One day at his Chicago Jets AA Hockey club practice, Senior Dmitry Kurtz was given a new and unique proposition: joining a floorball team. Despite not knowing much about the sport or workload at the time, Kurtz dived into the new sport with a hopeful and hardworking mindset. 

“When he asked me to attend the tryouts, I was like, ‘I’ll try it,’ and left my mind open to learn what it was. It only took me attending one Sunday night practice to know ‘yes, I am definitely doing this,’” said Kurtz.

Since emerging into the world of floorball, Kurtz has played internationally in U19 and Men’s Leagues. By attending Sunday night scrimmages and practicing at his own makeshift floorball court, Kurtz has worked up to being one of the top 3 floorball players in the United States at the young age of 18. He plays wing, a position where his job is to score. 

Kurtz impressed coaches with his ability to hold his own on the team as a new member, quickly surpassing others as a standout player.

“In a very short time, Dmitry Kurtz has excelled in the game of Floorball, already representing his country in 3+ international competitions. He has traveled around the USA and Europe playing floorball at a very high level,” said Keene Addington, a coach of the Chicago Dogs floorball team. “It has been wonderful to watch his development and rise in the game happen so quickly.”

Despite being the youngest on the team, Kurtz became a crucial part of the Men’s team, where the ages range from 17 to 41. Kurtz had the honor of joining the USA Men’s team to represent the USA in the 2025 World Floorball Championship in Winterthur, Switzerland. 

“It felt surreal. I could see myself playing at this level and wouldn’t stop until I truly made it. By the end of the game, the stadium was full, loud, electric, and chaotic, a new experience for me,” said Kurtz.

To be able to compete at the international level required many games, scrimmages, and overcoming feats along the way. In preparation, he played in Sweden, Belgium, and Canada leading up to Nationals, where he played against the best international players from around the world. 

“At the European games, it’s so loud I can barely hear myself think, which adds to the intensity of the environment. Knowing that floorball is a European sport, I am aware that I am at a disadvantage because I am not as experienced as the European guys, but my mindset is to make an impact for the team no matter what, whether that’s scoring or making assists,” said Kurtz.

Kurtz not only excelled internationally but at national tournaments as well. Kurtz scored the most goals in a Texas 3v3 tournament with 24 goals within six games. Earning him the points and playmaker award. He earned his team 15 points throughout the whole tournament.  

“Most of these games are low scoring, yet intense. Playing in national tournaments is a lot calmer, which allows me to be a little more than I should. We play direct, controlling the ball first, and trying to find the opening,” said Kurtz. 

Kurtz has been training for adult Nationals at the Blackhawks facility. But more recently, he has been selected to represent the USA in the 3v.3 world championships in Spain this June, which is highly competitive and impressive at his age. He will be competing against Sweden, Slovakia, and the Netherlands.