Japanese players grow Para ice hockey awareness at Skills Development Camp

The 2023 WPIH Skills Development Camp presented by Citi came to a close in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday (30 July) after intene three days of action.

The camp hosted by Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena was wrapped up with a friendly game played by more than 30 female and male players attending the event, the first of its kind since Ostrava, Czechia, in 2021.

Broadening horizons 

Japan provided the most players (seven) together with one coach and two staff members among four countries (Australia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand) that participated in Bangkok. 

Japan is well-known for its great Para ice hockey history with the silver medal won at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada, remaining as the major success of their men's national team up to this day.

With two female players, Nana Sato and Meika Fujiwara, in Bangkok, Japanese women's Para ice hockey started to emerge onto the international stage. 

"I think everyone was nervous at first, but from the second day, onwards, I got the impression that everyone was friendly and kind,“ said the 27-year-old Sato who has been playing Para ice hockey for six months.

Her compatriot and friend Meika Fujiwara is more experienced in the sport as she has been playing for the last year and a half. But also for her being in an international Para ice hockey environment broadened her horizons and gave her the opportunity to improve.

"I was really looking forward to play Para ice hockey with athletes from other countries. Just as I thought before the camp in Thailand, we all came here with the same goal and play at more or less the same rinks at home as we did in Bangkok,“ the 21-year-old said.

Fujiwara has played various other sports before starting up Para ice hockey including wheelchair basketball, wheelchair handball and Para canoe. On the other hand, Sato is combining another winter sport with Para ice hockey - Para cross-country skiing.

But Para ice hockey is their priority, and the ultimate goal is to have a women's national team in Japan. Currently, there are only five female players in their country, but Fujiwara and Sato reckon they have only met each other up until this point.

"First of all, Meika and I will do everything we can to form a team and get the practice time we need in Japan. From there on, I would like to spread the word about Para ice hockey and showcase what a fun sport it is,“ highlighted Sato

Fujiwara added: "As Nana mentioned, we don't have a lot of practice time in Japan, and even if we do, practice times are often very late. That is why it is hard to get a chance to start. Together with that, not so many people know that female players are active and I want to send a message that there is a place where female athletes can take up an active role".

Shared passion

The Skills Development Camp also gave the two players the opportunity to meet athletes from other countries who face similar challenges and share the same passion for the sport.

"There are not so many female players in Japan, but I knew there were a lot more players and teams internationally. To be honest, playing Para ice hockey in Japan gave me a feeling of loneliness, but when I came to Thailand, I was thrilled to be a part of this fantastic group of female players from four countries,“ added Sato who was influenced by her teammate.

Fujiwara already has international experience as she played at the 2022 Women's World Challenge presented by Citi in Green Bay, United States. The Japanese represented Team World - comprised of athletes from different nations - eventually winning the bronze medal. 

"Playing at a tournament and being in a competitive environment is different than practicing in a camp. Both experiences have their advantages, but I would say that the main thing in common is that I am surrounded by athletes who aim higher all the time,“ concluded Fujiwara.

The 2023 WPIH Skills Development Camp presented by Citi was the first of its kind organized in the Asia-Oceania region. For more news about the event, visit the World Para Ice Hockey website and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).