The MSJ mascot in Žilina will be Pacho again!

The name for Pacha was chosen by fans four years ago on social networks. The author of the character is Mária Herodeková, a member of the Puppet Theater in Nitra, now retired: "I suddenly remembered the boys from our street who played hockey in tennis shoes, with a small ball and put the goals down every time a car drove by. emerged a shunter, a bandit and a bit of a rebel, who plays for the joy of the game and of the movement with the desire to win," Mrs. Herodeková began to reveal Pacho's birth and origin. "With a smile, I imagined that if hockey sticks had been known in our country a hundred years ago, would even skirmishers in turbans, girded with Detvian belts, have been chasing the rag ball? Only if they would have found some plain while grazing sheep? (smile)."

The mascot is therefore a cheerful Detvan with fire in his hair, which is a characteristic of hockey as an explosive sport, it has traditional Slovak elements - a Detvian shirt as a jersey, a cap and a shepherd's belt. You will be able to meet Pacha at various events even outside the arena in Žilina, of course he will be moving around the most at the WC venue. So it will also be available as a life-size model, i.e. a real live Pacho. Ján Prachár took care of the 3D model and visualizations. "Precisely because it's so funny and Slovak at the same time, I dressed our mascot in a shortened hockey ball jersey with wide sleeves in the style of a costume shirt, as worn by the Detvian "holopupkáči" and put on Slovak krpkies. He has a characteristic belt with two buckles wrapped around his childishly fat belly His hair is red, combed up in a boyish way, he has put his helmet away, he is a rebel after all! (smile)," said Herodeková.