28 April 2025, Zagreb – This past weekend, the capital of Croatia proudly hosted a three-day WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy. Following the decision made at the last WHPP Consortium Meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, this third and final event in the series marked another milestone in the EU-funded project’s mission to develop women’s ice hockey in the Danube and Western Balkan region. Building on the successes of the past two years and similar events in Maribor (Slovenia) and Klagenfurt (Austria), this edition, held from 25 to 27 April, welcomed over one hundred girls under 18 years of age from Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
Continuing WHPP’s mission, the event maintained the project’s well-established dual-format approach: combining on-ice training and competitive play with off-ice educational workshops through a collaborative, educational platform. The curriculum was carefully designed to support each stakeholder group by covering game strategy and tactics, skill development, coaching dynamics, mental preparation and resilience, leadership, and officiating standards.
The off-ice Academy featured experts commissioned by the IIHF, who led insightful sessions for players, coaches, team leaders, and referees. Satu Kiipeli (Finland), Katja Pasanen (Finland), Alexia Cheyroux (France), Erika Holst (Sweden), and Heather Mannix (USA) contributed to WHPP’s holistic vision by developing female athletes and other key stakeholders involved in women’s ice hockey.
The on-ice Festival showcased all the main highlights that had previously proven valuable during the three-year project. In an effort to promote regional unity and foster friendships, four mixed-nationality teams were formed from the five national U-18 teams. Saturday’s action featured fast-paced 3-on-3 play with a two-referee system, while Sunday’s programme shifted to standard 5-on-5 matches, officiated by a three-person crew. These formats aimed to give players varied, real-game experiences, while instructors provided tailored feedback based on on-ice observations.
The success in Zagreb sets a positive trajectory as the WHPP Consortium prepares for future activities, maintaining its commitment to sustainable and impactful growth in women’s ice hockey across the region.
https://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_2289-scaled.jpg19202560WHPP PRhttps://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/logo-whp4p-340x156.pngWHPP PR2025-04-28 23:33:432025-07-23 14:13:083rd WHPP Festival and Academy was a pinnacle of the three-year project
18th April 2025, Zagreb – The capital of Croatia will host the 3rd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy. From 25th to 27th of April the city of Zagreb will welcome over one hundred young female ice hockey players from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia.
The third in the series of the WHPP educational events will build on the lessons learned from the previous two years of the project, still focusing entirely on the young girls under the age of 18. The event preserves the well-received dual focus of on the ice learning experience, combined with off the ice workshops. The WHPP Consortium believes this comprehensive approach ensures that participants receive a well-rounded education in various aspects of ice hockey, including skills development, strategy and mental preparation.
In order to enhance the real-game learning opportunities, the WHPP Festival will be played with four mixed teams, compiled from the five project partner countries at the beginning of the event. The games on Saturday will be played five on five, while the games on Sunday will be played three on three, with referees officiating the games.
At the same time, the focus of the WHPP Academy will be on the target groups’ education. During the three days event participants will attend presentations and workshops held by IIHF experts: Alexia CHEYROUX (FRA), Erika HOLST (SWE), Kristi KEHOE(USA), Satu KIIPELI (FIN) and Katja PASANEN (FIN).
https://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_1686-scaled.jpg19202560WHPP PRhttps://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/logo-whp4p-340x156.pngWHPP PR2025-04-18 15:25:092025-04-18 15:48:003rd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy
21st December 2024, Sarajevo – The last days of 2024 were a time to look back on the second year of the WHPP project, and to plan ahead for the third and final year of the joint efforts of the national ice hockey federations of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia aimed at the development of women’s ice hockey in the Danube region.
In Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the representatives of the respective national ice hockey organisations attended the annual Consortium meeting to weigh in on the various topics on the agenda. They were joined by the other Consortium members from partner institutions and bodies, namely the Sports Institute of Finland, the University of Ljubljana and the International Ice Hockey Federation.
