Aussie athletes feeling freedom on sleds in Bangkok

Belinda Green and Noella Angel of Australia are among the more than 30 athletes and coaches from four different countries taking part in the 2023 WPIH Skills Development Camp presented by Citi in Thai capital Bangkok.

Day two of the camp on Saturday (29 July) saw two on-ice sessions followed by video analysis in the hotel with coaches Espen Hegde and Emma Poynton pushing athletes to their limits to transfer valuable Para ice hockey knowledge.

Green and Angel are the only female athletes from Australia in Bangkok, who joined other six female Para ice hockey players from Japan, South Korea and Thailand.

Immediately sold 

The two come from different sporting backgrounds as 48-year-old Green had no sports experience prior to 2022, while 30-year-old Angel has been in equestrian ever since she was a little girl with quite a few international appearances under her belt.

"I have never been exposed to sports other than my family playing or watching it. I went to something called 'Have-a-go Day' at the local centre where you can try all the Para sports from basketball to netball, athletics, powerlifting and Para ice hockey,“ Green recalled. 

"On that given day, there wasn't an ice rink available, but the organisers told me to come back tomorrow. I was immediately sold and from that day I have been on the team. I started going to the gym three times a week, I've taken up on wheelchair tennis as well and I eventually ended up in Bangkok which is mind-boggling. I feel like there was a tiny little athlete inside of me this whole time, but I just didn't know it,“ she added.

Angel was born with arterial vascular malformation (AVM) which affects the development of blood vessels, soft tissues and bones. It took five years to diagnose, but during that time she already kicked it off with equestrian. 

"I have ridden ever since I was a little girl. I have become a Para athlete in 2013 when I got classified. I have competed in equestrian up to the high-performance level. A lot of skills from equestrian actually apply to Para ice hockey. You have to prepare, work out properly and make sure to have a good recovery plan.“

After the two days of intensive camp routine already behind them, the Aussie athletes are still gathering their thoughts.

"It's really hot in Bangkok and then you come to the ice rink and it is really cold. If you ask me, it's a piece of perfection,“ Green said. "We have two on-ice sessions and then go back to the hotel for a few off-ice sessions consisting of video analysis. After the two practices per day, you really need some rest, but that's only the half of our day in Bangkok.“

Both feel privileged to meet and work with athletes from different countries. After the initial challenges, the camp kicked off nicely when they started practicing.

"It's just working out who is who and getting to know each other,“ Angel said. "Everyone is slowly hesitant at the start, but as the time goes off, we're all making friends. Belinda and I have only met on the first morning as well, that was a great wake-up call. Nevertheless, we talk a lot in the dressing room after every session and people click with each other after those kind of interactions.“

Mind-blowing experience

Besides working towards the same goal of improving their skills, Angel and Green motivate themselves by performing within an international environment.

"We're having that competitive edge here that is pushing us along. It gives us a chance to improve our skills and watch what other athletes are doing,“ both agree, with Green adding:

"You can basically steal their ideas and copy their technique. It's an amazing feeling to be out there on the ice. This is only the second ice rink I've ever been to. The opportunity to be at an international ice rink in Thailand is a little bit mind-blowing.“

Despite conditions outside the rink being demanding with the summer at its peak in Thailand, Angel has only words of praise for the infrastructure in Bangkok:

"It's really cool because Thailand has run the C-Pool World Champs last year. That's why the accessibility of the ice rink is really good. Getting on and off the ice is much easier than in other rinks we've been to.“

Australia's national team is due to compete at the C-Pool again, while the all-female national team is yet to take its shape. The two players are the breakthrough athletes in the country, but they would love to see more women on the ice soon.

"The feeling that you get when you are on the ice in a sled is freedom. Everyone has an expression of pure elation on their face because that feeling is beautiful. I was scared and intimidated by it, but I gave it a go and never looked back. It's all fun,“ Green said, with Angel adding the final word:

"It's addictive, it's great, it's a feeling that you cannot replicate anywhere else. I am used to having freedom on a horse that is quite freeing from your disability, but Para ice hockey is a completely different feel. Come and have a go!“

The 2023 WPIH Skills Development Camp presented by Citi is running from 28 to 30 July in Bangkok, Thailand. Make sure to follow all the action on the World Para Ice Hockey website and social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.