LILLEHAMMER – On Wednesday there were no games and no skills competitions on the schedule of the hockey athletes at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games. It was the Learn and Share Focus Day for the youthful players.

For the young men and women this meant to get educated in a playful and fun way about topics that matter in their careers. After all the Youth Olympics are not just about competing but also celebrating sports, learning and understanding the Olympic values at an early stage of their careers.

The athletes were split into two groups who took part in an Integrity Workshop in a hall and learned about Player Safety in two rustic and cosy huts close to the ice hockey venues.

They were welcomed by representatives of the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee to learn about integrity and dangers in the sporting environment.

While a workshop may sound a bit dry for 14- to 16-year-olds, there were interesting lessons to learn in a fun way in the event that also included one of the 15 Athlete Role Models in Lillehammer, American goaltender Molly Schaus.

In a video message a top player who got into trouble with betting spoke to the athletes and told his story to make sure others don’t do the same mistake.

“I played four World Championships and was one of the best scorers of the Danish league. Then I placed a bet on my team,” the player said.

“I didn’t have in mind that I was doing something wrong. I was worried. I was fired from my club and banned from the national team. I missed a World Championship. I lost my job and suffered financially. My poor judgement brought my teammates and my team in a bad position.”

He then explained about three don’ts in terms of integrity. One was harming the integrity of the game and teams by match fixing activities. Another was placing bets in general. “If you play in ice hockey, playing bets on a game you’re involved in is wrong,” he said. The third lesson was about insider information. Don’t share team information with others such as confidential medical information or line-ups, neither personally nor in the world of social media.

The participants learned about integrity hotlines from the IIHF ([email protected]) and the IOC (www.olympic.org/integrityhotline) where anybody can get help or report if they experience anything suspicious.

Then it was time for acting skills. First IIHF staff performed a skit in which a player was betting against her own team and was arrested while two others were approached and offered money by a shadowy figure but reported the incident to their coach.

After the example the participants were ready to prepare their own performance in different groups with jerseys, costumes, wigs and anything else from false moustaches to handcuffs and oversized sunglasses. There were a lot of fun skits. Congratulation to those who won the prizes and to everybody for the fun moments!

In two huts next to the hall, members of the IIHF Athletes Committee welcomed the athletes and coaches with a crackling fireplace and fresh fruits. In one the committee secretary Christian Hofstetter talked about the IIHF’s new initiatives and a platform that is being developed for athletes. With a questionnaire everybody was invited to answer questions about the demand on player safety and the usage of digital media platforms to ensure the current developments go in line with the players’ needs.

At the other hut former Olympic medallists and multiple world champions Sean Burke and Angela Ruggiero encouraged the youth to live the Olympic spirit with excellence, friendship and respect as the pillars and to use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make new friends but also to think about safety and respect in hockey.

The participants had the chance to ask them questions about anything from time management of junior players to opponents they played and get inputs for their own careers from the female Hall of Famer and Burke, who played 18 seasons as a goalie in the NHL.

They showed the participants sequences and asked them about their opinions. It was rule violations in all cases in which the offenders got suspended while the victims suffered injuries.

“We’re trying to make you aware that this is the kind of injuries we want to prevent. We don’t want anybody to be concussed,” Burke said and emphasized the respect for the opponent.

Ruggerio underlined that one can be physical and at the same time use it in a skilled way, use a hit to separate the opponent from the puck as the rule stipulates and not to “destroy” anybody.

“We want to educate you that you can enjoy long careers like the ones we were fortunate enough to have,” Ruggiero said.

Beside the hockey-specific focus day the IOC and the Lillehammer 2016 organizers offer 25 activities and three excursions to the athletes and coaches during the two weeks in which they can learn about Olympism, healthy lifestyle, career paths, cultural exchange and get in touch with 15 world-class athletes who were appointed Role Models and 39 Young Ambassadors.

MARTIN MERK