Some Players Are Closer to the Nomination, but It Is Still Open, Reveals U18 Head Coach Vít Čapek After the December Camp

The U18 national team did not compete at a World Championship in 2025, but the squad has been diligently preparing for the tournament in the following year. One of the preparatory camps took place in December, with another scheduled for mid-January.

We Still Have Players We Want to Try Out

Coach, the U18 national team did not have a peak event in the form of a World Championship this year, so the entire year was primarily about preparation. How would you summarize the preparation process and the team’s work so far from your perspective?

The U18 program is returning to the pre-COVID format, with a major event held once every two years. In the spring, we invited players born in 2008 so that we could see them in action, and then we monitored players throughout the autumn part of the season. We created a broader selection of players from the 2008–2009 age groups and invited them to the December camp. Some players were excused due to injury or illness, so we will now invite them to the camp on January 17–18 in Most.

In mid-December, you met with a broader group for a two-day camp in Plzeň. What was the main focus of this camp, and what did you concentrate on during those two days?

I would say it was divided into two parts. The first focused on individual game skills — drills such as 1-on-0, 2-on-1, and 3-on-2 situations. We introduced individual training sessions for forwards and defensemen, where we focus on position-specific aspects of play. The training was enhanced by being led by Lukáš and Ondra Zdrhovi, which was something new for the players. We want to continue working on these areas at future camps.

The second part was game-based, which always shows the most — whether it was controlled play or game blocks of 4 × 10 minutes. We also outlined to the players the style of play we want to adopt and how we want to solve specific situations, and we required them to apply this in the game. I have to say that the players followed our instructions, and we were satisfied with the camp, although there is always room for improvement.

Approximately half a year remains until the start of the championship. What did this camp show you in terms of building the team further? Do you already have clarity in some positions, or is the squad composition still open?

It showed us that the players are well prepared by their clubs, for which we are grateful. Of course, there are players who are closer to nomination, but the nomination is still open — and that is exactly what we told the players, so they would not be discouraged if they are not selected for the next camp. We still have players we want to try out, and we want to have 25 players at a camp, not more, so that it makes sense. Naturally, with each camp the lineup begins to take shape, but it is still too early to announce specific names. We want to find a role for every player within the team, and anyone who coaches knows that this is not an easy task. However, I believe we will be able to put the mosaic together well.

We Have New Players and a New Challenge

In 2024, the U18 national team won bronze medals at the World Championship. How does this success influence the current preparation, and what are you trying to build on in the new national team cycle?

The year 2024 and the bronze medal are already in the past. We have new players, a new challenge, and certainly the highest ambitions. We don’t want to make excuses — a medal from any World Championship is a success. There are players who are already competing in the men’s Extraliga, the 1st League, and the junior Extraliga, as well as several world champions from last year’s U16 World Championship. We would like to build on the previous successful junior championships, but above all, we want to continue developing the players for their further ball hockey growth — both in their clubs and later for the U20 category and eventually the senior national team.

You also worked with the U16 national team in 2025. How has that experience helped you in your work with the older category, and what do you see as the biggest differences in players’ approach between these age groups?

We have a much better overview of the players, and we had the opportunity to get to know them even in crisis situations during the World Championship — when the team is not doing well, during a demanding game schedule with matches played every day, dealing with heat, physical endurance, and so on. Of course, U18 players are more physically and tactically mature compared to U16 players. Some of them are already playing in men’s competitions, as I mentioned earlier, and that is the most significant difference.

You will continue preparing the U18 players next year. What are the next steps and the nearest plans as the championship approaches?

We have a camp scheduled in January in Most, then most likely an Easter camp in Svitavy, followed by two camps in June before the World Championship itself. From Svitavy onward, we want to focus on system-based aspects of the game — power plays, penalty kills, and similar situations will come into play.