The Consortium addressed operational and strategic challenges faced by each federation, emphasizing the importance of knowledge exchange and collaborative problem-solving to advance women’s participation in ice hockey throughout the region.
Members of the Consortium thus reviewed the 2nd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival & Academy, which was held in Klagenfurt (AUT) in April 2024. While the initial impression reports had already been done directly after the conclusion of the event, the meeting in Sarajevo provided a platform for more in-depth reviews, educational outputs and evaluation.
The respective lessons learnt from both WHPP ice hockey festivals in Maribor (2023) and Klagenfurt (2024) are of important value for the planning process of the 3rd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival & Academy, which is to be held in Zagreb (CRO) in April 2025. The event’s focus remains on combining competitive tournaments with educational workshops to benefit players, coaches, officials, and other stakeholders involved in women’s ice hockey. Similar to the previous two festivals, the Zagreb edition will thus also include all elements of the previous ones: on-the-ice training, off-the-ice workshops and a final tournament as a practical implementation of the first two elements.
The Sports Institute of Finland and the International Ice Hockey Federation put forward the initiative to organise a WHPP Open Day in the ice hockey clubs of the participating countries, which would take place during the upcoming IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. This could contribute to the project’s visibility and further promote the women’s game.
The Consortium also took stock of the preparation of the WHPP output publication “Equity in Ice Hockey” which will be one of the final deliverables of this three-year project co-funded by the European Union.
The WHPP project aims to promote equal opportunities in women’s ice hockey by enhancing governance practices, raising awareness, and providing education within sports organizations.
https://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024_12_21_WHPP_Consortium4-e1735461933835.jpg10201496WHPP PRhttps://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/logo-whp4p-340x156.pngWHPP PR2024-12-22 16:11:262024-12-27 17:32:21WHPP Consortium taking stock of the project’s second year and drawing up plans for the next one
3rd WHPP Festival and Academy was a pinnacle of the three-year project
/0 Comments/in Coaching, Development, Game Officiating, News, Players /by WHPP PR28 April 2025, Zagreb – This past weekend, the capital of Croatia proudly hosted a three-day WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy. Following the decision made at the last WHPP Consortium Meeting in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, this third and final event in the series marked another milestone in the EU-funded project’s mission to develop women’s ice hockey in the Danube and Western Balkan region. Building on the successes of the past two years and similar events in Maribor (Slovenia) and Klagenfurt (Austria), this edition, held from 25 to 27 April, welcomed over one hundred girls under 18 years of age from Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
Continuing WHPP’s mission, the event maintained the project’s well-established dual-format approach: combining on-ice training and competitive play with off-ice educational workshops through a collaborative, educational platform. The curriculum was carefully designed to support each stakeholder group by covering game strategy and tactics, skill development, coaching dynamics, mental preparation and resilience, leadership, and officiating standards.
The off-ice Academy featured experts commissioned by the IIHF, who led insightful sessions for players, coaches, team leaders, and referees. Satu Kiipeli (Finland), Katja Pasanen (Finland), Alexia Cheyroux (France), Erika Holst (Sweden), and Heather Mannix (USA) contributed to WHPP’s holistic vision by developing female athletes and other key stakeholders involved in women’s ice hockey.
The on-ice Festival showcased all the main highlights that had previously proven valuable during the three-year project. In an effort to promote regional unity and foster friendships, four mixed-nationality teams were formed from the five national U-18 teams. Saturday’s action featured fast-paced 3-on-3 play with a two-referee system, while Sunday’s programme shifted to standard 5-on-5 matches, officiated by a three-person crew. These formats aimed to give players varied, real-game experiences, while instructors provided tailored feedback based on on-ice observations.
The success in Zagreb sets a positive trajectory as the WHPP Consortium prepares for future activities, maintaining its commitment to sustainable and impactful growth in women’s ice hockey across the region.
