October 17, 2021 IIHF
by Martin Merk
Netherlands: Heerenveen
The Ice Hockey Federation of the Netherlands organizes every year a big Girls Only weekend since the launch of the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend and this year 147 participants and 16 coaches from different teams, six referees and 30 volunteers came to Heerenveen Thialf for this year’s camp. They all came from different clubs across the country and were from 9 to 47 years old. The players were split into eight teams and played a round robin tournament.
“After 10 times we have seen this to help women’s ice hockey grow and also the level of play. We got a big tombola with 900 prizes and big dinner together,” said Jenny Goessens, chief of girls’ events. 80 girls from further away slept in a big sport hall and had pizza together. Among the participants were also 20 girls from neighbouring Belgium. “We are working together to get more things for the girls in Belgium and the Netherlands.”
This year also board members of the federation came to check out the big annual event. “They were very surprised about everything and gave us a promise to help us more in the future with girls’ events,” Goessens said. “Everyone was enthusiastic about the weekend and a lot of people gave compliments. The girls are looking forward to next year.”
Goessens also looks back at the ten years. From four women’s teams in the country the women’s hockey family has grown to seven teams competing in a league plus one team from Belgium. “And we have two, three teams coming next season so we are very proud of the growth that women’s ice hockey is making.”
There are also plans to have smaller girls’ events throughout the season in different locations.
During the weekend the Ilse Robben Award was given to Marlies Goessens (2020) and Wilma Olijhoek (2021). The new Ilse Robben Talent Award went to 10-year-old Iliana Diels from Belgium for her performance at the camp.
USA: Bowling Green
Bowling Green State University has spawned well-known NHL players like Rob Blake, Nelson Emerson, and Brian Holzinger. Yet on Saturday, the focus was squarely on women’s hockey in this Ohio city, as Slater Family Ice Arena hosted its World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend event.
With 12 participants aged between 4 and 10, the atmosphere was upbeat and there was plenty of personalized attention. Equipment was handed out right when the girls arrived, and then they hopped on the ice to hone their skills and participate in drills. In addition, they got a post-skate meal and a free invitation to an open skate time of their choice.
“Our participants and families were excited about the program and loved seeing female coaches on the ice,” said Tony Lake, president of the Bowling Green Youth Hockey Association. “Girls who had never skated before fell in love with hockey.”
Oman: Muscat
The Ice Skating Center at the Funzone entertainment center in Qurum, a suburb of the capital Muscat, was the venue for Oman’s first participation in the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. On Friday the Gulf country thus became the newest to take part in the global initiative held annually in October to promote ice hockey for girls and women.
In our featured story we talked with player and organizer Dalal Ambusaidi. Click here to access the story.
Switzerland: Kreuzlingen
The hockey clubs Thurgau Indien Ladies and EHC Kreuzlingen-Konstanz organized one of Switzerland’s events at the shore of Lake Constance in Kreuzlingen with ten girls from 5 to 12 years.
After getting to know the club the girls were on the ice for one hour with a professional coach and a Thurgau player.
“The girls were really happy. The parents are happy with the organization and that the girls could try ice hockey. They think that this weekend is a great chance for the female hockey,” said Andrea Kroni, board member and head of the youth organization.
Germany: Mannheim
The SAP Arena in Mannheim, known from the 2010 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, welcomed more than 25 girls and young women from 5 to 15 years at the event organized by EKU Mannheim Mad Dogs Girlies.
Mexico: Mexico City
Mexico currently sits 26th in the IIHF Women’s World Ranking, right behind Spain. But who knows? If World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend continues to spur positive growth, perhaps Mexico will become the leading primarily Spanish-speaking power in women’s hockey.
Monica Trejo, the president of the Girls Hockey League Mexico within the Mexican Ice Hockey Federation, helped to organize a 2021 event at the Buenavista shopping mall rink in Mexico City. It attracted 35 girls aged 5-17, as well as six coaches and three other staff members.
The girls enjoyed a two-hour morning program with three stations for different skill levels.
