It is half six in the morning and 23 kids in red tracksuits are
sizing one another cautiously, all wondering what the next five days will be
like. Parents and siblings have gathered around hockey bags in small groups
drinking coffee looking calm but bursting with pride and excitement inside.
This was the team and the supporters that were about to jump on a plane and
travel to Bratislava for a hockey tournament. Here’s what happened next.
The journey to get to that plane had been long and hard.
These players represented some of the brightest U11s talent that UK has to
offer and they had been selected after having played in four conference level
tournaments and two specific selection camps throughout the season. They had gone
head to head with other players on and off the ice and convinced the coaches
that they have what it takes to not just participate but to compete and excel at
the highest level.
The day when the final team was announced was eagerly
awaited and when the emails came through, they were greeted with a mixture of
smiles, cheers, relief and sense of achievement.
Becoming a team
One of the challenges with select teams is morphing into a coherent group in a short space of time. For the UK Prospects this seemed to come
naturally. The chemistry and atmosphere within the team was positive from the
start and the kids mixed with each other rather than sticking with their mates
from clubs and conference sides.
The coaches and managers played a big role in facilitating
this environment and before we knew it, the kids were singing and dancing their
way through warm ups and gaps between the games building new friendships as the
days went by.
Ultimately this was something that also showed on the ice. The
journey from adjusting mindset and attitude of being a star player at club and
conference to being a “more equal” team member wasn’t always painless. There were
definite signs of players making this transition during the trip and as the labels
of being a first line or a fourth line player disappeared, the kids learned
to fight for one another and battle for the team to beat their opposition.
That’s not something that can be taken for granted as it is
not an easy thing for a ten year old child to do. It was certainly one of the
highlights of the trip to see the kids go through this process.
Game play
What was surprising to see was that the UK Prospects played
a very fast and modern game that many senior sides would be jealous of. They
turned around super quick when they won possession and often looked to attack
with speed and with support. I don’t know how much of this was intentional but
the number of times they did a quick D to D pass on the neutral zone followed
by playing the puck to wing or centre who was already skating at the opponent D
with pace was amazing.
The team also pressurised incredibly aggressively whilst
still maintaining shape and position, particularly in the attacking zone. A lot
of that was underpinned by strong skating ability with and without the puck,
something that appeared to be one of the key selection criteria for the team in
the first place.
Having said all that let’s not forget that these are still
little kids at the start of their hockey journeys. Over analyzing their
performance would be all too easy and would really do them no justice. The truth
at the end of the tournament was that the team exceeded expectations on the ice
big time and really showcased what they are already capable of.
It’s all about
attitude
The team went through a grueling program of 13 games in five
days. The schedules being somewhat fluid and unpredictable meant that the days
at the rink were long and that sleep and rest was at premium. It would have
been totally natural for that level of strain to show in their performance.
Yet this team remained positive throughout. There were times
and games when they could have played better but when it came to the next game,
they always came out fighting.
This was most evident in the bronze medal games
that were played as best of three series. The UK Prospects beat the Dutch
convincingly in the first game but had a dip in the second game and lost it leading
to game three to be played as the last game of the final day.
The way the team came out and played in that game was
extraordinary. They must have been exhausted by this stage yet they battled and
fought right up to the last second. The result did not go their way but the
team celebrated anyway. I think they knew they had earned respect and the right
to be proud of how they had played. That attitude was simply great to witness.
It was inspiring.
Reflections
This trip and this tournament were not about results. It was
about taking a group of very talented hockey players on a trip that exposed
them to tough games and allowed them to develop and learn from each other and
from their coaches. It was about learning how to become and function as a team.
It was about making new friends. It was about growth.
It was also hard work. It was expensive. It was tiring. But
in the end it was fun and it felt like the kids really enjoyed it, I know mine
did. It is probably fair to say that more than one or two kids would like for
this team to play together again. Let’s hope that they will get a chance to do that
next year. They have earned it.
What a great write up. Straight as it was, everyone trying their best and every game a pleasure to watch, everyone working as a team and attitudes and sportsmanship that a few of their older opponents could have learnt from.
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