiliams. When Williams arrived, the boys called her mum.

She speaks even more highly of them. “From meeting them at the airport to now, every single one of these guys is a total treasure. Their spirit, their strength, their bravery, their courage, their kindness, their fun … they never stop smiling, they never stop saying thank you, they are so appreciative of the support over here. Every single one of them is very close to my heart now.”

Floorball New Zealand’s Adrian Ballantyne describes the Solomon Islands team with just as much praise. “They’re quite humble with attitude, but they’ve been phenomenal. They’ve sort of brought this level of physicality and speed that we certainly didn’t have when we started.”

Ballantyne says funding still remains one of the biggest barriers for growth in the sport – for both New Zealand and Pacific teams. “The players pay for themselves. So if we go to a tournament in Singapore, we’re looking at five, six, seven grand for those players each, just to participate. So that’s the hardest bit, is getting some real investment and getting some go-ahead. But look, we’re growing without it, so we’re hoping we’ll get some.”

Documentary film maker Haig Balian, who travelled to Honiara to follow the team’s story, says what he found went far beyond just a sport. “They practice all the time but they don’t have enough food to make up the calorie deficit. They don’t have the facilities that all the other countries here have. And yet, it’s just his really inspiring story.”

Already, the impact of floorball in the Solomon Islands is being felt well beyond the court. Some players have travelled to other provinces and villages, introducing the sport to students and communities who had never seen it before – passing on not just skills, but opportunity.

In Wellington, the Basiotos may be newcomers to the international stage. But back home, they’re trailblazers, proving that with courage, community, and a little bit of chance, even the smallest nations can leave a mark on the world stage.