..and we love the game. That’s why we are involved in it. Of course I enjoyed the big win my team ZSC Lions got at Victoria Cup over Chicago Blackhawks, but I have to say that I also enjoyed watching local Estonian league game last Saturday 10.10 when I saw Viru Sputnik taking nice 4-3 win over visiting Kalev-Välk team in the game that was played at Kohtla-Järve.
National team candidates showed some good moves in that game and what I liked most was the effort en enthusiasm how the players approached the game. Our national team players have the needed passion for the game and it is our job with Ismo to help these players to perform the best they can to quality for Div-I level at World championships!
Yesterday we did have our first real hard dryland workouts together with National team candidates. I am sure some things may have been a bit surprising for the players who are now discovering the intensity of the pro level workouts needed to improve their game and become real athletes.
Couple of hours break was all we gave to players before then hitting the ice at Jeti Jäähall for another high tempo workout. Those players that made it to our ice practice did show us good effort. After the workout they must have a had a quite good idea on what kind of a shape they are at and what do they need to do to be part of the best and hardest skating team in the upcoming Div-II World championships.
For next weekend we are trying to arrange extra “captain’s practices” and then in 2 weeks Ismo and I have great opportunity to coach Kalev-Välk team at Continental cup @ Poland. We will have a large number of the national team candidates in that team and therefore we are taking this opportunity to coach the team for that tournament.
