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
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.
https://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_1371-scaled.jpg19202560WHPP PRhttps://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/logo-whp4p-340x156.pngWHPP PR2024-04-21 13:19:452024-12-29 10:25:492nd WHPP Festival and Academy a complete success
17th April 2024, Klagenfurt – The second in the series of the WHPP educational events will build on the lessons learned from the first year of the project, focusing on the young girls under the age of 18. The event will maintain its dual focus, combining on-ice learning experiences with off-ice workshops. This comprehensive approach ensures that participants receive a well-rounded education in various aspects of ice hockey, including skills development, strategy and mental preparation. During the three-day event participants will attend presentations and workshops held by IIHF experts: Alexia CHEYROUX (FRA), Erika HOLST (SWE), Kristi Kehoe (USA), Satu Kiipeli (FIN), Katja PASANEN (FIN) and Florence SCHELLING (SUI).
Alexia CHEYROUX (FRA) is a former ice hockey player in the French women’s championship. Linesperson in the French men’s professional leagues – Ligue Magnus, Division 1 – since 2010 and at the IIHF competitions since 2019 (2019 – WW U18 D2, Spain; 2021 – Olympic pre-qualification, Italy; 2022 – WW U18 D1A, Hungary; 2023 – WW U18A, Sweden). In 2022 she also attended USA Hockey Officiating Development Camp in Minnesota.
Erika HOLST (SWE) is a former Swedish National Team ice hockey player, representing Sweden at nine World Championships and winning silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics and bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. She played with the Segeltorps IF and Riksserien in Swedish elite league and with the University of Minnesota Bulldogs when they won the first three NCAA women’s championships in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Currently she is the Head Coach of Frolunda HC women’s team in Sweden’s Division 1.
Kristi KEHOE (USA) is currently the Sports Director of the Anaheim Lady Ducks, with over 28 years of playing and coaching experience. She played NCAA Division 1 at Northeastern University; where she led her team as a forward in goals, points, and assists for three seasons. Since retiring from playing, Kristi has gained experience at all levels of hockey as a Head Coach, Associate Head Coach, and Assistant Coach within NCAA Division 1 and 3, Jr Hockey, IIHF Hockey China U18, and working within the USA Hockey system. She has been the Director of Player Development for the New England District within USA Hockey for eight years, and also has worked all USA Hockey Development Camps on the girls side, holding roles as; Mentor Coach, Head Coach, Skills Coach, and On-ice Director. She prides herself on being an advocate for Girls’ and women in hockey.
Satu KIIPELI (FIN) is a former Finnish national team player with Olympic and World Championship appearances. Three time national NCAA D1 Champion with University of Minnesota-Duluth and Finnish Champion with Oulun Karpat. Current she is the Head Coach of Oulun Karpat in Finnish Women’s League. She holds master’s degree in sport administration and is certified pro coach.
Katja PASANEN (FIN) works as a mental performance coach in several different sports. She has worked as Head Coach of the IFK Helsinki U16 and U18 women’s teams and HPK senior women’s team. Already as a player and then later as a coach she was interested, how can she help players play at their level. She has studied e.g. sports psychology, behavior, sports medicine and social psychology, etc. Currently she is mental coach of Finish men’s top-level league team Rauman Lukko. “The higher the level of performance in top sports, the smaller the technical differences in the sport become, and the mental control of strengths becomes more prominent.” (www.katjapasanen.fi)
Florence SCHELLING (SUI) is an Olympic and World Championship bronze medalist and MVP. As a goalie, she represented the Swiss Women’s National Team for 15 years, including at at the Winter Olympics of 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. She played at Northeastern University in the NCAA and Linköping’s HC for three seasons in the Swedish SDHL.
https://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024_04_2ndWHPPExperts-scaled.jpg19232560WHPP PRhttps://www.whp4p.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/logo-whp4p-340x156.pngWHPP PR2024-04-17 08:21:312024-04-19 11:25:482nd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival & Academy experts from Europe and USA
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.
