Executive
Board / Committees
The IFBA is aware that Broomball, like all sports, has a distinctive role to play as a force for social integration, tolerance, and understanding. The IFBA ensures membership is open to all, regardless of age, language, religion, culture, or ability. Sport is the single most popular activity in modern society.
The current Board of Directors is:
Marc Desparois
President
Marc started playing broomball at an early age and has enjoyed a long successful broomball career as both a player and coach. Since 1976 Marc played both civilian and military broomball including 20 years with the Canadian Forces, winning multiple team and individual awards, including league, provincial, and national championships. One of the originals from the hard-hitting Montreal team Contrecoeur, now the Titans Montreal, playing with them for over 15 years as well as coached the team while wining the provincial championships. Marc also took his Montreal/Contrecoeur team to Bolzano Italy in 1998 and won the World Broomball championship as a coach/player. He and his team were also finalists in 3 world cup championships. Marc is an offensive defense man, who possesses strong leadership qualities. He is known for being a fierce competitor on the ice, who always plays to win and will never quit until the game is over. Marc joined the IFBA in the year 2000 as VP of Operations and currently he sits as the IFBA President. He brings leadership skills to the table as well as many years of experience in the sport benefits the organization. He vows to lead the organization in an open transparent fashion allowing the members steer the organization and the sport to grow and prosper for years to come.
Kevin Kealey
Vice President Operations
Kevin is the current coach of the Ottawa Nationals, the Eastern Rebels, and the Ottawa Valley Gamblers U20 team. Over the course of his career, he has participated in 12 World Championships as a player, coach, and most recently as the IFBA Vice President of Operations. He has medaled in every championship he has attended, contributing to the Men’s, Women’s, mixed and Masters divisions, and has been part of both Team Australia and a USA Masters team. As a player, Kevin captured two Canadian Championships and two World Championships. As a coach, he has earned 12 Canadian national titles across Men’s, Women’s, and U20 divisions. He led Team Canada at the last two Super Series events, winning both the Men’s and Women’s divisions, and holds two World Championship coaching gold medals. Kevin brings extensive leadership experience to the IFBA, along with a deep commitment to raising standards across the sport. He is dedicated to operating with openness and transparency, ensuring that members have a strong voice in guiding the organization’s future. His focus on sportsmanship, fairness, and competitive excellence drives his work at every event. His goal is ensuring that the highest levels of broomball are supported by strong, modern, and consistent standards. With decades of experience and a passion for the sport’s growth, Kevin remains committed to helping broomball prosper for years to come.
Alan Jabs
General Secretary
Alan has been involved with the sport of Broomball in South Australia for forty-six years, first getting involved when it was suggested that there was a sport that he had not yet tried. Coming from a sporting background which included a successful swimming and semi-professional football (soccer) career the move into broomball was an easy transition after the first tentative steps on the ice. The move into broomball administration came soon thereafter and life on the local committee in South Australia commenced which eventually led to presidency twice after holding other executive positions such as Secretary, Treasurer and Referee in Chief. The chance opportunity to fill a vacating position within the then newly formed Broomball Australia was offered. This position turned out to be the Presidency. A position that Alan filled since 2004 recently retiring after twenty years continuous service in 2024. Still playing today many Alan has represented Australia at many World Championships as a player and official and now one of the country’s foremost officials transitioning into education and training of others to the elite levels, Alan continues to bring a lot of broomball knowledge and experience to the table. He enjoys the challenge of assisting in the evolution and future of the sport bringing it to a whole new level especially at the global level.
Officers
Referee in Chief: Doug Nixon
Rob Horvat
Treasurer
For Rob, sports is a way of life. From a very young age, he was involved in hockey, football, baseball, soccer and basketball. He played semi-professional soccer in Quebec and has
coached soccer since 2007. Rob has significant experience managing the finances for sports, associations and with his latest role as treasurer of the Beaconsfield Kirkland Ringette Association (which runs the largest ringette tournament in Canada).
John Dalgity
Media
John has been involved in the technical aspects of the IFBA and Broomball Canada over the past ten years. He created the Broomball Canada online stats program which has been used for Broomball events nationally and internationally since 2010. He has been involved with Broomball since about 1973 and currently over has over 35 years of broomball experience, playing, coaching and organizing events. John has played roles in host committees for both World and National championships.