Swiss Coach Roger Schwarzenbach: At the Skills Camp, It Was Clear That the Development of Young Players Is Taken Seriously

The second edition of the Skills Camp took place in Hostivař from August 26 to 28. This year, the skills camp also had an international dimension, with Swiss coaches and players taking part. Czech national team players were also involved, helping with the development of young talents.

The Skills Camp Offered High-Quality Training, Modern Recovery Equipment and Educational Seminars

At the end of August, 30 young ball hockey players headed to the Skills Camp in Hostivař. From Friday to Sunday, a 12-hour programme was prepared for them. Among the participants were also two coaches and six junior players from the Swiss team Horgenberg Hammers. In addition to the organisers and local coaches, the players were also looked after by Czech national team players and some of the best ball hockey players not only in the Czech top league – Jan Čejka, Martin Kruček and Daniel Vaniš.

What exactly did the young talents work on? „The circuit training sessions with six stations consisted of practising several skills, from passing, finishing, stickhandling and ball control to pressure situations and individual situations. There was also room for competitive games in both three-on-three and full-format ball hockey. The players could try shooting with a radar, interactive Gamechanger stickhandling surfaces or modern recovery equipment,“ the organisers state on the Hostivař club website.

Thanks to the international visitors, the camp brought added value in the form of communication in English. Not only were the evening educational seminars conducted in English, but the language could also be heard during training sessions on the field. One of the Swiss coaches, Roger Schwarzenbach, looks back on the whole event. What impression did the Hostivař environment make on him when it came to developing young players?

The training sessions followed a clear plan, everything worked together nicely

Roger, at the end of August, you took part in a three-day Skills Camp in Hostivař. How did you hear about the camp, and what made you decide to come to the camp from Switzerland with two coaches and six players?

We were looking for opportunities to help our junior players develop further, but also wanted to give them an experience outside of what they usually know from home. Through one of our contacts, we came across the Skills Camp in Hostivař. The idea immediately interested us, and after getting in touch with the organisers, we received a very warm invitation to join. So we decided to make the trip from Switzerland with two coaches and six players.

Each day had a 12-hour programme. What did you like most about the programme or the way the camp was run?

I think what stood out most was how well everything was organised. The days were long and intensive, but the programme was always well structured and never felt chaotic. The training sessions followed a clear plan and everything worked together nicely. Even outside of the training, things like catering and organisation ran smoothly. You could tell that a lot of preparation had gone into the camp.

There was also modern training equipment at the camp. What did you think about the equipment prepared at Hostivař? And do you use similar equipment in your training in Switzerland?

It was very interesting to see the modern training equipment and especially how it was used during the sessions. We were able to take away some good ideas and see things from a different perspective. There are definitely a few things that we would like to adapt and implement in our own training programme in Switzerland.

There were new ideas regarding training and player development

The camp was mainly held in English. What added value do you think the camp brought in this respect for both the Czech and Swiss players?

I think having English as the main language was a big advantage. It allowed the Czech and Swiss players to communicate with each other and get to know one another outside of the training as well. Sport is a great way to connect people, even when they come from different countries and backgrounds. I think experiences like this are very valuable for young players and can also help ball hockey become more international and continue to grow.

Hostivař works with young players at a very high level. What impression did the environment there make on you?

The whole environment in Hostivař made a very positive impression on me. The staff was very professional, but what I found particularly nice was that even top-level players took the time to work with and support the younger generation. You could see that player development is taken seriously. At the same time, the training was adapted to the different age groups and there was still plenty of room for creativity and fun.

It was a unique youth ball hockey camp. Did the experience personally give you any inspiration that you would like to implement in Switzerland?

The camp was a great experience for all of us, and personally, I was able to take away a lot from it. Of course, there were new ideas regarding training and player development, but also a lot of motivation. Meeting people who share the same passion for developing young players gives you new energy to continue investing in your own club. We also made some great new connections, which I think can be very valuable for the future development of ball hockey.

Second edition of the Skills Camp with Swiss participation. Photo source: HBC Hostivař.