Zivot u Zabolandu
29.06.2013., subota
Sweden's got Hockey Magic
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Day 3 For the third day we didn’t have to travel far. Only to Partille in the suburbs of Gothenburg. Partille is one of the best Swedish clubs and also one of the best European clubs when it comes to indoor hockey. Field hockey is a different story. Although they do have the best pitch in Sweden (with permanent hockey lines on it) it’s still a football pitch which they have to share with the local football club. It’s for us once more an evidence to remarkable energy and passion our hockey brothers and sisters from Sweden have to keep this beautiful sport going. Today we had the same group of kids like yesterday. A beautiful sight at the pitch a few minutes before we started our morning session: all the kids were on the pitch practicing the hits and the tricks from the day before. We worked on improving the rhythm in different hockey techniques and different hits. Also added some new hits, the hit on the run with the right foot forward and the cross-step hit for generating extra power. Our goalkeeper needed a new glove, after some older guys mastered this last hit. The Hockey Magic part was very special as some of the kids showed their own tricks and impressed the rest and us as well. Some youngsters were surprisingly good in performing the always good looking “windmill”. Although Swedish often complain about the lack of good pitches, the pitches they have great conditions on these football pitches for lifts and chops and they proved that in our 3D part. One of the participants almost broke the record in chopping the ball over seven bodies lying next to each other like sardines. And then in no time the clinic was finished already. Some of them wanted to make one more try hitting the ball blindfolded or scoring the most beautiful goal in the game, but there was no time any more. At the end of the clinic Sara Stigzelius, the president of Swedish Hockey Federation came and we discussed their challenges in the future. We said goodbye to a lot of happy faces in Partille and starting packing for a long trip to the next stop of the Nordic Caravan, Sorbymagle, Denmark. Hej da Sverige! You’ve got talent. Dick and Tommie |