Czech U16 National Team: About 25 Players Have the Quality to Play in the World Championship!

Mr. Coach, you had another camp with the U16 national team. How satisfied were you with the facilities at the Nikolajka ice rink in Prague before the upcoming championship?

For us, it was ideal. The rink dimensions match those in Žilina. We had large locker rooms available, which is an unusual comfort for ball hockey.

Besides training sessions, you played preparatory matches with the junior team of Hostivař. How did this match with a quality team help your team in preparation?

I want to thank the boys from Hostivař for accepting our offer and playing a quality match. The game was more balanced than the result (3:7) indicates, but the greater experience and maturity of the older players showed. The difference was mainly in handling some game situations, finishing scoring opportunities, quality final passes, etc.

This camp was mainly for players born in 2008 due to the U15 regional tournament, where you also aimed to see younger players. What did this tournament show you?

We went to see some selected players. It was true that we saw them in different situations and roles than in camps. I would say that all the players we are monitoring showed that they are key players in the selections of individual regions.

At the beginning of the national cycle, you had over a hundred players in the wider nomination, from which you are trying to form a quality team. What are your current feelings about the forming team for the championship?

Yes, the first elimination was somewhat lengthy, and going through it with club coaches' recommendations was more demanding. But I think we have now managed to assemble about 25 players who we believe have the quality to play in the championship. Of course, we are happy to stay in touch with club coaches regarding any player who has made significant progress and should be considered.

In the past, you mentioned that players at this age have greater differences in physical maturity and make significant progress quickly. Did this confirm your expectations, and did some players surprise you with their performances during the camp?

Yes, there are significant differences in physical maturity among players, which is reflected in their game performance. As with all categories I have coached, we encountered situations where some players performed very well at one camp and disappointed at the next, and vice versa. But this is common; camps are very short, and not everyone has their day.

It was mentioned before the March camp that the next camp would be in June, but there was also a date in May under consideration. How do you view the final preparation, and what will be its content?

We are still finalizing the program, but with the selected players, we will focus more on training sessions aimed at specific game situations, power plays, and working on the composition of pairs, threes, and entire lines to ensure that the players fit together well.

Source: Markéta Peclová. Photo: Redakce hokejbal.cz. Photographer: Filip Červinka.

Original article: https://www.hokejbal.cz/clanek/5410-podarilo-se-nam-nyni-sestavit-zhruba-25-hracu-o-kterych-jsme-presvedceni-netaji-se-pavel-stefka