Slovak Youth Hockey in troubles. Conditions in some cities are sorrowful, says Filc

In the ongoing World championship under 18 in German Crimmitschau players of coach Frühauf got after eight goals from Russians and Americans. The opponent from Switzerland compared with these two was weaker in presumption, but Slovaks even this duel lost. "This is not exactly the best moment for deeper analysis," said disappointed Filc shortly after the game.

Although they beat the sleepy German in the fourth game, Slovaks, whose faces still protects basket, moved to Dresden to maintain an elite group. They’ve failed to reach this goal just in the first relegation group game, in which they lost to Czechs. "It is here that the hockey world progresses by miles steps and we are not enough on the quality of the current conditions. I am in hockey analysis about twelve years and twelve years we have not achieved any progress at all in terms of preparing young people for sport. In many cities the conditions for sports training are sorrowful, "said Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the Slovak Ice Hockey Ján Filc.

A similar trend also had Slovak U18 in the past three years. The last progress of Slovaks play-offs in the championship was in 2007, when they played in the quarterfinals. There American Team didn´t let them celebrate the next progress. "Just some six or seven years we play only for saving in the elite group. In many cases, we had a lot of luck, when opponent´s results helped us and we barely saved ourselves. It is a signal that the situation is really serious," bronze medalist junior championships in 1971 and 1972 realizes himself.

Integrating national U20 team named HK Orange 20 to the senior leagues didn´t bring improve Slovak performance, in category U20 Slovaks dind´t celebrate even more. Their last unique hour of glory is dated to 2009 when crew around talented goalie Jaroslav Janus and skilful forvard Tomas Tatar sensationally advanced to semifinal in Ottawa. "We try to solve things to succeed. An example was the start of the project HK Orange 20, which brings something, but does not resolve the Slovak Youth Hockey´s troubles.“

Czech Rep. / Slovakia	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
WCH-18	9 (relegated) / 5	- / 7	6 / 7	7 / 8	present
WCH-20	5 / 8	5 / 7	6 / 4	5 / 8	7 / 8

Comparison of the results of Czech Republic and Slovakia Youth in WCHs. Note: In 2008, the Czech team U18 didn´t start in the elite group.

The Slovak fans shake their heads in puzzlement. Senior team did several years ago manage to climb to the top. However, Ján Filc aware that results of one extraordinary generation can´t be the base line. "We still comfort ourselves in history and relatively good performance of the A-team. But even they are not strong enough to cover the problems of our youth hockey and sports in general," says bitterly 58–official, adding that all efforts to change the state still does not meet with success. "I'm letting out my responsibility, we're all soaked into. But all our materials, reports and analysis stocke up inside the drawers in the ministries and institutions. The society seems to not even have an interest in ensuring that the conditions of preparation of youth sports have changed dramatically. In addition to making the analysis it is necessary to work well. But Slovak state has not taken even the basic document defining the role of sport in our state system.“

In connection with the results of Czech hockey youth people often speak about the lack of opportunities for young talent in the senior competitions. According to Filc, Slovaks problems are even in a few more categories under. "We have a big problem with the crossing of children and adolescents toward juniors. We are not in such conditions, where boys are prepared by the neighboring countries including the Czech Republic, Norway, and not to mention how we lag far behind America, Sweden and Finland. Also Germans show us that their system produces results much faster than ours.“

 

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