2nd WHPP Festival and Academy a complete success
/0 Comments/in Coaching, Development, Game Officiating, News, Players /by WHPP PR21st 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.
2nd WHPP Ice Hockey Festival & Academy experts from Europe and USA
/0 Comments/in Coaching, Development, Game Officiating, News, Players /by WHPP PR17th April 2024, Klagenfurt – The second in the series of the WHPP educational events will build on the lessons learned from the first year of the project, focusing on the young girls under the age of 18. The event will maintain its dual focus, combining on-ice learning experiences with off-ice workshops. This comprehensive approach ensures that participants receive a well-rounded education in various aspects of ice hockey, including skills development, strategy and mental preparation. During the three-day event participants will attend presentations and workshops held by IIHF experts: Alexia CHEYROUX (FRA), Erika HOLST (SWE), Kristi Kehoe (USA), Satu Kiipeli (FIN), Katja PASANEN (FIN) and Florence SCHELLING (SUI).
Alexia CHEYROUX (FRA) is a former ice hockey player in the French women’s championship. Linesperson in the French men’s professional leagues – Ligue Magnus, Division 1 – since 2010 and at the IIHF competitions since 2019 (2019 – WW U18 D2, Spain; 2021 – Olympic pre-qualification, Italy; 2022 – WW U18 D1A, Hungary; 2023 – WW U18A, Sweden). In 2022 she also attended USA Hockey Officiating Development Camp in Minnesota.
Erika HOLST (SWE) is a former Swedish National Team ice hockey player, representing Sweden at nine World Championships and winning silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics and bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. She played with the Segeltorps IF and Riksserien in Swedish elite league and with the University of Minnesota Bulldogs when they won the first three NCAA women’s championships in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Currently she is the Head Coach of Frolunda HC women’s team in Sweden’s Division 1.
Kristi KEHOE (USA) is currently the Sports Director of the Anaheim Lady Ducks, with over 28 years of playing and coaching experience. She played NCAA Division 1 at Northeastern University; where she led her team as a forward in goals, points, and assists for three seasons. Since retiring from playing, Kristi has gained experience at all levels of hockey as a Head Coach, Associate Head Coach, and Assistant Coach within NCAA Division 1 and 3, Jr Hockey, IIHF Hockey China U18, and working within the USA Hockey system. She has been the Director of Player Development for the New England District within USA Hockey for eight years, and also has worked all USA Hockey Development Camps on the girls side, holding roles as; Mentor Coach, Head Coach, Skills Coach, and On-ice Director. She prides herself on being an advocate for Girls’ and women in hockey.
Satu KIIPELI (FIN) is a former Finnish national team player with Olympic and World Championship appearances. Three time national NCAA D1 Champion with University of Minnesota-Duluth and Finnish Champion with Oulun Karpat. Current she is the Head Coach of Oulun Karpat in Finnish Women’s League. She holds master’s degree in sport administration and is certified pro coach.
Katja PASANEN (FIN) works as a mental performance coach in several different sports. She has worked as Head Coach of the IFK Helsinki U16 and U18 women’s teams and HPK senior women’s team. Already as a player and then later as a coach she was interested, how can she help players play at their level. She has studied e.g. sports psychology, behavior, sports medicine and social psychology, etc. Currently she is mental coach of Finish men’s top-level league team Rauman Lukko. “The higher the level of performance in top sports, the smaller the technical differences in the sport become, and the mental control of strengths becomes more prominent.” (www.katjapasanen.fi)
Florence SCHELLING (SUI) is an Olympic and World Championship bronze medalist and MVP. As a goalie, she represented the Swiss Women’s National Team for 15 years, including at at the Winter Olympics of 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. She played at Northeastern University in the NCAA and Linköping’s HC for three seasons in the Swedish SDHL.