The Hockey Association of Slovenia in cooperation with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) hosted a meeting of representatives of hockey federations of Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey and representatives of the IIHF.
The meeting was primarily aimed to identify the needs of the national ice hockey associations in the Balkans, because the IIHF is working for a multi-annual plan for the development of hockey in the region. "To collect informations from the national organizations of the region is crucial for the development of appropriate incentives by the international umbrella organization," said Henrik Bach Nielsen, who as a member of the IIHF Council is responsible for the issue of the development of hockey in the Balkans.
Participants of the meeting outlined the current situation of hockey in their countries and presented some of their initiatives of mutual cooperation, with particular emphasis on lower age categories of players. Despite the fact that the countries of the region in the hockey sport are at a various stages of development, some of the challenges facing the local umbrella organizations face very similar. The biggest challenge in most cases is the lack of adequate infrastructure and financial resources; together by a great will to work, particularly with young people, and the love of the sport.
The Hockey Federation of Slovenia took the opportunity to present a project for the development of hockey in the Balkans, which is based on two pillars; the first involves a hockey academy and development camps, while the second, more long-term in nature, focuses on the integration of competitions in the region. The aim of the Academy is the development of hockey coaching staff and other support for clubs, development sites would be focused on the youngest hockey players in the earliest stages of young hockey players.
On this occasion it was the side HZS presented the idea of a national center for the development of hockey that by using modern technological solutions enable high quality development as hockey players of all age categories, as well as hockey experts.
"With this year's meeting is the first time in a systematic and organized manner approach to the development of hockey in the region and I hope that the IIHF find an ear for the proposed initiative," underlined the President of HZS Matjaž Rakovec.
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