VIERUMAKI – Participants from near and far come together in Finland for the good of the game's long-term development in a week where Olympic dreams will also be realized as the 2015 IIHF Hockey Development Camp and the Global Skills Challenge Summit get off the ground in Vierumaki.
Coming together at the inspirational confines of the Finnish Sports Institute, IIHF Sport Director Dave Fitzpatrick extended his welcome to the hockey world converging under the same roof during his opening ceremony speech.
"This is a very special place for our athletes, coaches, officials, program managers, program instructors, assistants, helpers and organizers from 52 separate countries. What we got here are five continents coming together about a game we hold very, very close to our hearts," said Fitzpatrick about the busy week of activities taking place in Vierumaki between 4-11 July.
The week-long Development Camp sees 193 participants convene in seven different programs aimed to stimulate the growth of the game such as player development, team coach development, goalkeeper coach development, team manager development, equipment manager development, administrators’ education program and the Learn to Play program.
"While we are here we will also have six teams on the ice," said Fitzpatrick in the direction of the male contingent of players born in 2000 who are taking part in this year's development camp. "But we also have a group of athletes here trying to qualify for Olympic medals that will be awarded next February during the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway."
With the 2016 Youth Olympic Winter Games looming around the corner, a more competitive edge will also be on show at Vierumaki during the next seven days. With places at the Olympics up for grabs, a total of 68 boys and girls born 2000 have arrived to take part at the Global Skills Challenge Summit.
Based on a series of individual skill tests designed by the IIHF, competitions such as fastest lap, shooting accuracy, skating agility, fastest shot, passing precision and puck control will severely put skills to a test as 15 female and 15 male athletes seek to seal a place taking them to the 2016 Youth Olympic Winter Games held in Lillehammer, 12-21 February 2016.
Addressing the young hopefuls during an opening day introductory meeting, IIHF Skills Challenge Manager Harald Springfeld labelled the Global Skills Challenge Summit as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" and a "unique chance to compete for Olympic medals".
With a total of 37 countries taking part at the final qualification event in Vierumaki, a seeding event is to be held between Sunday to Tuesday which not only will determine the draw but also help the competitors to familiarize themselves with the surroundings and the skills tests facing them. Starting as of Wednesday the knockout stages of the qualification round then gets underway with 30 lucky athletes heading for Norway early next year to be decided on Friday.
So there’s plenty to look forward to ahead of an eventful week in Finland, an ideal starting point to sharpen the tools of your trade and springboard you on to future success, a point IIHF Sport Director Fitzpatrick was keen to address as his opening speech came to a close.
"We've been doing camps here in Vierumaki since 2002. A lot of players and athletes from here, coaches from here, organizers from here as well as administrators have gone on to World Championships and Olympic Games," said Fitzpatrick.
"You represent our future, at World Champions, Olympic Games and for all competitions. But you are here this week to learn, to share your ideas, to meet people of the same age and the same calibre from all around the world, but the most important part of our message is when you leave here that's when the journey begins."
HENRIK MANNINEN
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