“We used almost all the games and drills suggested in the IIHF manual,” said Trejo. “All the girls were happy, laughing, playing, and the parents were excited as they participated from outside. Every girl got a certificate at the end.”
Trejo said she hopes the WGIHW event will bring in more girls to play both at the club level and international level. Last year, one girl brought her two sisters and three friends. Ole!
Iceland: Reykjavik
Skautafelag Reykjavikur organized one of the Icelandic events at the Laugardalur Ice Rink in downtown Reykjavik with 60 girls and women joining from the age of 3 to 30.
The participants were received with a warm welcome – hot chocolate and kleinur donuts. Then it was time to borrow the equipment and hit the ice that was split into three parts for skating, a skills course and a hockey game.
“All around happiness and love from participants and parents. Since we started hosting the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend and Global Girls’ Game on regular bases we have increased girl players in the club by 500 per cent,” said Bjarni Helgason, the head of the youth program.
Alexandra Hafsteinsdottir, a player from the women’s team, works with the U8 and U10 groups in the club and with a special girls’ practice each week the club has been working on keeping girls’ in hockey.
Belgium: Bekkevoort
The Royal Belgian Ice Hockey Federation organized a girls’ event at Ice Skating Center Mechelen with 21 young participants including 18 girls who started ice hockey two years ago and three who were first-timers. There was also a hockey mum who for the first time joined her daughter on the ice.
The girls joined stations based on the Learn To Play program directed by former national team player Nadine Leirs so that everyone could try out different aspects of ice hockey according to their level. Former national team goalie Kirsten Schonwetter gave a dedicated practice to the goalies. The session ended with 3-on-3 hockey and many smiling faces.
“All girls had a lot of fun. They love to play hockey among girls. Most of the Girls in Belgium have to play in mixed teams and are always in minority. There is less pressure between girls. Also the atmosphere is always nice between the girls even if they are from different clubs,” said Tina Moons of the women’s ice hockey committee.
“We got very good comments from the parents and a lot of appreciation for taking the initiative to organize a Girls’ Only event. We see the last years an increase of new girls.”
There are now two girls’ teams in the country, one competing in Germany and one in the Netherlands. Now they hope to soon have a third team.
Norway: Oslo
One of several events in the Norwegian capital of Oslo was hosted by Hasle-Loren IL with 30 girls from 4 to 10 years old.
After the arrival on Saturday noon the girls were taken to the dressing room before hitting the ice in three groups. Beginners learned to skate and played. The girls who wanted to try hockey had an obstacle course, some easy drills, played soccer on ice and played a game. The girls who were already experienced had a full hockey practice with a game at the end before all groups joined from socializing and cakes.
“Both parents and participants seemed very happy and satisfied afterwards. The club is also very satisfied with the event, and we are planning to host a new girls hockey day in December,” said Sofie Fjellvang, coach of the girls’ team. “We hope that a lot of the girls who came wants to partake in our skating school, learn to play program or join our weekly practices. The club wants to have a u10 girls’ team from next season, and events like these are important when recruiting new players. It is also important that girls get to play hockey on the same terms as the boys, which is something we are working towards.”
Denmark: Kastrup
16 girls from three clubs joined the Amar Jets’ event in Kastrup who were from 4 to 14 years old.
It was an opportunity for girls to try out ice hockey and for the more experienced ones to play a hockey game where girls from different clubs were mixed together to play against players from their age group. After the morning sessions the girls had breakfast together with the organizers.
“The girls all had a great time, they all thought it was a lot of fun. The parents said it was very well organized and a lot of the girls were happy to participate in this event,” said Saara Hernesniemi-Lindemann from the club.
Bulgaria: Sofia
The Bulgarian Ice Hockey Federation invited current and future female ice hockey players to the Winter Sport Palace in Sofia. Over 30 participants had a master class with the Bulgarian national team players. Girls from the clubs Slavia, NSA, Levski-Sofia, Botevgrad, Levski and Irbis-Skate took part in the event.