3rd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy
/0 Comments/in News /by WHPP PR18th April 2025, Zagreb – The capital of Croatia will host the 3rd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival and Academy. From 25th to 27th of April the city of Zagreb will welcome over one hundred young female ice hockey players from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia.
The third in the series of the WHPP educational events will build on the lessons learned from the previous two years of the project, still focusing entirely on the young girls under the age of 18. The event preserves the well-received dual focus of on the ice learning experience, combined with off the ice workshops. The WHPP Consortium believes this comprehensive approach ensures that participants receive a well-rounded education in various aspects of ice hockey, including skills development, strategy and mental preparation.
In order to enhance the real-game learning opportunities, the WHPP Festival will be played with four mixed teams, compiled from the five project partner countries at the beginning of the event. The games on Saturday will be played five on five, while the games on Sunday will be played three on three, with referees officiating the games.
At the same time, the focus of the WHPP Academy will be on the target groups’ education. During the three days event participants will attend presentations and workshops held by IIHF experts: Alexia CHEYROUX (FRA), Erika HOLST (SWE), Kristi KEHOE(USA), Satu KIIPELI (FIN) and Katja PASANEN (FIN).
Friday, 25th of April 2025
ADMIRAL ICE RINK ZAGREB
ADMIRAL ICE RINK ZAGREB (OFF-ICE)
TEAMS’ PROGRAM – HOTEL
16:30 – 17:30 Katja P.
21:30
Saturday, 26th of April 2025
ADMIRAL ICE RINK ZAGREB
TEAMS’ PROGRAM – HOTEL
Sunday, 27th of April 2025
ADMIRAL ICE RINK ZAGREB
TEAMS’ PROGRAM – HOTEL
Winning teams: 17:15 (dressing room)
WHPP Consortium taking stock of the project’s second year and drawing up plans for the next one
/0 Comments/in Governance, News /by WHPP PR21st December 2024, Sarajevo – The last days of 2024 were a time to look back on the second year of the WHPP project, and to plan ahead for the third and final year of the joint efforts of the national ice hockey federations of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia aimed at the development of women’s ice hockey in the Danube region.
In Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the representatives of the respective national ice hockey organisations attended the annual Consortium meeting to weigh in on the various topics on the agenda. They were joined by the other Consortium members from partner institutions and bodies, namely the Sports Institute of Finland, the University of Ljubljana and the International Ice Hockey Federation.
The Consortium addressed operational and strategic challenges faced by each federation, emphasizing the importance of knowledge exchange and collaborative problem-solving to advance women’s participation in ice hockey throughout the region.
Members of the Consortium thus reviewed the 2nd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival & Academy, which was held in Klagenfurt (AUT) in April 2024. While the initial impression reports had already been done directly after the conclusion of the event, the meeting in Sarajevo provided a platform for more in-depth reviews, educational outputs and evaluation.
The respective lessons learnt from both WHPP ice hockey festivals in Maribor (2023) and Klagenfurt (2024) are of important value for the planning process of the 3rd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival & Academy, which is to be held in Zagreb (CRO) in April 2025. The event’s focus remains on combining competitive tournaments with educational workshops to benefit players, coaches, officials, and other stakeholders involved in women’s ice hockey. Similar to the previous two festivals, the Zagreb edition will thus also include all elements of the previous ones: on-the-ice training, off-the-ice workshops and a final tournament as a practical implementation of the first two elements.
The Sports Institute of Finland and the International Ice Hockey Federation put forward the initiative to organise a WHPP Open Day in the ice hockey clubs of the participating countries, which would take place during the upcoming IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. This could contribute to the project’s visibility and further promote the women’s game.
The Consortium also took stock of the preparation of the WHPP output publication “Equity in Ice Hockey” which will be one of the final deliverables of this three-year project co-funded by the European Union.
The WHPP project aims to promote equal opportunities in women’s ice hockey by enhancing governance practices, raising awareness, and providing education within sports organizations.