Korea hold second sledge hockey clinic

“If we come up with strategic methods and plans along with bringing new members to the team and maintaining current members will be another positive step towards a gold medal.”

Korea held their second annual ice sledge hockey clinic from 19-23 November to help further cultivate their programme and establish themselves as top contenders at the 2013 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey A Pool World Championships and the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

USA’s former ice sledge hockey coach Kevin Sullivan and IPC Sport Technical Committee Chairperson Keith Blase led the seminar at the Choon-Chun Eui-am Arena, where athletes had question and answer sessions followed by trainings on the ice.

The Koreans won a surprise silver medal at the last World Championships in Hamar, Norway in April, and have voiced they want to learn more about the North American style of coaching so they can fend off top teams Canada and USA in the future.

“It was a great chance for us to experience American style of training methods and coach,” Korean coach Na Jae Woong said.

“If we come up with strategic methods and plans along with bringing new members to the team and maintaining current members will be another positive step towards a gold medal.”

The programme would like to further develop ice sledge hockey in Korea before the 2018 Games and give more athletes an opportunity to play the aggressive and dynamic sport at the highest level possible.

“While having the clinic, instructors have caught my weaknesses and made my skills better,” Korean player Shin Doo-Young said.

“I made my mind up again that I will play ice sledge hockey more passionately. Compared to last year’s clinic, this clinic was really helpful and made us to be in better position.”