The participants were divided into three groups: 6-9 years old, 9-12 years old and 12 and older. Each group worked on different skills depending on their age group and had a small-area game at the end of the ice session.
“The parents were really happy to see so many girls being on the ice together and cheer them during the ice time. At the end of the practice many parents and other club coached asked about organizing weekly ice time for girls only while they continue practise in their own clubs,” said Bulgarian women’s national team captain Stefani Stoyanova. “I was coaching the youngest group and received many photos after the practice and comments were that it was a great practice to watch.”
One goal is to create an under-18 women’s team with the growing number of young female players. The event was also used to look at the skill level of the teenage players. But there were also much younger players.
“The youngest girl was 4 years old and said she felt as she is in the mountain because she felt joy being there and she was very humbled that she managed to play with the puck few times during the cross-ice game at the end,” Stoyanova said. “She even counted the times she was playing with the puck and told her parents and coach after the ice time about it. All girls received an official puck with Bulgarian Ice Hockey Federation logo on it.”
Czech Republic: Ostrava
25 participants from 6 to 14 years old came to the RT Torax Arena in Ostrava to spend all morning with ice hockey. They started working on skating and general hockey skills, had fun activities and short competitions in groups split by age.
“The girls were excited and happy they could participate. The parents said this event could take place more often,” said Katerina Rezekova, manager of the Czech U16 women’s national team.
“Everybody could see that hockey can be fun and it’s not sport only for boys or men. I believe it will bring more girls to play hockey and women’s hockey will become more popular in our country. The best thing was to see the little girls leaving the ice with big smiles on their faces and saying they want to participate once again next year.”
Slovakia: Martin
On the occasion of World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend an event was organized in Martin, Slovakia.
“For people in our town hockey is their most favorite sport, they love it for years. Love to cheer, love to play. In this way, we are glad that girls are also interested in ice hockey, which they showed at the event,” said Denisa Hullova of MHK Martin. “About 50 girls were learning to skate, or those who have experience with hockey were improving themselves.”
New Zealand: Wellington
Daytona Adventure Centre in Wellington hosted a World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend in New Zealand with 33 women and girls taking part on Saturday morning. The age range was 6 to 55 years old and ten of them were totally new to ice hockey.
“We hit the ice and were divided into those that are new to the sport or trying it for the first time and those who are currently playing in one of our leagues,” said Shelley Winters, Vice President and board member at the Wellington Women’s Ice Hockey Development team.
Each group was led by a coach working on skating drills followed by scrimmage, speeches and food time.
“Our parent association, the Wellington Ice Hockey Association, were stoked with the turnout,” she said while the participants found the event awesome and loved the community feel.
The event was part of the continuous growth of women’s ice hockey in the capital of New Zealand. Three years ago there were just women who played with men, now there’s a full women’s team competing nationally.
“Ice hockey in Wellington is a little-known sport, many people often do not know we have a rink and this helped showcase women’s hockey. This day with its focus has put the spotlight on the sport for women and this will help us increase our numbers so that one day we have a full league just for women,” Winters said. “Several new women and girls indicated they wanted to keep coming back.”
Click here for our features story from New Zealand.
Slovakia: Poprad
17 cities host the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend in Slovakia that already started Friday. Among the first events was the one from ZHK Poprad with 36 girls from 4 to 12 years in attendance.
After coming to the rink, getting their jerseys and going to the locker room the girls got their equipment and went onto the ice with the coaches and players from the women’s hockey team.
“The ice rink was divided into five activities on ice and a place for girls who were on ice for the very first time,” said head coach Ivan Bednar. “After the ice session they went to the locker room of ZHK Poprad to see how it looks like in official locker room. After that, they got certificates, presents such as pucks, bags, stickers, bracelets and bottles and former Olympian Petra Orszagh gave them her photo with autograph.
“The girls liked the activities on the ice. They were very happy, when they could visit our team’s official locker room. They liked their new hockey jersey so much that they went home with the jerseys on.”