2nd WHPP Festival and Academy a complete success

21st April 2024, Klagenfurt – The main rink at the Klagenfurt Ice Arena was only getting ready for the IIHF Women World Championship Division I-A, while the practice rink next door had already been swarming with young girls in hockey gear. The 2nd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy brought together over one hundred young female ice hockey players from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia. Over the three days, they worked on their on-the-ice skills, learned about off-the-ice elements of the sport, and forged friendships with other young athletes from the region.

Day one of the event was focused on practicing various skills in small groups, headed by coaches from all five teams. The groups were mentored by the IIHF coaching experts Erika Holst, Kristi Kehoe and Satu Kiipeli. The session was of added value not only for the young players but also an opportunity for the coaches from the five different countries to share knowledge between themselves, as well as with the IIHF experts. A particular benefit of the session was the possibility of trying out the newly acquired approaches in real-time. 

Staying with the tradition of the event’s dual nature of combining activities both on and off the ice, the other focus of the day was on a mental preparedness workshop led by Katja Passanen. She discussed the issues of motivation and self-confidence in sports with the young players and coaches. Since many of the participants have yet to attend such type of coaching, it was a welcome opportunity for them to get acquainted with this part of an athlete’s development and growth.

The second day at the ice rink included practices dedicated exclusively to hockey goalies and the ice hockey game officials. The goalies were mentored by Florence Schelling, a former Swiss Women’s National Team Goaltender and four-time Olympian. The referee sessions were led by Alexia Cheyroux, a linesperson in the French men’s professional leagues and linesperson at the recent IIHF Women’s World Championship in Utica, NY. These early bird coachings were followed by practice sessions for the teams, focusing on the various aspects of the game. In the afternoon, the teams got their chance to test the freshly acquired knowledge in three-on-three games, with coaches and experts standing by to evaluate and advise their actions in real-time. When not grinding on the ice, the teams also attended additional mental coaching workshops.

The third day started with another spell of educational practice sessions for goalies, coaches and referees. This was followed by a tournament of mixed teams of players from all the participating countries, with their coaches and IIHF experts as team staff. Regardless of the final winner, the tournament was the best possible conclusion of a three-day event, as the young girls got the chance to play with, and against their peers from the region. 

Once again, the WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy proved to be a beneficial venue for young players, not only to develop their sports skills and knowledge but also to forge new friendships.